Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to apply foundation knowledge to work effectively and efficiently in the strata/community management sector. It covers the basic entry-level functions to enable compliance with legislative, ethical and procedural requirements. It requires the ability to identify potential risks associated with a range of activities within the sector and opportunities for improving own professional development.

The unit may form part of the licensing requirements for persons working in the property industry, including in the real estate, business broking, stock and station agency and property operations and development sectors, in those States and Territories where these are regulated activities.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports the work of those involved in applying foundation knowledge to work effectively and efficiently in the strata/community management sector.

Prerequisite units 

Nil

Employability skills 

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit of competency is packaged, will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised  text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge and/or the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1 Interpret and comply with legislative , ethical and procedural requirements .

1.1 Legislative , ethical and procedural requirements  relevant to strata/community management services  are identified and accessed according to client needs  and organisational requirements .

1.2 Key principles relating to agency legislative, ethical and procedural values are identified and interpreted.

1.3 Own interpretation and application of legislative, ethical and procedural requirements are confirmed with relevant people  to ensure consistency.

1.4 Breaches of organisational codes of ethics and conduct  are recognised and reported according to organisational requirements.

1.5 Situations requiring specialist advice  are identified and assistance is sought as required according to organisational procedures.

2 Implement effective work practices .

2.1 Strata/community management work practices  are implemented according to client instructions and organisational requirements.

2.2 Work tasks are identified, scheduled and completed within designated timeframes according to industry, legislative and organisational requirements.

2.3 Factors  affecting achievement of work tasks are identified and reported to relevant people according to organisational procedures.

2.4 Commitment to compliance with applicable legislative, ethical and procedural requirements is demonstrated in own work practices.

3 Complete standard contractual documentation .

3.1 Standard documentation  for strata/community management operations is completed according to legislative and procedural requirements.

3.2 Business equipment and technology  are used as required to complete documentation according to applicable OHS and organisational requirements.

3.3 Text used in contractual documentation complies with organisational requirements and is used in a legally appropriate manner.

3.4 Own professional obligations and responsibilities in completing industry documentation are recognised and applied.

3.5 Documentation is securely maintained with due regard to confidentiality, legislative and organisational requirements.

4 Identify risks .

4.1 Potential risks  are identified and reported to relevant people according to organisational procedures.

4.2 Recommendations on appropriate strategies to minimise risks and complaints are discussed with relevant people.

4.3 Appropriate practices for receiving and handling monies are identified and applied according to organisational and legislative requirements.

4.4 Appropriate security arrangements for the management of property and facilities are identified and applied according to organisational and legislative requirements.

4.5 Limitations  in identifying risk are identified and assistance is sought from relevant people according to organisational requirements.

5 Develop and maintain professional competence .

5.1 Own professional development  is maintained in consultation with relevant people according to organisational requirements.

5.2 Feedback  from clients and colleagues is used to determine professional competency and quality of performance, and to identify key areas for improvement.

5.3 Personal knowledge and skills in providing strata/community management services are reviewed against competency standards and other relevant benchmarks  to establish professional development needs and priorities.

5.4 Strategies to maintain currency of professional competency in providing effective strata/community management services are identified, scheduled and implemented.

5.5 Information regarding learning and professional development is recorded and securely maintained according to organisational requirements.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

Required skills :

• communication skills to follow financial requirements, such as trust account procedures; identify and complete appropriate documentation; interpret and understand client needs; interpret and understand legal, ethical and procedural requirements; and access and understand a variety of information relating to strata/community management services
• computing skills to access the internet and web pages, prepare and complete online forms, lodge electronic documents and search online databases
• interpersonal skills to relate to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and varying physical and mental abilities and to respect individual differences
• organisational skills to create a personal professional development plan, prioritise personal professional development needs, and schedule and manage meetings
• reflection skills to differentiate between professional and personal values
• self-evaluation skills to evaluate own work practices systematically in order to identify ways to improve performance or understanding.

Required knowledge and understanding :

• foundation knowledge of office processes and handling trust monies
• limitations of work role, responsibility and professional abilities
• OHS issues and requirements
• organisational and professional procedures
• relevant federal and state or territory legislation and local government regulations related to:

• anti-discrimination
• consumer protection
• environmental issues
• equal employment opportunity (EEO)
• financial probity
• franchise and business structures
• industrial relations
• OHS
• strata/community management title

• risk factors relating to workplace practices
• social and ethical practices and business standards.

