Strata Manager Handover: What Records the Outgoing Manager Must Give You in Every State

The short answer

• NSW. The strata committee gives the outgoing manager a written notice under section 181 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015. The manager must deliver the records and other property to the committee member named in the notice within 14 days. The clock starts when you give the notice, so send it the day the owners corporation decides to end the appointment.
• Victoria. Under section 127 of the Owners Corporations Act 2006, the manager must return all records to the owners corporation's secretary within 28 days of the appointment ending. No notice is needed. The clock runs automatically.
• Queensland. A body corporate manager must hand over the fund's financial records within 30 days of the engagement ending. Separately, the committee can serve a notice requiring anyone holding body corporate records or property to hand them over within 14 days. The manager can't hold records back to force payment of an invoice.
• Western Australia. Under section 152 of the Strata Titles Act 1985, the manager must return all records, keys and other property to the strata company within 28 days of the contract being terminated. They can't claim a lien over any of it.
• South Australia. When the corporation's delegation to the manager ends, the manager must return the records within 10 business days and the trust money within 7 business days. The rule is in s 27D(6) of the Strata Titles Act 1988 and s 78D(6) of the Community Titles Act 1996, with the deadlines set by regulation.
• Tasmania. The Strata Titles Act 1998 has no handover rule. Your management agreement is what binds the manager, so check it before you terminate.
• ACT. The rule sits in the Agents Act 2003, not the strata Act. Within 14 days of stopping, the former manager must give the owners corporation a certified copy of its accounts and the records about its management (s 109A).
• Northern Territory. The Unit Title Schemes Act 2009 has no handover deadline. Schemes still under the older Unit Titles Act 1975 can require records and keys within 7 days of a committee notice.

The records belong to the building, not to the manager. Most states set a deadline for handing them back. Tasmania is the exception, and there your management agreement does the work.

The deadlines side by side

Queensland's rules sit in the Body Corporate and Community Management (Standard Module) Regulation 2020. Schemes under the Accommodation Module have matching sections (s 158 and s 224).

New South Wales: the section 181 notice

Section 181 lets the strata committee demand the owners corporation's property, "including records", from anyone who holds it. When the person is a strata managing agent whose appointment is being terminated, the notice tells them of the owners corporation's decision to end the appointment (s 181(2)). Either way, the person must deliver the property within 14 days to the committee member named in the notice.

Three details trip committees up.

The notice starts the clock, not the end of the contract. If you never send a section 181 notice, the 14-day deadline never starts. Send it the day after the meeting that resolves to terminate, even if the agreement still has weeks to run.

Delivery goes to a committee member. The Act doesn't require the outgoing manager to deliver to the incoming one. Name a committee member in the notice. That person can then pass everything to the new manager, and the committee knows what actually arrived.

The lien carve-out. Section 181(3) says the section doesn't affect "any just claim or lien" the manager may have. In practice, an outgoing manager with an unpaid invoice may try to hold records back. Pay what's documented and owed under the agreement, and dispute the rest in writing. Don't let an argument about a final invoice stall the whole handover.

The money: trust account details

In NSW, the outgoing manager often holds the building's money in a trust account under the Property and Stock Agents Act 2002. Sections 58 to 62 of the SSMA let the owners corporation require, by written notice:

• the name and number of the trust account and the balance held for the owners corporation on a given date
• unpresented cheques
• details of any other account the manager operates for the building
• full details of money received or paid, and when and how it was paid out

The manager must answer within 14 days (s 62). Send this notice at the same time as the section 181 notice. Trust money must be paid out as the owners corporation directs (PSAA s 86), so give a written direction naming the account it should go to. Then check the amount received against the balance the manager reported.

If the manager doesn't comply

• NCAT can order a former strata managing agent to hand over records. Under s 188 it can order the supply of information or documents that were wrongfully withheld.
• No mediation first. An application seeking records from a former strata managing agent doesn't need mediation before it goes to NCAT (s 227(4)(f)).
• When NCAT ends the agreement. If NCAT itself terminates a management agreement, it can order the records returned within a set time (s 72(2)).

Keep them electronic

Since 11 June 2024, NSW owners corporations must make and keep new records in electronic form (s 176). Older paper records don't need converting. Ask for the handover in electronic form wherever possible, because the building now has to keep it that way.

