How much does a strata report cost in NSW?

A strata report (also called a strata inspection report) usually costs around $250 to $300 in Sydney when you order it from a strata search company, according to industry guides in 2026. Some providers charge less, sometimes with a further fee if you go on to buy. You can also inspect the strata records yourself for a smaller fee, but it takes hours and you need to know what to look for. Either way, it's one of the cheapest checks you'll do on an apartment, and one of the most important.

What you're paying for

A strata report is a summary of the owners corporation's records, prepared by someone who visits the strata manager's office or reads the records online. It usually includes:

• The administrative fund and capital works fund balances
• The levies for the lot, and any amounts owing
• Special levies raised or proposed
• The 10-year capital works plan
• Minutes of recent meetings
• Building insurance
• By-laws, and any by-laws made for particular lots
• Defects, repairs, disputes and notices or orders

What it doesn't include is an opinion on whether you should buy. The report gathers the records; reading them closely is still up to you.

What affects the price

• The size of the building. A tower with hundreds of lots has far more minutes and paperwork than a block of six
• How fast you need it. Express turnaround often costs more
• What's included. Some reports include copies of the minutes and financial statements; others only summarise them
• Who orders it. Some selling agents provide a strata report with the contract. Check the date: a report a few months old won't show recent meetings

Doing it yourself

As a prospective buyer, you can inspect the strata records yourself. You'll need written permission from the owner of the lot (often arranged by the selling agent or the seller's conveyancer), and the owners corporation can charge a fee set by law for the inspection. Book a time with the strata manager. Allow about three hours for a medium-sized building, longer for a large one.

Doing it yourself saves money, but it's slow, and it's easy to miss things if you haven't read strata records before. Most buyers find it worth paying for the report and spending their time reading it closely.

Who pays

The buyer usually pays for the strata report. If you're competing with other buyers for the same apartment, sometimes a selling agent will arrange one report that's shared. If so, check how recent it is and whether it includes the minutes in full.

Strata report or strata certificate?

They're different documents. A strata certificate (section 184 certificate) is a short statement about one lot's levies and amounts owing, usually ordered by your conveyancer before settlement. A strata report covers the whole building's records and is what you need before you exchange. Our guide to the strata certificate explains the difference.

Getting value from the report

Paying for a strata report is only half the job. The other half is reading it. Look closely at:

• The capital works fund against the 10-year plan
• Special levies raised, proposed or deferred in the minutes
• Defects and repairs that keep coming back
• Disputes and orders
• Insurance, and whether it's current
• By-laws about pets, renovations, parking and letting

Our strata report review guide walks through each of these. WIBI reads every page of the strata report you upload, finds the balances, levies, defects, disputes and by-laws, and shows the page each point came from.

Questions

How long does a strata report take?

Usually a few business days. Many providers offer a faster service for an extra fee.

Is a strata report worth it for a small building?

Yes. Small buildings have less money in their funds, so one roof or waterproofing job can mean a large special levy for each owner. The records are usually shorter and quicker to read, too.

Do I need a strata report and a building and pest inspection?

Yes. The building inspection looks at the apartment and what the inspector can see. The strata report shows the building's money, repairs and disputes. Each covers what the other can't.

Keep reading

• Is a low capital works fund a red flag?
• Should you buy an apartment with a special levy?
• Can ChatGPT review a strata report?
• Strata by-laws to check before you buy in NSW

General information only, not legal, financial or building advice. See our Terms of use.