How to Change Your Strata Manager in NSW: A Step-by-Step Guide 2026
If you are reading this, something about your current strata management arrangement is not working. Your emails may be going unanswered. Maintenance requests may be sitting unresolved. The last AGM may have felt like a formality rather than a meeting with outcomes.
Changing your strata manager in NSW is more straightforward than most committees think. This guide walks through the signs worth taking seriously, the legal steps your committee needs to follow, what to look for in a replacement, and what a well-managed handover looks like from start to finish.
Signs It May Be Time to Review Your Strata Management
Committees are often uncertain about whether their concerns are serious enough to act on. These are the patterns worth paying attention to.
1. Unresponsive Communication
Your strata manager should respond to committee enquiries within one business day. Consistent delays in communication affect the committee’s ability to make decisions, coordinate maintenance, and keep owners informed. Under Section 37 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 No 50 (NSW), strata managing agents are required to act honestly, in good faith, and with due care and diligence. Reliable, timely communication is part of that obligation.
2. Unclear or Unexpected Fees
A clear, itemised fee structure is a reasonable expectation in any management agreement. If your scheme is regularly receiving invoices that are difficult to reconcile against the agreed fee schedule, or if the basis for additional charges is not being explained clearly, it is worth reviewing the agreement and raising those questions directly with your manager.
3. Reactive Maintenance Coordination
A well-managed building has a maintenance schedule, not just a log of completed repairs. Your strata manager should track open maintenance items, coordinate qualified contractors, follow up on completion, and report back to the committee. Buildings that are managed proactively tend to spend less on maintenance over time because issues are caught early.
4. Limited Compliance Guidance
NSW strata law changes regularly. From capital works fund requirements to sustainability infrastructure provisions, there are ongoing compliance obligations that affect every scheme. Your strata manager should be keeping your committee informed about changes that affect your building, not waiting to be asked.
The Legal Process for Changing Strata Managers in NSW
The process is governed by the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 No 50 (NSW) and the terms of your existing management agreement. Understanding both gives your committee a clear path forward.
1. Review Your Current Management Agreement
Start with the agreement itself. You are looking for the notice period required to terminate, typically 30 to 90 days, and the conditions that apply. Check whether you are within the initial term or in a rollover period. Most agreements roll over automatically unless written notice is given within a specified window, so timing matters.
2. Pass a Resolution at a General Meeting
To change strata managers, the owners corporation must pass a resolution. Under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), an owners corporation can terminate a strata management agency agreement by ordinary resolution at a general meeting, provided the notice period in the contract is observed.
The steps are:
- Review the existing management agreement to confirm the notice period and termination clause
- Give owners the required notice of a general meeting, typically 7 days for a committee meeting and 14 days for a general meeting, unless your by-laws specify otherwise
- Pass the resolution to terminate the existing agreement and appoint a new agent
- Issue written notice of termination to the outgoing manager in accordance with the contract
3. Record Handover Requirements
Once notice is given, your outgoing strata manager is required to hand over all scheme records. This includes financial accounts, levy registers, correspondence, maintenance records, insurance documents, meeting minutes, and by-laws. A well-organised incoming manager will take responsibility for coordinating this process and following up on any outstanding items.
What to Look For in a New Strata Manager
Appointing a new manager is the most important decision in this process. Here is what to assess before you sign anything.
1. Clear Response Time Commitments
Ask specifically what the expected response time is for routine enquiries, urgent maintenance, and after-hours issues. Get this in writing as part of the proposal. A manager who is specific about their service standards at proposal stage is more likely to maintain them in practice.
2. Capped Portfolio Sizes
Ask how many buildings each manager carries. Portfolio size directly affects the attention your scheme receives. A manager with a capped, manageable portfolio has the capacity to stay across the day-to-day detail of your building rather than reacting to the loudest issue across a large portfolio.
3. A Clear, Itemised Fee Schedule
Ask for a full fee schedule before you sign anything. TSM provides line-by-line pricing so the committee can see exactly what each service costs, rather than a single bundled figure that is difficult to interrogate. Understanding the cost of management at this level of detail means there are no surprises once the agreement is in place. If a prospective manager cannot provide this, that is worth noting before you commit.