The owners corporation must keep most records for 7 years, including minutes, financial statements, accounting records, correspondence, meeting notices, proxies, voting papers, the management agreement, and records given to it by the strata managing agent (s 180).

Victoria: 28 days, no notice needed

Section 127 of the Owners Corporations Act 2006 is short. Within 28 days of their appointment ending, the manager must return to the secretary "all records relating to the owners corporation or funds of the owners corporation" that they hold or control. The maximum penalty is 60 penalty units, three times the NSW and Queensland figure.

Victoria needs no notice to trigger the rule. Still write to the manager the day the appointment ends. Name the secretary as the recipient, give the 28-day date, and attach the checklist below. It removes any argument about what "all records" means.

The money

A Victorian manager holds the owners corporation's money on trust (s 122(2)). It must be kept in a separate account for each owners corporation, apart from limited exceptions. On reasonable request, the manager must provide bank statements going back three years. The Act sets no specific deadline for moving the money when a manager changes. The trust duty still applies, and VCAT can order restitution. Ask for the closing statement and a written confirmation of the transfer.

If the manager doesn't comply

VCAT can hear a dispute with a "manager or former manager" (s 163). It can order a party to comply with the Act or to do something specific, order money paid back by way of restitution, and revoke or put conditions on a manager's appointment (s 165).

What the owners corporation must keep

Section 144 lists the records, and section 145 sets how long to keep them:

• Voting papers and ballot results: 12 months after the vote.
• Proxies: 12 months after they expire or are revoked.
• Everything else, including minutes, financial statements, accounting records, correspondence, insurance policies, maintenance plans, contracts and notices: at least 7 years.

Queensland: two separate rules

Queensland splits the handover in two.

Financial records within 30 days (Standard Module s 168). A body corporate manager who has been running the administrative or sinking fund must, within 30 days of the engagement ending, give the body corporate:

• a balance sheet as at the termination day, if the body corporate asks for one
• the income and expenditure statement for the year
• a list of amounts owing to and payable from each fund
• the latest monthly bank reconciliation
• details of the latest levy notices
• a record of contributions paid during the year
• any other financial record, such as deposit books

All records and property within 14 days of a notice (s 235). Anyone holding body corporate property or records must hand them over within 14 days of being served with a notice. That includes a manager, a caretaker, a committee member or the original owner. Normally the notice is a committee resolution. If the manager was engaged to exercise the committee's powers (a chapter 3, part 5 engagement), owners of at least half the lots sign it instead. The person can't claim a lien over the records.

Electronic copies at their cost (s 234). When a manager's engagement ends, the body corporate can require documents held electronically to be given in a usable electronic form or printed. The outgoing manager pays.

The money

Queensland is simpler here. Body corporate fund money must already sit in accounts held solely in the body corporate's name (s 167). There's no trust money to transfer. The handover is about changing the signatories and online banking access, and getting the records.

What the body corporate must keep

Queensland doesn't use a single 7-year rule. Under Standard Module s 231:

• Statements of account, audit material, meeting notices, major repair records, orders, agreements and manager reports can be disposed of after 6 years.
• Meeting material, routine correspondence, reconciliations and bank statements can be disposed of after 2 years.
• Anything still relevant, such as a contract that has run for longer than 6 years, must be kept.

If the manager won't comply, an adjudicator can order a body corporate manager or service contractor to comply with the terms of their engagement, including the code of conduct (Act Sch 5, item 16). Failing to hand over records under s 235 is also an offence.

Western Australia: 28 days and no lien

Section 152 of the Strata Titles Act 1985 applies when a strata management contract is terminated. The manager must return "all records of the strata company, including records of account", plus all keys and other property in their possession or control. The deadline is 28 days after the day the contract is terminated. That applies even if the manager has applied for a review of the decision to terminate.

• Who collects. The property goes back to the strata company. The company can agree to the incoming manager collecting it, or to some other method (s 152(3)). Put that agreement in writing.
• No lien. The manager "cannot exercise any claim or lien" over property they have to return (s 152(4)). An unpaid invoice is a separate argument.
• No penalty in s 152. If the deadline passes, give a written notice under section 96. It lets the strata company require "any person" to deliver records, keys or other property to a named person within a reasonable period. Failing to comply without reasonable excuse carries a fine of up to $3,000, and the lien bar applies here too (s 96(3)).

