How to Find Out a Property's Body Corporate Fees Before You Buy

Body corporate fees can add thousands of dollars a year to the cost of owning an apartment or townhouse, yet they're often the hardest number to pin down when you're buying. Listings leave them out or round them, agents quote them from memory, and the official figure usually arrives in paperwork most buyers skim.

Here's how to get the real fees for a property, in the order you'll usually come across them - and how to check whether they're reasonable.

Related Guides

• How to Read a Strata Search Certificate
• Body Corporate & Strata Fees Explained
• Are My Body Corporate Fees Too High?

1. Check the Listing - But Don't Trust It Yet

Many listings show "strata levies", "body corporate fees" or "OC fees" in the property details, usually as a quarterly or annual figure. Treat it as a starting point only:

• It may be out of date. Levies are set each year at the AGM, and a listing can lag behind by months.
• It may be rounded or partial - admin fund only, without the sinking fund, or without a current special levy.
• It may be quarterly or annual without saying which. A $1,200 figure means something very different per quarter than per year.

If the listing says nothing at all, that's not unusual - but it's a question to ask straight away.

2. Ask the Agent for the Latest Levy Notice

The quickest reliable figure is the seller's most recent levy notice - the quarterly bill from the body corporate. Ask the agent for a copy. It shows:

• The admin fund and sinking (capital works) fund contributions, separately
• Any special levy being collected
• The billing period, so you know whether it's quarterly or annual

Ask two follow-up questions while you're at it: "Are any special levies proposed or being discussed?" and "When is the next AGM, and is a levy increase expected?" Agents must not mislead you, so a direct question in writing is worth asking.

3. Get the Official Certificate Sellers Must Provide

Every state has a formal document that confirms the current levies and any amounts owing on the lot. When you get it - and whether it's before or after you sign - depends on your state.

A few state details worth knowing:

• Queensland changed its rules on 1 August 2025. Sellers must now give you a disclosure statement, including a body corporate certificate, before you sign. If a required certificate is missing, you can terminate the contract.
• NSW section 184 certificates expanded from 1 April 2026 to disclose more, including embedded electricity networks. Any lot owner, mortgagee or prospective buyer (usually through their conveyancer) can request one.
• Victoria's owners corporation certificate shows the current fees, amounts owing, and any special levies or legal proceedings - read it with the rest of the section 32.

The certificate is the figure to rely on. If it doesn't match what the agent told you, ask why before you go further.

4. Order a Strata Search for the Full Picture

The certificate tells you what the fees are. A strata search (or records inspection) tells you where they're heading. A search agent reviews the body corporate's records - minutes, budgets, financial statements, the sinking fund plan, correspondence - and summarises them.

That's where you find the things that change your fees after you buy:

• A sinking fund that's short of its capital works plan
• Minutes discussing major works, defects or a special levy
• Insurance premiums that jumped at the last renewal
• Ongoing disputes or tribunal proceedings

Our guide to reading a strata search certificate covers what to look for in each state and the red flags that matter most.

5. Check Whether the Fees Are Reasonable

Once you have the real figure, put it in context:

• Compare like with like. A building with lifts, a pool and a concierge will cost more than a walk-up. Compare against buildings of a similar size and age.
• Check against typical ranges for the city - see our guides to average fees in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
• Compare the fees to the price and the rent. Our affordability calculator shows whether the fees sit within the typical range for the property's value and, for investors, its rent.
• Be wary of fees that look too low, especially in a newer building. Developers have historically set initial levies low to make off-the-plan sales look cheaper, with sharp increases once the owners take over.

Already Own? Finding Your Own Fees

If you own the property, your current fees are on your latest levy notice. You can also ask your strata manager for the current budget and levy schedule, or log in to your manager's owner portal if they have one. The budget approved at the AGM sets the levies for the year.

Know your figure? Add your fees anonymously - it takes a couple of minutes, we never ask for documents, and it helps other buyers see what buildings in your suburb really cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find out a property's body corporate fees online?

Sometimes. Many listings show the levies, and some suburbs have published benchmark data. But the only reliable figure for a specific property is the seller's levy notice or the official certificate, because levies change each year and listings are often out of date.

Does the seller have to tell me the body corporate fees?

In Victoria and Queensland, the seller must give you the owners corporation or body corporate certificate before you sign the contract, and it shows the current fees. In NSW, your conveyancer usually orders a section 184 certificate before exchange. In every state, ask the agent for the latest levy notice early.

Are body corporate fees quarterly or annual?

Most body corporates bill quarterly, but the levies are set as an annual budget. Always check which period a figure refers to before comparing properties.

What else should I check besides the fees?

The sinking fund balance against the capital works plan, any special levies planned or under discussion, recent insurance premium increases, and the minutes of the last few meetings. A strata search covers all of these.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Disclosure rules differ between states and change over time - your conveyancer or solicitor can confirm what applies to your purchase.