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Guide

Self-managed strata vs. a property management company

Updated June 2026 · 7 min read

Every BC strata council faces the same fork: run the corporation yourselves, or pay a property (strata) management company to do it. Here’s how to decide — honestly, including when hiring is the right call.

The short answer

Smaller and mid-size BC stratas usually come out ahead self-managing: a professional management company costs roughly $25–$60+ per unit per month, while self-management with good software runs $0–$99/month for the whole corporation. Larger or complex buildings — or councils with no time or appetite for the work — are often better served by a management company. The deciding factors are cost, available time, and how much control owners want.

Cost: what each really costs

For a 12-unit strata, a management company at ~$40/unit/month is roughly $5,760 a year — money that otherwise compounds in your contingency reserve fund. Self-managing the same building with software is a small fraction of that. The gap is why self-management dominates among BC’s many small stratas. (See how strata fees work for where this sits in the budget.)

The trade-offs, side by side

FactorSelf-managedManagement company
Annual cost (12 units)~$0–$1,200 (software)~$5,000–$8,000+
Control & transparencyFull — owners decideDelegated
Response timeImmediateDepends on the firm & caseload
Compliance know-howSoftware + guidesProvided
Council time / monthA few hoursMinimal
Best fitDuplexes → mid-sizeLarge / complex buildings

When self-management wins

  • Your strata is a duplex through mid-size (say, up to ~30–50 units).
  • You have one or two organised owners willing to serve on council.
  • Operations are routine — no active litigation or major remediation.
  • You’d rather the money compound in the reserve fund.

The historical barrier was administrative load. Software removes most of it by tracking deadlines, handling AGM minutes, and keeping dual-fund books — see our full guide to strata property management in BC.

When to hire a company

  • Large or amenity-heavy buildings with complex operations.
  • Active legal disputes, insurance claims, or major capital projects.
  • No owners able or willing to take on council duties.
  • High turnover where continuity is hard to maintain.

There’s no shame in hiring — it’s the right answer for plenty of corporations. The point is to choose deliberately, not by default.

How to switch to self-management

Moving off a management company is straightforward with notice: hold the vote, retrieve your records and funds, and stand up your tooling before the handover date so nothing slips. The right platform is what makes the transition safe — which is the subject of our comparison of self-managed strata software.

Considering self-management?

ManageStrata gives self-managed BC councils the compliance, finances, and AGM tooling a manager would — free for duplexes.

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Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to self-manage a strata or hire a management company in BC?
For most small and mid-size BC stratas, self-managing is significantly cheaper. A management company typically charges $25–$60+ per unit per month, while self-management with software costs $0–$99/month for the whole corporation. The savings go back into the operating or contingency reserve fund.
Can a strata council manage the strata without a property manager?
Yes. The BC Strata Property Act allows owners to self-manage through their elected council. Software handles the administrative load — compliance deadlines, AGMs and minutes, and dual-fund financials — that previously made a manager seem necessary.
When should a strata hire a property management company?
Hiring makes sense for large or complex buildings, corporations with active legal disputes or major capital projects, or councils with no members able to take on the duties. Smaller, routine stratas usually do well self-managing.
How do you switch from a strata management company to self-management?
Provide the required notice under your contract, hold a council/owner vote, retrieve the corporation's records and funds, and set up self-management software before the handover so deadlines and finances carry over cleanly.

Run it yourselves — without the management-company bill

ManageStrata gives self-managed BC strata councils compliance, dual-fund finances, AGMs, and AI document search. Free for duplexes.

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Self-Managed Strata vs. a Property Management Company (BC) · ManageStrata