NSW Fair Trading has cancelled the licence of Coffs Harbour strata manager, Jessica Marrie Carah, and permanently disqualified her from the property and strata industry.
The regulator made the decision after finding Ms Carah had fraudulently converted over $2 million from dozens of strata schemes accounts into her own personal account.
Due to the fraudulent conversions, NSW Fair Trading found the former strata manager and licensee in charge acted unlawfully, improperly, unfairly or incompetently in the course of carrying on business as a holder of a Class 1 Agent - Strata Management licence.
NSW Fair Trading investigators uncovered 398 fraudulent transactions impacting 66 separate strata plans between February 2024 and December 2024, with Ms Carah's employment ceasing with SMS Community & Strata Specialists at the end of January 2025.
Ms Carah's alleged misconduct spans across a range of strata schemes. They include one strata scheme where she had fraudulently converted $216,500 over 13 transactions, another $112,000 was fraudulently converted across 13 transactions in another strata scheme, and a further $162,552 was fraudulently converted across 19 transactions in another strata scheme.
In light of the above, Ms Carah was found to not be a fit and proper person to be involved in the direction, management or conduct of the business of a licensee under the Property and Stock Agents Act 2002.
The cancellation of Ms Carah's licence took effect in December 2025 and follows an earlier suspension of Ms Carah's licence in November 2025.
This license cancellation can be viewed on NSW's new 'Name and Shame' List, a powerful tool launched earlier this week allowing homeowners, purchasers and renters to check the track record of property agents before they sign on the dotted line.
NSW Fair Trading is continuing to work with other Government agencies in relation to ongoing investigations, and all affected strata plan accounts who have put in claims have either been reimbursed or are in the process of being reimbursed by insurance companies.
Cracking down on irresponsible agents is just one of the measures the Minns Labor Government is taking to make the strata sector fairer for people across NSW, including:
- Crucial consumer protection measures to help owners pay off strata debt.
- Practical assistance to owners in financial stress.
- New accountability and transparency standards for building managers.
- World-first strata regulation powers for NSW Fair Trading to ensure serious maintenance issues can be fixed.
- Increased penalties for strata agents who don't disclose conflicts of interest and kickbacks.
- A ban on unfair contract terms in strata or building management, cleaning and gardening contracts.
- Removing barriers to the uptake of sustainability measures.
NSW Fair Trading has also further strengthened its disciplinary and enforcement action through its Strata and Property Taskforce. Backed by an $8.4 million investment, the Taskforce has continued unannounced audits as part of its Anytime, Anywhere inspection program, auction blitzes, and targeted, intelligence-based underquoting operations like Operation Sunlight.
For more information, or if you have any questions because you have been impacted by this strata managing agent, you can Make a Strata or Property Services enquiry to NSW Fair Trading.
Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong said:
"Enforcement action like this is a crucial part of the Government's work to lift standards, boost consumer confidence and restore trust in the strata sector.
"Under regulations, a strata manager must hold separate trust accounts for an owners corporation and those funds must only be used as the client directs.
"With our recently established Strata and Property Services Taskforce targeting misconduct by strata managers, licensees in charge will be held accountable for meeting their obligations to review and approve all transactions from the trust.
"With more people living in strata schemes across our state, this work is crucial to delivering the best quality services for tenants and owners alike."
Fair Trading Commissioner and Acting Strata and Property Services Commissioner Natasha Mann said:
"Strata managers are required to hold separate trust accounts for owners corporations. Those funds must only be used as the owners corporation directs and cannot be used for any other purpose.
"This case is disturbing. NSW Fair Trading is ensuring people like this are removed from the industry so that consumers are protected."