The money

A paid strata manager must bank the strata company's money in a trust account or in the company's own account (s 148). Trust money can't be used to pay the manager's own creditors. By written notice, the company can require the account details and balances, and the manager must answer within 7 days (s 149). Send that notice when you terminate. Then give a written direction naming the account the money should go to.

Enforcement and record keeping

The SAT hears disputes between a strata company and a "former strata manager" about the manager's obligations (s 197). It can make any order it considers appropriate, including an order to fix a contravention or pay compensation (s 200).

The strata company keeps minutes, accounting records and correspondence for 7 years. Special, unanimous and without-dissent resolutions and insurance contracts are kept for 20 years (s 104 and the Strata Titles (General) Regulations 2019). Records can be kept in electronic form.

South Australia: 10 business days for records, 7 for money

South Australia has two Acts with the same handover rule: the Strata Titles Act 1988 for strata corporations, and the Community Titles Act 1996 for community corporations. In both, a manager acts under a delegation from the corporation. If there's a management contract, the delegation is revoked when the contract ends or expires (STA s 27A(5), CTA s 78A(5)).

Once all delegations are revoked, the manager must return to the corporation, or make available for collection, "all records of the corporation held by the delegate" and all trust money held under the delegations (STA s 27D(6), CTA s 78D(6)). The maximum penalty is $2,000. The regulations set the timing:

• Records within 10 business days. Electronic records go by email, or on a USB sent by registered post. Paper records go by registered post or are made available for collection (Strata Titles Regulations 2018 reg 13, Community Titles Regulations 2026 reg 16).
• Trust money within 7 business days, by electronic transfer, a cheque sent by registered post, or collection.

Fixed-term contracts. A contract longer than 12 months can be ended on 28 days' written notice once it has run for 12 continuous months (STA s 27B(4), CTA s 78B(4)). The handover clock then runs from that end date.

Anyone else holding records. The corporation can, by written notice, require any person holding "any record, key, or other property of the corporation" to deliver it to a named officer by a set time (STA s 39, CTA s 147). This covers former committee members as well as managers.

The money

The manager holds the corporation's money in a trust account and must give a statement of dealings within 5 business days of the corporation asking (STA ss 36C and 36G, CTA ss 122 and 126). Ask for that statement with your termination letter, so you can check the amount transferred against it.

Enforcement and record keeping

Disputes go to the Magistrates Court, which can order a party to take action to remedy a default and can vary or end a contract with a manager (STA s 41A, CTA s 142). SACAT doesn't hear these disputes.

The corporation keeps minute books for 30 years, and accounting records, statements of account, correspondence and meeting notices for 7 years (STA s 40, CTA s 136 and the regulations).

Tasmania: no handover rule yet

The Strata Titles Act 1998 mentions managers once. A body corporate "may appoint a manager" and delegate functions to them, and the manager "is subject to control and direction by the body corporate" (s 80). The Act sets no deadline for returning records or money and no penalty for keeping them, and it doesn't regulate how a manager holds the body corporate's money.

That leaves three things to work with:

• The management agreement. Read the termination and records clauses before you give notice. If the agreement is silent, the general law of agency still says the records belong to the body corporate.
• A written direction. Because the manager is subject to the body corporate's direction, resolve at a meeting that the manager hand over everything by a set date, and send them the resolution with the checklist below.
• The Recorder of Titles. Disputes go to the Recorder (s 105). The Recorder's order powers are aimed at the body corporate and its officers (s 118), not at a former manager. If the manager simply won't cooperate, get legal advice on a claim under the contract.

The Act's only record-keeping duty is that the committee keep proper minutes (s 79(6)). There's no retention period. Keeping everything for 7 years, as other states require, is a sensible default.

The draft Strata Titles Amendment Bill 2026 would add a written-appointment requirement, a body corporate trust account and a strata roll that records the manager. It doesn't include a handover clause either. Consultation closes on 25 October 2026, so none of it is law yet.

ACT: 14 days under the Agents Act

The Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011 doesn't contain the handover rule. It sits in section 109A of the Agents Act 2003. Within 14 days of stopping as manager, the former manager must give the owners corporation:

• a certified copy of the owners corporation's accounts
• the records about the management of the owners corporation

The section covers anyone appointed as manager under the Unit Titles (Management) Act, not just licensed agents. It doesn't state a penalty.

