Strata council not responding? Six steps for BC owners
You have written three times about the leak, the noise or the missing minutes, and heard nothing. Owners in BC have more leverage than most realize, and it starts with a request council cannot ignore.
Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
Start in writing, then request a hearing. Under section 34.1 of the Strata Property Act, an owner or tenant may ask in writing for a hearing at a council meeting, and council must hold it within four weeks. If you asked for a decision, council must give it in writing within one week after the hearing. If that fails, owners can demand a special general meeting with 20% of the votes, or apply to the Civil Resolution Tribunal, which can order a strata to do what the Act and bylaws require.
Before you escalate
Council members are volunteers with jobs and families. Silence is often disorganization, not hostility. Check three things first:
- Did it reach council? Use the strata's address for notices, the council email, or the strata manager. A note under a council member's door may never reach a meeting.
- Is it council's job? Council repairs common property and enforces bylaws. It does not resolve private disputes between neighbours or repair the inside of your strata lot. See who repairs what.
- Has it been dealt with already? Read the recent minutes. Council must send them to owners within two weeks of each meeting.
Step 1: write a clear letter
One page, one issue, facts and dates, and a specific request with a reasonable deadline. Attach photos. Send it by email and keep proof. Correspondence sent to the strata corporation is a record the strata must keep (section 35), so a letter exists in a way a hallway conversation does not. Our guide to writing to council has a template.
StrataMinutes can take this off your plate. Council work is volunteer work. Hand off the minutes: send us your notes and receive complete, properly formatted minutes. Your first month is free.
Step 2: request a hearing
This is the step with teeth. Under section 34.1:
- apply in writing, stating the reason for the request,
- council must hold a council meeting to hear you within four weeks, and
- if the purpose is to seek a decision, council must give you a written decision within one week after the hearing.
Sample request: I request a hearing at a council meeting under section 34.1 of the Strata Property Act. The reason for my request is to seek council's decision on the repair of water ingress at the common property window above strata lot 12, first reported on March 3, 2026.
A hearing request is also a precondition to a tribunal claim by an owner or tenant, unless the tribunal waives it (section 189.1). See council hearings.
Step 3: request the records
Ask for the minutes, correspondence and reports relating to your issue. The strata must make records available and provide copies within two weeks, at no more than 25 cents a page for copies and no charge to inspect (section 36 and Regulation 4.2). Records often show whether your issue was ever discussed. See how to request minutes.
Step 4: use the owners' powers
- Raise it at the AGM under new business, or ask council to add it to the agenda.
- Demand an agenda item. Owners holding 20% of the votes can require a resolution to be put before the next general meeting (section 46).
- Demand a special general meeting. The same 20% can require an SGM within four weeks (section 43).
- Direct council. At a general meeting, a majority can direct council to act (section 27).
- Change the council. A majority can remove council members and elect replacements (Standard Bylaw 11), or simply elect a new council at the AGM.
See how to call an SGM.
Step 5: the Civil Resolution Tribunal
The CRT is BC's online tribunal for most strata disputes. It can order a strata corporation to do something, to stop doing something, or to pay money. Typical claims by owners: failure to repair common property, failure to enforce bylaws, failure to provide records, unfair treatment, and failure to hold meetings. The process begins online, moves through negotiation and facilitation, and ends with a binding decision if not settled. There are filing fees, and time limits apply, generally two years. See CRT disputes.
Evidence wins tribunal claims: your letters, the dates, the hearing request, the minutes showing what council did or did not do.
Step 6: court, in serious cases
The Supreme Court can order a strata to perform a duty or stop contravening the Act (section 165), remedy significantly unfair actions (section 164), and appoint an administrator to run the strata where that is in its best interests (section 174). These are expensive and reserved for serious or urgent matters.
If the problem is the strata manager
The manager works for council. Complain to council first. Licensed managers are regulated by the BC Financial Services Authority. See complaints about a strata manager.
Questions councils and owners ask
How long does a strata council have to respond to an owner in BC?
There is no general deadline for letters. A hearing requested under section 34.1 must be held within four weeks, with a written decision within one week if a decision was sought. Records requests must be met within two weeks.
Can council refuse a hearing?
No. If a hearing is requested in writing with reasons, council must hold a council meeting to hear the applicant within four weeks.
Can I withhold strata fees until council responds?
No. See withholding strata fees.
Do I need a lawyer for the CRT?
No. The tribunal is designed for people to represent themselves.
Is there a strata regulator I can complain to?
No government body polices strata councils. See who enforces the Strata Property Act.
Are your strata's minutes complete? Find out free
Upload a set of your strata's minutes to our free report card. It shows what a compliant record should contain, which is useful evidence when you write to council.
Free for 30 days, then $29 a month. Cancel anytime.
For a 30-lot strata, that is under $1 a lot each month. Have the strata pay: free council approval kit.
This page is general information for BC strata corporations, not legal advice. Your strata's own filed bylaws may differ from the Standard Bylaws. See the current text of the Strata Property Act and the Strata Property Regulation on BC Laws.
Related guides
Council Hearings
Requesting Records
Writing to Strata Council
How to Call an SGM
CRT Disputes
Strata Owner Rights