CENTRA COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT STATEMENT (CMS)

In Queensland, the Community Management Statement (CMS) is the foundational legal document that establishes and governs a body corporate. It is registered with the Titles Queensland office and acts as the official constitution for the entire community titles scheme, providing a clear and legally binding framework for its operation and for the rights and responsibilities of every lot owner.

Think of it as the single source of truth for the scheme's structure, rules, and entitlements. Every owner, committee member, and prospective buyer should be familiar with its contents. A complete and current CMS is crucial for the lawful and harmonious management of the community. Link to Centra CMS

A Community Management Statement contains several critical components, each serving a distinct purpose:

1. Identification and Scheme Details

This section provides the essential identifying information for the scheme, including:

• The name of the community titles scheme.
• The unique scheme number (CTS number).
• The specific regulation module that applies to the scheme (e.g., Standard Module, Accommodation Module, etc.), which dictates many of the procedural rules for meetings, voting, and financial management. Our CMS was registered under the 'Accommoidation Module'. 

2. The Schedule of Lot Entitlements

This is one of the most important part of the CMS, it determines what you pay. The schedule is a table that lists every lot in the scheme, and allocates two key sets of figures to each:

 

    Contribution Schedule Lot Entitlement (CSLE)   Link - Calculating Contribution Levies

•  Used to decide each lot owner’s share of administrative and sinking fund levies.
•  This includes insurance premiums and other ongoing body corporate expenses, unless the Act or regulation module says otherwise.

 

   Interest Schedule Lot Entitlement (ISLE)    Link - Calculating Contribution Levies

• Primarily used to determine each lot owner’s share of the total value of the scheme's common property and assets, and also their voting rights in certain situations.
• Also used to calculate how the proceeds of sale (e.g. if the scheme is terminated) are divided.
• Not used for levies or insurance contributions.

 

3. The By-Laws    Link - Centra ByLaws

The by-laws are the specific rules that govern the day-to-day life within the community titles scheme. They regulate the conduct of owners, occupiers, and their guests in relation to the lots and the common property. Topics covered by the by-laws typically include:

• Smoking
• The keeping of pets.
• Parking restrictions on common property.
• The appearance of lots.
• General behaviour and noise.

While there are standard by-laws, they can be changed or added to by the body corporate through a special resolution process to suit the specific needs of the community.

4. The Plan of Subdivision

The CMS must include or refer to the registered survey plan that officially subdivides the land into lots and common property. This plan visually and legally defines the boundaries of each individual lot and delineates the areas designated as common property, which are collectively owned by all lot owners.

5. Exclusive Use Allocations 

Certain parts of the common property, such as car spaces and storage cages, are allocated for the exclusive use of individual lot owners. The CMS sets out which lot is entitled to each exclusive use area.

 

In summary, the Community Management Statement is a comprehensive and vital document. It consolidates the scheme's identification, financial contribution structure, rules of conduct, and property boundaries into a single, registered instrument, ensuring clarity and legal certainty for everyone involved in the body corporate.