Changing managers is easier than you think
Your tenant stays, the lease stays and the bond stays where it is. There's no awkward phone call: you sign with us, we prepare the notice for your current agent, and we collect the keys and the file from them.
Stays exactly as it is
- Your tenant
- The lease and its end date
- The rent, and the day it's due
- The bond, with NSW Fair Trading
Reasons people switch
Sound familiar?
- 01
Calls and emails that go unanswered
- 02
A new property manager every few months
- 03
Repairs that drag on, or cost too much
- 04
Rent that hasn't been reviewed in years
- 05
Inspection reports with no photos, or no reports at all
- 06
Finding out about problems from the tenant, not the agent
None of it is something you have to put up with, and changing doesn't disturb your tenant.
What changes
What changes, and what doesn't
Switching changes who manages the property. It doesn't change the tenancy.
Stays the same
- Your tenant, who stays in the home
- The lease, its end date and every term in it
- The rent, and the day it's due
- The bond, which stays lodged with NSW Fair Trading
- Your landlord insurance. It's your policy, though it's worth telling your insurer who manages the property now
Changes
- Who the tenant calls: us, for repairs, rent and anything else
- Where the rent goes: into our trust account, with the new details sent to the tenant before the change
- Who inspects the property and writes the reports
- Who pays bills out of the rent: we do, from our trust account
- Where your statements come from: us, monthly, with a summary at the end of the financial year
How it works
Four steps, about four weeks
We talk
Tell us about the property, the tenant and what hasn't been working. We'll be honest about whether we can do better.
You sign with us
A management agreement with our fees in writing. We prepare the notice that ends your current agreement, which is often 30 days.
We collect the file
The lease, the condition report, the keys, the bond details, the tenant ledger and any open maintenance, straight from your current agent.
We introduce ourselves
The tenant hears from us before the change takes effect, with how to pay rent and who to call. Nothing else changes for them.
The handover
What we collect from your current agent
Your current agent holds the keys and the property's records for you, and hands them to us when your agreement with them ends. We go through the file item by item.
If anything is missing, we ask for it in writing and tell you what we couldn't get. Some of it can't be made again later, such as the condition report from the day the tenant moved in, so it's worth knowing early.
The handover file
- The signed tenancy agreement, and any renewals
- The ingoing condition report and its photos
- Every key, remote and fob
- The bond lodgement number
- The tenant ledger, showing rent paid to date
- Open maintenance jobs, and any quotes waiting on you
- The last routine inspection report
- Smoke alarm records, and any pool or gas compliance certificates
- The strata by-laws, for a unit or townhouse
- How water usage is charged to the tenant, and the last meter reading
After the handover
Your first months with us
- 01
We meet the tenant
We call the tenant soon after the handover to introduce ourselves, check the rent has reached our trust account and ask whether anything needs fixing. Anything they raise, we pass on to you.
- 02
We inspect at the next allowed time
NSW allows up to four routine inspections in any 12 months, each with at least 7 days' written notice to the tenant, and that includes any your current agent has done. We check when the last one was, give notice and book ours at the next allowed time. You get a written report with photos.
- 03
We check the rent
We compare your rent with homes like yours that have recently leased nearby and tell you where it sits. Rent can go up at most once in any 12 months, with at least 60 days' written notice, and a fixed-term lease can limit it further. So we check when it last went up and what the lease says before we recommend anything. The decision is yours.
- 04
We check the safety records
NSW requires smoke alarms to be checked every year and kept in working order. We look at what's on file for the smoke alarms, and for the pool if there is one, tell you what's missing or due, and arrange it with your approval.
Start the switch
Tell us about the property
Have your current management agreement nearby if you can. The notice period, and any fee for ending it, will be in there.
- We read your current management agreement with you.
- You sign with us, with our fees in writing.
- We prepare the notice and collect the file from your current agent.
- We introduce ourselves to your tenant.
Rather talk? Call 0403 021 172
Thank you.
Thanks. We'll read your current agreement with you and explain exactly what happens next.
Questions
About switching
Does the tenant need to sign a new lease?
No. The tenancy agreement is between you and the tenant, and it carries on unchanged. We simply take over managing it.
Can I switch during a fixed-term lease?
Yes. Your management agreement with your agent is separate from the tenancy agreement with your tenant. Ending one doesn't end the other, so the lease carries on to its end date as written.
Will my tenant be told?
Yes, by us, before the change takes effect. We write to them with our details, how to pay the rent and who to call for repairs.
What notice do I need to give my current agent?
It's set out in your current management agreement, and is often 30 days. Check whether there's a fixed term or a fee for ending it early. Send it to us and we'll go through it with you.
What happens to the bond?
The bond stays with NSW Fair Trading. The bond record is updated to show us as the managing agent, so it follows the tenancy.
Is there a cost to switch?
Our fees are set out in writing in the management agreement, before you sign anything. Your current agent may charge a fee under your existing agreement, so check it first. We're happy to read it with you before you decide.
What if my current agent won't release the file?
Your current agent holds the keys and the property's records for you, and should hand them over when your agreement with them ends. We follow up with them for you, in writing. If that doesn't work, NSW Fair Trading has information on agents' obligations and how to make a complaint.
How long does it take?
About four weeks from the day you sign with us. Most of that is the notice period in your current management agreement, so if yours is longer, the switch takes longer.
Ready to talk about it?
Start with a rental appraisal: you'll see whether your rent is where it should be, and how we'd look after the property.