For boards considering a change
Changing your condominium or co-operative manager
Most boards stay too long because the switch feels risky. We have published our entire ninety-day transition plan — the statutory records-transfer timeline, what your board is responsible for, what we handle, and what genuinely can go wrong. Read it before you talk to anyone, including us.
Why boards delay
Which concerns are real and which are not
Boards often delay a management change for years past the point when they know it is necessary. Some of that hesitation is reasonable. Some of it is not. Understanding the difference is the first step.
Auto-renewal is a genuine risk.
Many management agreements renew automatically if written notice is not given within a specific window — often 90 to 120 days before the term ends. Missing this deadline locks you in for another year. Check your agreement today, not when you are ready to leave.
Records transfers are not always clean.
Outgoing managers are legally required to transfer records, but completeness varies. Your incoming manager should document everything received and follow up any gap in writing within the statutory window.
The switch itself is not legally complex.
Both parties' obligations are set out in statute. If the process is followed correctly, there is nothing legally ambiguous about changing managers. The complexity is operational, not legal — and operational complexity is exactly what a good transition plan addresses.
Residents rarely care who manages.
Your owners care about service quality, response times, and communication. A new manager who handles maintenance requests promptly and communicates clearly will not face meaningful resistance. The board's job is to make a good selection — the rest follows.
Ontario law
The statutory records-transfer timeline
The Condominium Management Services Act, 2015 (CMSA) and its regulations set a mandatory timeline for transferring records from your outgoing manager. This is not a negotiation — it is statute. Boards should verify these requirements directly at the Ontario e-Laws registry.
| Period | Obligation | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Termination date | The management agreement ends. The outgoing manager's statutory obligations begin. The incoming manager may not yet have signing authority on bank accounts — plan ahead. | CMSA, s.54 |
| Within 15 days | The outgoing manager must transfer all records of the corporation that were in existence on the date of termination. This includes: financial statements and bank records, vendor contracts and service agreements, meeting minutes and board resolutions, insurance policies, reserve fund documents and the most recent reserve fund study, and all status certificate files. | O. Reg. 123/17, s. 35(1) |
| Within 30 days of arising | Records that did not exist at the date of termination — for example, a final reconciliation of outstanding receivables, or a work order closed after handover — must be transferred within 30 days of coming into existence. The outgoing manager cannot hold these back. | O. Reg. 123/17, s. 35(2) |
If the outgoing manager fails to transfer records within the statutory period, the corporation has grounds to file a complaint with the CMRAO and may have civil remedies. Your incoming manager should document everything received and follow up any gaps in writing.
Before you give notice
Reviewing your current agreement
Most of the leverage in a management transition sits in the first read of your current agreement. Before you give notice to your outgoing manager, know exactly what you are working with.
- Notice period
- Most professional management agreements require 60 to 90 days written notice of termination. Check whether notice must be delivered by a specific method — certified mail, email, or courier. A notice sent the wrong way may not be legally valid. Mark the required delivery date on your calendar before you do anything else.
- Auto-renewal clause
- Many agreements automatically renew for a fixed term — typically twelve months — unless notice is given within a specified window before the current term ends. That window is often 90 to 120 days. If you have already missed it, you will need to wait for the next opportunity or negotiate an early exit.
- Termination-without-cause provisions
- Most professional management agreements permit termination with proper notice — you do not need to document failures or allege misconduct. Some agreements contain "for cause" termination language that adds conditions; understand what events qualify before relying on it. If your agreement does not include a termination-without-cause provision, that is itself a warning sign.
- Records and handover obligations
- Your agreement may specify what the outgoing manager must transfer and when. Read this carefully — and note that the CMSA statutory obligations exist regardless of what the agreement says. The statute sets a floor, not a ceiling.
Week by week
The ninety-day transition plan
A well-managed transition runs on a published schedule — not on goodwill. This is the timeline we build every handover around. Statutory windows are noted where the law sets the deadline.
- Weeks 1–2Board
Decision and notice
- Board resolution authorising the management transition. Record the vote in the minutes.
- Pull the current management agreement. Check the notice period, notice delivery method, and whether an auto-renewal clause applies. If it does, confirm the deadline has not already passed.
- Draft and send formal written notice of termination to the outgoing manager. Confirm receipt in writing. The termination date — and the statutory clock — starts here.
