The Act

The Body Corporate and Community Management Amendment Act 2003 which is the legislation in Queensland which covers units and town houses.  Commonly called the BCCMA.

Accommodation Module

This module of the BCCMA is designed for investor buildings where the units are predominantly let out either by the on-site letting agent or another agent.  It allows for greater spending power by the Body Corporate and less formality with the holding of meetings and in particular allows the Body Corporate to grant longer Caretaking and Letting Agreements up to a maximum of 25 years.  This provides greater security of Management for the complex and more security for the investment of the Manager.  Being in the Accommodation Module is a bonus and not essential.

AGM - Annual General Meeting

A meeting for the owners within the Body Corporate.  A Resident Manager has the right to vote at every AGM.

BCCMA

The Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997.  This is Queensland State Legislation which governs almost all bodies corporate in Queensland.  The act is divided into four separate pieces of legislation as follows:

1. Accommodation Module

2. Standard Module

3. Commercial Module

4. Small Schemes Module

Body Corporate

A separate legal entity created to control and administer the common property.  All the owners are members of the Body Corporate which is administered by an elected Committee of owners.

Body Corporate Manager (BCM)

The BCM is employed by the Body Corporate and carries out the formal duties of the Secretary and Treasurer.  The BCM attends to everything from issuing and banking levies to calling and convening Committee and General Meetings of the Body Corporate.  Because the BCM and the Resident Manager are the only parties within the scheme who have a business interest in the scheme, it is common for them to easily find rapport which assists in the easy operation of the complex.

By-Laws

These are the rules of the Body Corporate. They relate to the use of the lots and common property. They define what the body corporate can and can't do. The by-laws apply to everyone entering the complex - owners and tenants and guests alike.

Commercial Module

The Commercial Module is designed to regulate commercial and industrial schemes and has allowances for funds such as a promotion fund for advertising.

Committee

The Committee of the Body Corporate is elected at every Annual General Meeting by the owners.  They are nominated into positions of Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Ordinary Members.  There is a legislative requirement that there must be a minimum of three Members and a maximum of seven Committee Members at any one time.  The Resident Manager will usually be in contact with the committee on a regular basis.  As the Resident Manager you are automatically a non-voting member of the Committee and have the right to attend all Committee Meetings.  The fact that the Resident Manager does not have a vote is largely irrelevant since, if the Manager had a vote, he/she could not exercise it on any matter involving the Management and Letting Rights business.  The fact that the Manager is a member of the Committee however, gives the Manager a voice at the Committee Meeting.

Common Property

A term referring to all of the property in a complex that is shared by all owners e.g. foyers, hallways, swimming pools, gardens, tennis courts.  It is the Resident Manager's responsibility to maintain the common property.

Community Title

The name given to freehold property that is subdivided into separate titles or lots (units or townhouses) and common property.

Community Title Scheme - CTS

The CTS is the complete Body Corporate scheme which is identified by a unique CTS number.  Every Body Corporate is officially known as "Body Corporate for (name of the complex) CTS (number)".

Lot

This is the individual title of an owner within the Body Corporate; their unit or town house. Each lot has its own individual entitlement (Contribution or Interest Entitlement) which is the basis for the calculation of levies.  The individual owners share in the common property.

Manager

The name given to the owner of the Management Rights. The Act uses the terms "service contractor" and "letting agent".

Modules

The group of regulations which give detail to the Act. Each module has a different set of rules, designed for a specific type of Body Corporate. Types of modules include Standard, Accommodation, Small Schemes and Commercial Modules.

RAM

Resident Accommodation Manager

RUM

Resident Unit Manager

RPM

Resident Property Manager

Small Schemes Module

For schemes with less than six lots.

Standard Module

This module of the BCCMA is much more regulated than the Accommodation Module and is designed buildings where the units are predominantly occupied by owners.  It allows for a much greater input by the owners and limits the Caretaking and Letting Agreements to a maximum of ten years.  There is nothing wrong with the Standard Module from a Manager's perspective provided the manager has a practise of asking the Body Corporate at a general meeting every few years to top the agreement back up to ten years. An ordinary resolution (51%) only is required.