Vantage Bulletin

Welcome to the 3rd Edition of the Vantage Bulletin. This newsletter keeps you informed and connected with the latest updates, insights, and initiatives from Vantage Strata.
In this edition, we share key company news, community highlights, and helpful information to support you in managing and enjoying life within your strata community.

 

 

Milestone Reached: 50% Portfolio Converted Under Our Insurance Commission Busters Program

This month, we’re proud to announce a major milestone in our Insurance Commission Busters initiative – 50% of our portfolio has now transitioned to a simple, transparent fee-for-service model.

A heartfelt thank you to our forward-thinking clients who have embraced this change. While legislative reform around commissions in the ACT may still be some way off, we’ve taken proactive steps to remove commissions from our business model, with full conversion targeted for early 2026.

Key Highlights:

  • 100% of Unit Plans offered the switch opted in
  • Our base management fees have been adjusted to replace commission revenue – and our clients understood the value
  • 92% of Unit Plans re-signed for 2–3 years, giving us the runway to reset and strengthen our business structure

What We’ve Learned:

  • Our team has been the driving force behind this transformation
  • Our clients have welcomed the change and shown strong support
  • Removing opaque fees builds trust and transparency
  • A dedicated insurance manager has been essential to managing the transition effectively
  • The insurance landscape is evolving, and we’re already seeing cost savings for clients
  • Canberra clients are well-informed and understand the broader challenges and opportunities
  • The Commission Busters theme has resonated more than expected – we may need to consider merchandise!

We’re not finished yet, but we’re proud of the progress we’ve made. Thank you for being part of the journey.

 

 

Increase in crime targeting Canberra strata communities – Stay Alert

Recent patterns indicate a rise in criminal activity across Canberra, with a growing trend of offenders targeting car parks within strata communities. These incidents often lead to the theft of building access passes, and personal belongings left in vehicles, and storage cages.
Car parks and storage areas present ideal conditions for opportunistic crime. These spaces often cover multiple access points within an enclosed, low-traffic environment, making them appealing to offenders. Beyond the risk of stolen valuables, the greater danger lies in the theft of building access devices such as fobs or remotes. Once these items are taken, criminals can move freely through common areas, significantly increasing the likelihood of further theft and property damage.

What You Can Do to Stay Safe

  1. Never leave building access devices in your car
    Fobs, remotes, keys and swipe cards should always be kept with you. Leaving them in vehicles makes it easy for thieves to gain entry.
  2. Remove valuables from cars and storage cages
    Items such as electronics, tools, and personal belongings should not be stored in unsecured areas. Basement car parks are not secure locations, whilst they may provide a restricted means of access to the building, they are not secure.
  3. Stay alert at entry points
    If you notice someone loitering near entry points such as doors, gates, carparks etc… report it to the police or the building manager if this occurs during their on-site hours.
  4. Don’t allow tailgating
    Politely refuse entry to anyone who tries to follow you into the car park or main entrance without using their own access device.
  5. Report suspicious activity immediately
    Quick reporting can prevent further incidents and help authorities respond effectively.

Community vigilance is key. By taking these precautions, we can reduce opportunities for crime and keep our homes and shared spaces secure.

 

 

Join Us in Supporting Menslink

Each year, the team at Vantage Strata gathers for our Annual General Meeting — a moment to reflect, reset, and recommit to our goals. A key part of this tradition is choosing the charities we’ll support together and setting meaningful fundraising targets.

As a Canberra-owned and focused business, we believe deeply in giving back to the community we live and work in. Our team is directly involved in the lives of thousands of Canberrans through our work, and we’re proud to support organisations that make a real difference in our region.

Once again, the team selected Menslink which is a charity with a mission and purpose that we genuinely believe will better the next generation within our Canberra community.

A message from our CEO: 

Menslink rely heavily on donations to continue their life-changing work. Our goal is to raise $15,000, and the team has placed one condition on me personally — I must complete the Menslink Great Walk and raise a minimum of $10,000.

