Michael Teys is the founder of The Strata Professionals Group and the architect of the professional standard every office in the network operates to.
He brings more than 40 years in strata — including over 30 years as a specialist strata lawyer — 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, advising committees, developers, and owners across the full spectrum of strata disputes, compliance, and governance, and served as a Fellow of the Australian College of Strata Law. He went on to own and run strata management companies across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia, managing a combined portfolio of tens of thousands of 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 network.
He 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, completed under an Australian Research Council scholarship. He has been accepted at the University of Oxford to undertake a Doctorate of Philosophy in Law. He has held research positions at the City Futures Research Centre (UNSW) and Deakin University, and presents regularly at international forums including Oxford, the House of Commons, and the International Research Forum on Multi-Owned Properties in Spain, Canada and Australia.
Michael writes The Strata Professional, a weekly newsletter on strata law, committee governance, and why true professionalism matters in this industry. You can learn more about him at michaelteys.com.
This combination of legal practice, business ownership, and research is the foundation of the franchise standard. Every element of how the network operates — from the no-commission pricing structure to the Balanced Strata Method™ — is grounded in something tested rather than assumed.
Should strata law be simplified? This week, we challenge conventional wisdom on disclosure laws and the three-quote rule for insurance renewal. Share your thoughts and explore our Strata Conflicts Disclosure Toolkit today!
Strata management doesn’t have to be reactive—introducing the Balanced Strata Method™, a structured approach to governance, compliance, maintenance, and finance. Be among the first to discover it at Amanda Farmer’s VIP Day on 27 March 2025!
Strata law reform has become an interstate sport to rival any national sporting league. Each state and territory compete, holding enquiries, roundtables, and issuing endless white papers and press releases. They proudly claim their ideas to be the latest and greatest. The rules of the game require them to largely ignore independent research, and critical evaluation of the lessons of each other’s previous attempts.
This toolkit has been prepared to help strata management agencies navigate regulation changes and comply with the laws and new standards.
A new statutory standard for conflict-of-interest disclosures in strata management has taken effect in NSW, requiring agencies to comply with 15 mandatory documents, including conflict of interest policies, staff training modules, pre-appointment disclosure statements, AGM disclosure motions, and insurance renewal disclosures. While positioned as ‘best practice,’ enforcement remains weak due to limited government funding, and major industry players (“Big Strata”) benefit from systemic conflicts of interest. With compliance becoming a bureaucratic burden rather than a safeguard for strata owners, the real issue is the need to eliminate conflicts altogether. Until meaningful reform happens, our Conflict of Interest Compliance Toolkit helps strata agencies navigate these complex new requirements. Download it today.
New conflict of interest disclosure standards are coming into effect for NSW strata management companies on February 3, 2025, impacting how they operate and interact with suppliers. This toolkit explores the 7 key areas managers must now disclose, going beyond insurance commissions to ensure transparency and ethical practices.
New conflict of interest disclosure standards are coming into effect for NSW strata management companies on February 3, 2025, impacting how they operate and interact with suppliers. This article explores the 7 key areas managers must now disclose, going beyond insurance commissions to ensure transparency and ethical practices.
This article explores how strata managers can learn from a cleaner's savvy pricing strategy to increase their own rates in 2025. Discover why embracing the "cop it or shop it" mentality and confidently communicating your value can lead to a significant income boost.
Learn how to present financial statements effectively at AGMs with our SOP. Overcome common challenges like inaccurate reports, accounting errors, and variances, and build trust with your clients through clear financial storytelling.
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.
