This article discusses how Queensland body corporate members can address verbal abuse, defamation, and conflict within their community.
Question: How do I stop committee members from verbally harassing and defaming me and my family within the complex?
Members of our committee continually target me and my family. They verbally abuse my father, both in person and by email, and I’ve overheard them speaking poorly about us. The chairperson has been reported to the police several times for verbal and physical harassment and has now sent me a cease-and-desist letter. They also speak negatively about us to other lot owners, often within earshot. What are my rights to stop this behaviour, and is there a way to have them removed from the committee? For context, my father is a lot owner, and I am a tenant in another lot.
Answer: Being part of a body corporate can sometimes be emotive, and it’s reasonably common for conflict to arise.
If you’ve received a legal letter or are suggesting defamation is occurring, you’ll need to seek qualified legal advice.
On the specific strata issues you raise, yes, committee members can be removed. While tenants (who are known as occupiers under Queensland strata legislation) can’t submit motions to meetings, owners can. It requires an ordinary resolution to be submitted to a general meeting, and no reasons have to be given.
An occupier does have the right to pursue a by-law contravention or a dispute about ‘nuisance’ under Queensland strata legislation. We can’t comment on whether what’s occurring here would be either of those things. If you thought they were, then we suggest your first port of call is to contact the Commissioner’s Office on 1800 060 119 for information about those matters. The Commissioner’s Office is a Queensland government agency that gives body corporate information and can resolve disputes.
Looking at this situation more generally, it’s a shame that things have gotten to this point. Then again, being part of a body corporate can sometimes be emotive, and it’s reasonably common for conflict to arise. We think it’s really important you pause, take a breath and consider how you want to go from here. For example, the legal path will involve considerable costs. If there is any possibility of a resolution through informal means (such as mediation), you’re best advised to at least consider it as a way of maybe establishing long-lasting harmony. If you’re planning on living there for a while, that’s important.
This is general information only and not legal advice.
Chris Irons Strata Solve E: chris@stratasolve.com.au P: 0419 805 898
This post appears in the November 2025 edition of The QLD Strata Magazine.
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