The Great Walk is a five-day, 142km trek around Canberra’s Centenary Trail — longer than the Kokoda Track. It’s a physical challenge, but the real mission is raising funds and awareness for Menslink, which supports young men and their families through mentoring, counselling, and school programs.

We appreciate that many families already support causes close to their hearts or have fully committed budgets. But if you’re in a position to contribute — even a few dollars — your support would go along way to helping the young men and their families who benefit from Menslink’s services.

Learn more about Menslink here

And donate here

Thank you for backing us — and backing Menslink!

 

 

Holiday Season Tips and Reminders

The holiday season is fast approaching! Whether you are staying home or heading away throughout the festive season, here’s a few tips and reminders to help you enjoy and be prepared for the times ahead.

Noise and Guests:

We acknowledge that many residents will host gatherings to celebrate and enjoy the season. Please ensure you are mindful of your surrounding neighbours and keep noise to a minimum. Residents are responsible for the behaviour of their guests at all times.
Be sure to notify guests of appropriate parking locations and remember that parking on common property or within another unit’s space without their consent is in breach of Rules.

Security & Absence:

If you’re leaving your home over the break, we suggest you disconnect your washing machine line and/or consider turning off the water to your unit via the individual shut off point. This can avoid damage to your home and contents should a burst pipe occur while you are absent.

If you are away for an extended period of time, having someone collect your mail or take out and collect your bins can assist to decrease the likelihood of criminals noticing your patterns of absence. Talk to local friends/family or neighbours you trust to see if anyone can assist.

Rubbish:

It is normal to see an increase in rubbish disposal over this period – such as boxes, beverage containers and packaging/wrapping materials.

  • Bulky Cardboard – Please ensure all bulky cardboard is flattened and disposed of in the recycling bins appropriately. Large boxes must be broken down to smaller pieces around the size of an A3 piece of paper.
  • Waste Chutes – If you live in a complex which has a waste chute (recycling or general waste) – be mindful that items sent down the cute must be smaller than the size of a pizza box, otherwise blockages occur which can be costly to clear.
  • Polystyrene Disposal: Polystyrene is not recyclable and should be placed in general waste bins.
  • Messy Items – Waste such as kitty litter, liquids and hazardous items such as diapers etc… must be bagged and disposed of in a manner that is not likely to cause a mess.
  • Sharps – Never dispose of sharps down a waste chute, these must be disposed of in line with local government protocols – for more information and a list of drop-off locations across the Capital l please visit Syringes – Recyclopaedia
  • Seafood – Seafood scraps should be left frozen until the morning of waste collection. Please double bag your seafood scraps to help reduce foul smells permeating into nearby units.

Holiday Closure

Vantage Strata will be closing the office from 5:00PM Friday 19th December to Monday 12th January from 8:30am. This is to allow our team a well-deserved break, and chance to rejuvenate.

During this closure a small group of office staff will be on-deck for all non-public holidays from 8:30am-5:00PM weekdays, to tend to maintenance emergencies.
Building Managers will remain available during their usual hours of coverage at your individual site, excluding public holidays and weekends.

Vantage Strata’s after-hours emergency phone will be manned on public holidays, weekends and after business hours on non-public holiday dates. If you require after-hours assistance please call (02) 6171 9700.

The after-hours service is provided to assist with maintenance emergencies only. Emergencies are life-threatening or hazardous situations such as gas and plumbing leaks (including sewage) electrical dangers and power outages impacting communal garage doors, lifts etc… fires, severe storm damage etc.

If you need to update your details, gain access to information or make applications for alterations, pets etc or lodge non-urgent maintenance requests… please lodge these requests through the Vantage Command Centre which can be accessed 24/7.

The team at Vantage Strata would like to take the opportunity to thank our clients for their support and chance to build positive relationships throughout 2025. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season, and look forward to connecting in 2026 to further improve your Strata Community.

