Michael Teys is the Founder and Chairman of The Strata Professionals Australia. He brings together more than 30 years of specialist strata law practice, a decade of strata business ownership, and an active programme of academic research into multi-owned property governance.
Michael practised as a specialist strata lawyer from 1994 to 2018, advising committees, developers, and owners on the full spectrum of strata disputes, compliance, and governance. He served as a Fellow of the Australian College of Strata Law from 2006 to 2018. From 2004 to 2014 he was the CEO and major shareholder of strata management companies operating across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia, with a combined portfolio of 28,000 apartments. Running those businesses gave him direct exposure to the operational pressures strata managers face and revealed the structural weaknesses that became the catalyst for founding The Strata Professionals Australia.
Michael holds a Master of Philosophy (Built Environment) from UNSW, where his thesis examined how mixed-use strata developments create anti-commons risks that impede urban renewal. He has held research positions at the City Futures Research Centre (UNSW) and Deakin University, contributing to published work on building defects, passive fire protection, and pathways to professionalism for strata managers. He presents regularly at international research forums and policy discussions, including the International Research Forum on Multi-Owned Properties, the House of Commons, and the International Institute for the Sociology of Law. His current research undertakes a comparative socio-legal analysis of catastrophic governance failures in high-rise, multi-owned residential buildings.
This combination of legal practice, business ownership, and academic research gives Michael a perspective few in the Australian strata industry can match. Every element of the firm’s operating model, from the no-commission pricing structure to the Balanced Strata Method™ governance framework, is grounded in something tested rather than assumed. Committees that engage The Strata Professionals Australia are engaging a firm led by someone who understands their legal obligations, has run the operations they rely on, and is actively shaping the future of strata governance through published research and policy engagement.
Is your strata manager's fee structure crystal clear — or confusing? When a strata chair can't decipher their own accounts, something's broken. This article exposes how obfuscated billing erodes trust and reveals why genuine transparency — both with clients and employees — is one antidote to strata's alarming 33% staff turnover crisis.
The strata industry faces a defining choice: embrace transparent fee-for-service or cling to hidden insurance commissions. As regulatory pressure mounts and trust erodes, the old business model is dying. Smart managers will lead the change - those who resist will be left behind. Your move.
This article explores the ongoing push for strata management to achieve professional status. It delves into the key components of a profession, the benefits of professionalisation, and the steps required to achieve this goal. The article also discusses the current state of strata management in terms of these criteria and outlines the necessary actions to elevate the industry to professional standards.
This special edition of The Strata Professional delves into the recent strata management crisis, drawing parallels to the Alliance Strata scandal of the 1990s. The article explores the ongoing issue of undisclosed insurance commissions and the potential impact of federal intervention from the ACCC.
Is your building one of the 50% with serious defects? NSW's construction crisis has turned the dream of apartment ownership into a nightmare for thousands. But sweeping new reforms are finally shifting responsibility back where it belongs. Discover how the Building Commissioner's new powers and industry changes could protect your building—or help fix it. Read more in this week's The Strata Professional.
Crisis Point: Why Australia's $10 Billion Strata Sector Needs Emergency National Coordination
A nostalgic and sharp reflection on strata management pricing, this article revisits the bold approach of Howard Stewart, who valued confidence and outcome-based selling over spreadsheets. With wit and insight, it challenges today’s industry to rediscover value pricing and reclaim what’s been lost over four decades.
Tackle levy arrears effectively with our SOP for strata managers. Learn strategies for addressing common challenges like missed fee notices, owner ignorance, and financial hardship while maintaining compliance and delivering better outcomes.
Learn from a recent WHS prosecution where a strata management company was fined $150,000 for a fatal workplace accident. Discover key observations from the case and essential steps for strata management principals to manage their risk of personal liability in WHS incidents
In light of the fire risks associated with external cladding, and regardless of the building materials used, now is a good time to review fire safety of every building.
