Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997
The BCCM Act is the principal legislation governing the establishment, operation, and management of community title schemes in Queensland. It establishes the legal framework for body corporates, defines the rights and obligations of lot owners, and governs the role of body corporate managers.
The BCCM Act covers every aspect of scheme administration — from the creation of the body corporate at registration through to how meetings are called, how decisions are made, how levies are set, and how disputes are resolved. It operates alongside a series of regulation modules that apply different rules to different types of schemes.
Which Module Governs Your Scheme?
The BCCM Act operates alongside five regulation modules. Every scheme is allocated a module at registration based on its type and structure. The module determines specific procedural rules — including how meetings are run, how lots are valued for voting, and how by-laws are recorded.
Applies to most residential apartment buildings where lots have defined boundaries (walls, floors, ceilings) and the building structure is common property. The most common module for high-rise and mid-rise strata.
Applies to schemes established primarily for short-term accommodation — hotels, resorts, and managed holiday letting. Has specific provisions for letting agents and caretaker arrangements.
Applies to schemes used predominantly for commercial or retail purposes. Has modified governance rules reflecting the commercial context of lot owners.
Simplified governance rules for small community title schemes of up to 6 lots, with reduced administrative requirements compared to the Standard Module.
The simplest module, applying to schemes of exactly two lots. Permits much of the administration to be conducted informally between the two lot owners.
What Changed in the 2026 Legislative Update
The 2026 amendments to the BCCM Act introduced significant changes across three key areas. All schemes in Queensland must comply with the new requirements from the effective date. Clearview ensures every scheme under management is fully aligned.
All meeting minutes, financial statements, registers, and contracts must be accessible to owners via a real-time digital portal — not a static filing system updated monthly. This requirement takes effect for all new management agreements from the 2026 amendment date.
Financial audits for schemes above a prescribed levy threshold must now be conducted annually rather than on a two-yearly cycle. The new threshold applies to the majority of mid-rise schemes in South East Queensland.
New provisions make it easier for Committees to terminate underperforming management agreements — including a reduced notice period where the manager is in breach of performance standards or transparency obligations.
Important BCCM Forms
The BCCM Act prescribes a number of statutory forms that must be used for specific purposes. Clearview manages all prescribed form requirements as part of our standard administration service.
Issued to interested parties (buyers, mortgagees) — must include current levy status, outstanding arrears, and details of any known exclusive use allocations.
The prescribed form for the engagement of a body corporate manager. Sets out services, fees, and the manager's obligations under the BCCM Act.
Required for certain building work — including fire-rated penetrations and structural modifications to common property. Must be provided by a competent person and archived.