 

 

Vantage Strata Command Centre has launched

The Vantage Strata Command Centre (VCC) continues to enhance the service experience for our communities, delivering efficient support and streamlined operations throughout the year:

  • Total number of registered users is over 14,200
  • 7,299 requests received, with over 4,500 closed
  • 728 fob/remote requests processed
  • 391 key requests processed
  • Over 16,000 documents made available to our communities
  • Over 2,100 maintenance tasks lodged & completed.
  • Approximately 200 tasks converted to quote requests and 600 resulting in contractor appointments.

 

 

Life-Saving Initiative: AED Installation Motions for 2026 AGMs

Vantage Strata is committed to enhancing the safety and wellbeing of residents in our managed communities. Beginning with the EOFY’s falling from 1 January 2026, we will present motions to all clients at the Annual General Meetings recommending the installation of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in strata complexes.

Sudden cardiac arrest is one of Australia’s leading causes of death, with survival rates dropping by 10–12% for every minute without defibrillation. Using an AED within the first 3–5 minutes more than doubles the chance of survival. Unfortunately, ambulance response times often exceed this critical window, particularly in multi-storey buildings. Installing AEDs on-site dramatically improves the likelihood of saving a life in an emergency.

Cost-Effective and Scalable Solution

Through our partnership with St John Ambulance, we are leveraging economies of scale to secure the most cost-effective pricing for our clients. A fully automatic AED installed in a visible, alarmed cabinet costs between $2,000–$3,000, with ongoing maintenance (pads and batteries) averaging $250–$500 per year. When shared among unit holders, the cost is minimal:

  • 10 units: $200–$300 initial cost per unit holder, $25–$50 annually
  • 20 units: $100–$150 initial cost per unit holder, less than $25 annually

AEDs come with an eight-year warranty, and St John provides scheduled maintenance and a 30-minute optional familiarisation training at no extra charge. This initiative represents a practical, affordable way to protect lives and strengthen community safety.

Legal Protection for Users

Residents and building staff who use AEDs or perform first aid are protected under the Good Samaritan legislation (Civil Law (Wrongs) Act 2022), provided they act in good faith and are not significantly impaired by drugs or alcohol.

Your Support Can Save Lives

We encourage all owners and committees to support this motion at your upcoming AGM. By approving AED installation, you are making a proactive investment in community safety and potentially saving lives. Together, we can make our buildings safer for everyone.

 

 

Vantage Strata Joins the Property Council of Australia

We’re proud to share that Vantage Strata has officially joined the Property Council of Australia (PCA) – a significant step forward in our commitment to shaping the future of housing and urban development in Canberra and beyond.

“We’re excited that Vantage has joined the Property Council here in the ACT and Capital Region. Our property industry will be served best by a membership that is broad, and passionate about Canberra thriving. It’s vital that we have industry leaders, like Vantage, contributing to the complex discussion of housing current and future Canberrans. We look forward to continuing to work with Rupert and the team on our advocacy objectives.” 

–Ash Berry

 ACT & Capital Region Executive Director, PCA

As Canberra’s leading strata management firm, our team brings deep local expertise and a practical understanding of the challenges facing residential communities. Joining the PCA allows us to contribute meaningfully to national conversations around housing supply, planning reform, and the evolution of strata living.

The ACT is experiencing rapid growth in strata-titled developments, with nearly all new residential land releases being delivered as unit or townhouse communities. As this trend continues, it’s critical that strata managers have a seat at the table to advocate for smarter policy, better planning outcomes, and more sustainable housing solutions.

At Vantage, we place a high value on professionalising the services strata managers provide. We believe that strata management should be recognised as a specialised discipline – one that requires strong governance, transparent operations, and a deep understanding of the built environment. Through our systems, training, and client-first approach, we aim to raise the standard of service delivery across the sector and ensure strata communities are supported by capable, accountable professionals.

Through our membership, Vantage will:

  • Represent the voice of strata communities in policy discussions
  • Support planning reform that enables more efficient and liveable housing
  • Collaborate with industry leaders to address housing supply constraints
  • Champion transparency and professionalism in strata management

 

 

Thank you for being a part of the Vantage Strata community. We look forward to continuing to serve you.