Overview of assessment 

This unit of competency could be assessed through practical demonstration of applying foundation knowledge to perform work tasks in the strata/community management sector. Targeted written (including alternative formats where necessary) or verbal questioning to assess the candidate's underpinning knowledge would provide additional supporting evidence of competence.

The demonstration and questioning would include collecting evidence of the candidate's knowledge and application of ethical standards and relevant federal, and state or territory legislation and regulations. This assessment may be carried out in a simulated or workplace environment.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of:

• knowing, interpreting and complying with relevant legislative, ethical and procedural requirements and confirming own understanding and application with relevant people, including:

• determining and clarifying expectations of owner corporations
• acting in principal's best interests
• adequate disclosure of relevant information, including management fees and declaration of beneficial interests
• ethical representation of organisation and clients
• fair and honest provision of property services
• identifying and disclosing conflicts of interest
• maintaining confidentiality
• non-discriminatory practices
• over-servicing
• fixed charges rather than fee for service

• completing standard documentation using business equipment and technology and ensuring adherence to legislative and procedural requirements, and securely storing the documentation
• identifying, scheduling and carrying out work tasks in a way that demonstrates compliance with legislative, ethical and procedural requirements, and identifying and reporting factors that impede the achievement of scheduled tasks
• identifying a range of potential risks through consultation with relevant people, and demonstrating appropriate practices for handling monies and securing property and facilities

• using feedback and industry competency standards and benchmarks to identify accurately and implement opportunities for developing and maintaining own professional development.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Resource implications for assessment include:

• access to suitable simulated or real opportunities and resources to demonstrate competence
• assessment instruments that may include personal planner and assessment record book
• access to a registered provider of assessment services.

Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

Validity and sufficiency of evidence require that:

• competency will need to be demonstrated over a period of time reflecting the scope of the role and the practical requirements of the workplace
• where the assessment is part of a structured learning experience the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and separated by further learning and practice with a decision of competence only taken at the point when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's competence
• all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence
• where assessment is for the purpose of recognition (RCC/RPL), the evidence provided will need to be current and show that it represents competency demonstrated over a period of time
• assessment can be through simulated project-based activity and must include evidence relating to each of the elements in this unit.

In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge. Questioning will be undertaken in such a manner as is appropriate to the language and literacy levels of the candidate and any cultural issues that may affect responses to the questions, and will reflect the requirements of the competency and the work being performed.

Legislative , ethical and procedural requirements  may be outlined and reflected in:

• Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, and Foreign Investment Review Board requirements
• Australian standards
• federal and state taxation requirements
• consumer protection laws and guidelines
• court and tribunal precedents
• environmental and zoning laws affecting access security, access and property use
• freedom of information
• home building requirements
• licensing requirements
• privacy and confidentiality requirements and laws applying to owners, contractors and tenants
• public health
• quality assurance and certification requirements
• relevant common law
• relevant federal, and state or territory legislation and regulations affecting organisational operation, including:

• anti-discrimination and diversity
• environmental issues
• EEO
• industrial relations
• OHS

• relevant industry codes of practice, which may cover areas including market sector, financial transactions, taxation, environment, construction, land use, native title, zoning, utilities use (water, gas and electricity), and contract or common law

• relevant local government policies and regulations
• strata, community and company titles
• tenancy agreements
• trade practices laws and guidelines.

Services  may relate to:

• property and facilities management for a range of property types
• residential, commercial and industrial property.

Clients  may include:

• agents or third parties for owners
• in-house staff and office contractors
• owner corporations, body corporate and community title groups
• potential and existing owners
• prospective and existing tenants
• strata companies.

Client needs  may relate to:

• beliefs and values
• conventions of gender and sexuality
• cultural practices and observations
• cultural stereotypes
• disposable income and financial constraints
• environmental considerations
• language
• physical and mental disabilities
• religious and spiritual observances
• social conventions
• verbal and non-verbal communication.

