Switching Managing Agent
Unanswered emails, unexplained charges, works that never happen. Changing agent is straightforward when the notice, the handover and the cut-over are sequenced properly — and painful when they are not. Here is the process we run for landlords, RMCs and RTM companies.
We handle the handover with your outgoing agent directly.
Start the switch
Tell us about the property or block and your current arrangement. We'll set out the steps and a written fee.
Signs it is time to move
- Service charge accounts arriving late, or not reconciling
- Repairs quoted at prices no one can explain, or contractor mark-ups
- Section 20 consultation missed, leaving costs irrecoverable above £250 per leaseholder
- Compliance documents — fire risk assessment, EICR, insurance — out of date
- Arrears allowed to build with no escalation process
- No named contact, or a different one every quarter
The switch, step by step
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Read the termination clause and confirm the notice period |
| 2 | Pass a board resolution (RMC/RTM) or confirm the freeholder's instruction |
| 3 | Appoint the incoming agent and agree a cut-over date |
| 4 | Serve written notice on the outgoing agent |
| 5 | Request the full handover pack and closing client account reconciliation |
| 6 | Notify leaseholders, tenants, insurers and contractors of the change |
| 7 | New agent audits compliance, budget and arrears in the first 30 days |
Handover checklist
- Service charge and reserve fund balances, transferred with a reconciliation
- Current budget, last three years of certified accounts, arrears schedule
- Leases, title documents, and the RMC or RTM company records
- Buildings insurance policy, schedule and claims history
- Fire risk assessment, EICR, asbestos register, lift and water hygiene records
- Contractor and maintenance agreements, with end dates
- Leaseholder and tenant contact details and correspondence history
- Any live section 20 consultation and its stage
Switching FAQs
How do I change managing agent?
Check the notice period in the current management agreement, serve written notice, appoint the incoming agent, and require a full handover of funds, records and contracts. For an RMC or RTM company the decision is normally a board resolution; check your articles for whether a members' vote is needed.
What notice do I have to give my managing agent?
It is set by the management agreement, commonly one to three months. Read the termination clause before you commit to a start date with the new agent.
What must the old agent hand over?
Service charge and reserve funds, the client account reconciliation, budgets and accounts, leases and title documents, insurance policies and claims history, contractor agreements, health and safety and fire risk assessments, and the leaseholder and tenant contact records.
What if the outgoing agent will not release funds?
Service charge money is held on trust for the leaseholders under section 42 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 — it is not the agent's money. Where it is withheld, escalate through their redress scheme and, if needed, take legal advice on recovery.
Will switching disrupt tenants or leaseholders?
It should not. Handled properly, the visible change is a new set of payment details and contact points, communicated once with a clear cut-over date.