We have all seen it happen in strata communities: a motion is passed, owners celebrate a decision, and then… nothing happens. A recent adjudication case reminds us that while a Committee cannot simply ignore a lawful vote, resolving the resulting stalemate is rarely straightforward.
The Backdrop: A Fight for Fair Water Bills
The dispute centred on a 37-lot complex where owners were sharing the cost of water expenses. Seeking to ensure everyone only paid for what they actually used, an owner (the Applicant) successfully pushed for change to individual water maters being installed at the complex.
In September 2024, the Body Corporate passed an ordinary resolution to accept a plumbing contractor’s quote of circa $49,000 to install individual water meters.
However, a new Committee was elected at that same Annual General Meeting (AGM) and their priorities did not match those of the outgoing Committee it seems. Following the new election of the Committee, in 2025 the complex suffered storm damage which required a significant investment to rectify.
Fast forward to January 2026, and with still no action taken to implement the individual water meters project, the Body Corporate voted again at a general meeting to affirm the project and order it to proceed.
Yet, the water meters were never installed.
Frustrated by the delay, the Applicant took the matter to adjudication, arguing that the Committee was acting unreasonably and had no power to override a decision made by the owners.
The Committee’s Defence: Weather and a Stale Quote
The Committee didn’t deny holding up the project, but they argued they were acting in the complex’s best financial interests. They pointed to two major hurdles:
- The Quote Expired: Due to the passage of time, the plumbing contractor would no longer honour the original $49,000 price tag as the quote from 2024 was well out of date.
- Emergency Maintenance: Severe weather events in 2025 forced the Committee to re-prioritise funds toward urgent, unforeseen maintenance, leaving the body corporate without enough money to cover the meter installation.
The Adjudicator’s Ruling: A Wrap on the Knuckles, But No Order
The Adjudicator’s findings deliver a crucial lesson for both sides of any strata dispute.
First, the Adjudicator gave the Committee a clear reality check. Committees do not have the right to simply choose which ordinary resolutions they implement.
If a resolution is lawful, the Committee must put it into effect. If funds ran low or circumstances changed, the correct procedure was for the Committee to call a general meeting and ask the owners to vote to rescind (cancel) the original motion—not to just ignore it.
However, in a surprising twist, the Adjudicator refused to grant the Applicant’s orders to force the installation.
The Adjudicator noted:
- The Applicant could not prove the contractor would still honour a quote that was now nearly two years old whilst the Body Corpoate had provided recent quotes demonstrating the new cost was considerably higher; and
- Forcing a $49,000 contract that might no longer exist—using money the body corporate might not have—did not make sense; and
- The Applicant, as an owner, still has the power to source fresh quotes and submit new motions at upcoming general meetings to get the project back on track – the Adjudicator does not need to order the Committee to do this for the Applicant.
The Takeaway for Owners and Committees
This case serves as a vital reminder of the balance of power in strata schemes. Committees are managers, not rulers—they answer to the decisions of the general meeting.
However, if you are an owner trying to push through a project, a historical vote won’t save you if the quote has expired and the financial reality of your complex has shifted.
When budgets get tight and plans stall, the best path forward is communication and a fresh vote, rather than a costly trip to the Adjudicator.
If you wish to read the case for yourself you can go here: https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/qld/QBCCMCmr/2026/298.html