Organisational requirements  may be outlined and reflected in:

• access and equity principles and practice guidelines
• agency policies and guidelines
• business and performance plans
• complaint and dispute resolution procedures

• ethical standards and codes of practice, such as:

• acting in principal's best interests
• clear communication of services offered and fee for services
• clear negotiation of fees
• declaration of beneficial interest
• misrepresentation
• over-servicing
• fixed charges rather than fee for service

• goals, objectives, plans, systems and processes
• legal policies and guidelines
• mission statements and strategic plans
• OHS policies, procedures and programs
• policies and procedures in relation to client service
• quality and continuous improvement processes and standards
• quality assurance and procedure manuals
• sales, marketing and leasing management procedure manuals.

Relevant people  may include:

• clients
• colleagues
• consumers
• legal representatives
• members of industry associations
• supervisors.

Codes of ethics and conduct  may relate to:

• accurate determination and clarification of owner corporation's expectations
• acting in principal's best interests
• clear communication of services offered and fee for services
• clear negotiation of fees
• declaration of beneficial interest
• declaration of conflict of interest
• disclosure of relevant information, including management fees
• fair and honest provision of property services
• individual behaviour
• maintaining confidentiality
• misrepresentation
• non-discriminatory practices
• over-servicing
• fixed charges rather than fee for service
• representation of organisation and clients
• use of organisational property.

Specialist advice  may be sought from:

• architects
• bankers and financiers
• builders
• government officials
• investment consultants
• members of industry associations
• planners
• real estate agents
• solicitors
• subcontractors
• supervisors and colleagues
• technical experts
• valuers.

Work practices  may relate to:

• contractor management
• dealing with owners' corporations and tenants
• engaging clients
• managing property and other facilities
• negotiating and executing management agreements
• obtaining prospects for listing
• planning and managing meetings

• promoting, advertising and undertaking administrative duties of the agency
• providing support within the agency
• receiving and handling monies
• records management
• undertaking routine functions within the agency.

Factors  may relate to:

• changes to procedures
• competing work demands
• environmental factors, such as time and weather
• health and safety issues
• resource issues
• technology and equipment breakdown.

Standard documentation  may include:

• building codes
• licences
• maps
• organisational, industry and other contracts
• permits
• plans
• property marketing, sale and lease agreements or contracts
• specifications
• tenancy agreements
• titles.

Business equipment and technology  may include:

• computers
• data storage devices
• email
• facsimile machines
• internet, extranet and intranet
• photocopiers
• printers and scanners
• software applications, such as databases and word applications.

Risks :

• may relate to:

• changes to regulations and legislation
• client and staff satisfaction
• competition
• emergencies and disasters
• fire and security
• health and safety
• market influences
• physical, financial or human resources
• project control and cash flow
• suppliers and contractors
• time constraints

• may be identified through:

• audits and review of audit reports
• checking work area and equipment before and during work
• ongoing training
• regular housekeeping activities
• regular formal and informal consultation and meetings with colleagues
• review of OHS records, including registers of hazardous substances and dangerous goods
• workplace inspections in area of responsibility.

Limitations  may relate to:

• industry requirements
• job role and responsibilities
• legal responsibilities
• own competency level
• own interpretation of legislation, regulations and procedures
• own understanding of risk identification processes
• quality processes.

Professional development  strategies may include:

• coaching, mentoring and supervision
• formal and informal learning programs
• identifying and establishing new career paths
• involvement in community and industry activities
• updating and maintaining knowledge base on current issues for work and professional practice
• using existing strengths to focus future career development
• work rotation to facilitate changing work priorities.

Feedback  may include:

• formal and informal discussions, reviews and evaluations with:

• existing and previous clients
• peers, colleagues and managers

• information provided by others involved in a professional capacity, both internal and external to the organisation.

Competency standards and other relevant benchmarks  may relate to:

• other benchmarks, such as:

• industry code of conduct and code of ethics
• statutory and legislative requirements in terms of working in the property sector

• personal and technical knowledge, skills and attitudinal aspects required to undertake the day-to-day tasks and duties of the work function effectively and efficiently, specifically:

• competency standards for the property industry
• other relevant industry, cross-industry and enterprise competency standards.

Unit sector 

Property development, sales and management

Competency field 

Property operations and development