- Weeks 3–6Board
Manager selection
- Issue RFP to two or three shortlisted firms. A complete proposal covers: named manager with licence class, fee schedule with inclusions and exclusions, a transition plan, and references from current clients.
- Receive proposals and schedule board presentations. Ask each firm to present to the full board and take questions — not just to a committee.
- Board votes on incoming manager. Execute the new management agreement. Confirm start date and primary contacts on both sides.
- Weeks 7–10Incoming manager
Pre-handover preparation
- Incoming manager requests a full records and contracts inventory from the outgoing manager in writing. This creates a paper trail for the statutory transfer.
- Review all vendor contracts, insurance policies, reserve fund study, most recent Periodic Information Certificates, and status certificate files.
- Begin bank signing-authority change process. Financial institutions vary — this can take three to six weeks. Start early.
- Vendor notification letters issued. Utilities, service providers, and key contacts updated to reflect the incoming manager.
- Pre-handover site walkthrough. Incoming manager inspects the physical plant, mechanical systems, amenities, parking, and any outstanding capital projects.
- Termination date (≈ Week 11)BothStatutory window
Handover — statutory window begins
- Management agreement ends. Incoming manager assumes operational responsibility.
- 15-day statutory clock begins (O. Reg. 123/17, s. 35(1)): outgoing manager must transfer all records that existed at termination.
- Incoming manager inventories each item received. Any gap is documented and followed up in writing immediately — do not wait until Day 14.
- Residents and owners notified of new manager contact information and communication channels.
- Days 1–15 post-terminationOutgoing managerStatutory window
Existing records transfer
- Financial statements, bank records, and all accounts receivable documentation transferred.
- All vendor contracts, insurance certificates, and service agreements transferred.
- Meeting minutes, board resolutions, and all correspondence files transferred.
- Reserve fund documents — including the most current reserve fund study — transferred.
- Any outstanding status certificate files transferred.
- Days 15–30+ post-terminationOutgoing managerStatutory window
Post-termination records
- Records that did not exist at termination — such as outstanding receivables reconciliation, closed work orders, or final invoices from vendors — must be transferred within 30 days of coming into existence (O. Reg. 123/17, s. 35(2)).
- Incoming manager confirms banking transition is complete. Signing authority confirmed on both the operating and reserve fund accounts.
- Week 13 onwardIncoming manager
Full operation under new management
- Incoming manager presents first status report to the board: records received, records outstanding, outstanding vendor items, and a 90-day operational plan.
- First board meeting under new management. All communications now flow through the incoming manager.
- Any records not received from the outgoing manager within the statutory periods are formally escalated — in writing, with a copy to the CMRAO if the outgoing manager is unresponsive.
Honest assessment
What can go wrong — and how to prevent it
A firm that refuses to name risks is either inexperienced or selling. These are the three most common failure points in management transitions, named honestly.
Missing the auto-renewal window
This is the most common way boards stay too long. If your agreement auto-renews and you miss the notice deadline, you are legally bound for another full term — typically twelve months. Pull your agreement now, find the renewal clause, and mark the deadline on the board calendar.
Incomplete records transfer
Outgoing managers are required by statute to transfer records. What "all records" means in practice is not always consistent. Your incoming manager should prepare a written records inventory before the handover date, confirm each item received, and document any outstanding items in writing within the 15-day window. Silence is not confirmation.
Reserve fund banking delays
Changing signing authority on a reserve fund account at a financial institution can take three to six weeks. If this process is not started during the pre-handover period, your incoming manager may assume full operational responsibility before having access to the funds needed to authorise expenditures. Start the banking paperwork early.
Free resources
Download and use these before you call anyone
A board that has done its homework gets better proposals and a smoother transition. Both documents are free, no strings attached beyond your email address.
RFP Template for Management Services
A complete request-for-proposal template. Covers scope of services, fee structure disclosure requirements, references, named manager requirements, and evaluation criteria. Use it with any management firm you approach.
Word document · approx. 120 KB
Ninety-Day Transition Checklist
The week-by-week checklist behind the transition plan on this page. Includes the statutory records inventory list, banking checklist, vendor notification template, and a log for documenting records received from the outgoing manager.
PDF · approx. 80 KB
Ready to request a proposal?
Send us your building details and we will send back a written proposal with a named manager, a complete fee schedule, and a transition plan specific to your building. Usually within five business days.