4. Proactive Compliance Management
Your manager should be tracking your building’s compliance obligations and reporting on them regularly. Fire safety statements, capital works fund reviews, AGM planning and legislative changes should all be managed proactively rather than addressed when they become urgent.
5. A Satisfaction Guarantee
A manager who stands behind their service should be willing to commit to it in writing. At TSM, we back our management with a 90-day satisfaction commitment. If your building is not where it needs to be within 90 days of switching, we will make it right.
What the Handover Process Looks Like, Step by Step
A structured handover is the difference between a smooth transition and a disrupted one. Here is how TSM manages the process, and what any incoming manager should be doing.
1. Initial Consultation
Before anything is signed, a TSM manager meets with the committee, walks the building, and gets a clear picture of the scheme’s current position. Active maintenance items, outstanding compliance matters, the financial position, and any immediate issues are all reviewed at this stage. This is a due diligence step, not a sales meeting.
2. Scheme Audit
Once engaged, TSM reviews all scheme documentation: the by-laws, the strata roll, financial records, insurance policies, maintenance history, and any outstanding levy arrears. The audit identifies anything that needs immediate attention and establishes an accurate picture of the scheme’s health before the transition is complete.
3. Transition Plan
A written transition plan is prepared covering what needs to happen, in what order, and by when. This includes the notice period to the outgoing manager, the record handover timeline, introductions to key contractors and service providers, and the schedule for the first committee meeting or AGM under new management.
4. Ongoing Management
Once the transition is complete, ongoing management begins. Regular reporting, proactive maintenance scheduling, compliance tracking, and clear financial oversight become the standard rhythm. The committee has a single point of contact who knows the building and stays across it.
Common Mistakes Committees Make When Switching Strata Managers
1. Timing the Change Poorly
Switching immediately before a major scheduled event, an AGM, a large capital works project, or a building inspection, puts unnecessary pressure on the incoming manager. Aim for a transition period that gives your new manager at least four to six weeks to get across the scheme before anything major is due.
2. Not Securing Full Committee Alignment First
A strata manager change requires a formal resolution. Make sure the committee is aligned before any commitments are made to a new provider. Evaluating new managers before the committee is on board can create unnecessary delays or complications.
3. Not Reading the New Contract Closely
Review the incoming management agreement carefully before signing. Pay particular attention to the fee schedule, the notice period required to terminate, and any clauses around additional charges. The same questions you ask during the selection process should be confirmed in the agreement itself.
4. Assuming the Record Handover Will Be Simple
The outgoing manager is legally required to hand over scheme records, but the completeness and organisation of that handover varies. A good incoming manager takes responsibility for driving this process, chasing outstanding items, and ensuring nothing is missing before they begin managing the scheme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you change strata manager mid-contract?
Yes. In NSW, an owners corporation can terminate a strata management agency agreement at any time by passing an ordinary resolution at a general meeting, provided the notice period in the contract is observed. Most agreements require 30 to 90 days written notice. You do not need to wait until the contract expires to begin the process. Review your existing agreement to confirm the specific notice requirements before the committee meets.
How long does switching strata managers take?
From the resolution to the new manager being fully operational, the process typically takes between six and twelve weeks. This accounts for the notice period under the existing contract, the record handover, and the time needed for the incoming manager to complete a scheme audit and transition plan. A well-organised transition can have your scheme running smoothly within 90 days.
Does it cost anything to switch strata managers?
In most cases, no. Switching strata managers is not a cost to the owners corporation beyond the administrative work involved. Some outgoing managers may apply fees for document preparation or record transfer — your existing agreement will specify whether any such fees apply. A transparent incoming manager will confirm upfront whether any costs are involved and who is responsible for them.
Ready to Make a Change?
The process to change strata manager in NSW is manageable, and the right incoming manager will take most of the administrative work off the committee’s hands.
TSM manages residential and mixed-use strata schemes across Sydney, Melbourne, and the Central Coast. We operate with dedicated managers, capped portfolio sizes, transparent pricing, and a 90-day satisfaction commitment.
If you are ready to find out what good strata management looks like for your building, request a switch assessment and we will walk you through your options. Nicole@tsmgroup.com.au | 0420 544 888