The money

The owners corporation must have its own account with a bank or other ADI (s 68). If a licensed agent holds money for it, that money sits in the agent's trust account and can't be used to pay the agent's debts (Agents Act ss 105 and 107). Ask for the closing trust statement and the transfer confirmation.

Enforcement and record keeping

A dispute about "the return by a former manager of owners corporation property" can go to ACAT (s 126). ACAT can order a party to do or stop doing a stated thing, or make any other order it needs to (s 129).

The owners corporation must keep its minutes, books of account and other listed records for at least 7 years (Schedule 2, cl 2.1).

Northern Territory: it depends which Act you're under

Newer NT schemes run under the Unit Title Schemes Act 2009. Older schemes may still sit under the Unit Titles Act 1975. Check your scheme's registration, because the handover rules differ.

Under the 2009 Act, there's no handover deadline. The manager's engagement does include a term that the body corporate or committee "may require the person to produce records kept by the person", and that "the person must comply" (Schedule 1, cl 12, applied by s 92). If the contract doesn't say how it ends, the body corporate can end it on 3 months' written notice under the management modules. Make that requirement in writing as soon as you resolve to terminate.

Under the 1975 Act, the committee can resolve that anyone holding the corporation's records, books of account, keys or other property must deliver them. They have 7 days after being served with notice of the resolution, and must deliver to the committee member named in it. The maximum penalty is 1,000 penalty units (s 51(8)).

The money

A body corporate manager is a real estate agent under the Agents Licensing Act 1979. Money they receive for the body corporate is held in trust, in a trust account, and is protected from the agent's creditors.

Enforcement and record keeping

NTCAT hears disputes about a body corporate manager under the 2009 Act (ss 84 to 86). It can make any order it considers appropriate, including an order to pay money or to take specified action. The management modules require accounting records and the other listed records to be kept for at least 7 years.

The handover checklist

Send this list with your notice. Tick items off as they arrive, and write down what's missing. The legal minimum differs by state. A manager acting in good faith should be able to supply everything here.

Governance

Money

Building and compliance

Contracts and insurance

Access

A notice you can adapt (NSW)

For Victoria, a letter confirming the end date, naming the secretary and citing s 127 does the same job. For Queensland, attach a copy of the committee resolution to the s 235 notice and name the committee member who will receive the records.

In the other states and territories, adapt the same letter:

• WA. Cite s 152, give the date 28 days after termination, and ask for account details under s 149. If the deadline passes, follow up with an s 96 notice.
• SA. Cite STA s 27D(6) or CTA s 78D(6), give both business-day deadlines, and ask for the trust statement.
• Tasmania. Attach the general meeting resolution directing the handover, and quote the records clause of the management agreement.
• ACT. Cite Agents Act s 109A and ask for the certified copy of the accounts by name.
• NT. Under the 2009 Act, make the requirement under Schedule 1, cl 12. Under the 1975 Act, serve notice of the committee resolution under s 51(8).

Common questions

Can the manager charge us for the handover?

The Acts don't set a handover fee. Check your management agreement, because many include a fee for "records retrieval" or handover work in the additional fees schedule. In Queensland, the cost of putting electronic records into usable form falls on the manager (s 234). If an invoice isn't backed by the agreement, dispute it in writing.

Can they hand the records straight to the new manager?

Yes, if the owners corporation directs it. WA's s 152(3) expressly allows the strata company to agree to collection by the new manager. In NSW, though, the notice names a committee member, and in Victoria the Act names the secretary. Routing records through the committee means the building can see what arrived before anyone else takes control of it.

What if records are missing?

Write to the outgoing manager listing each missing item and the deadline. Keep copies of everything. If nothing changes, apply to the body that hears strata disputes: NCAT in NSW, VCAT in Victoria, the BCCM Commissioner in Queensland, the SAT in WA, the Magistrates Court in SA, ACAT in the ACT and NTCAT in the Northern Territory. In Tasmania, get legal advice on a claim under the management agreement. Missing records are also worth reporting to the state regulator that licenses or registers strata managers.

Should we keep our own copy from now on?

Yes. A building that holds its own copy of the record doesn't depend on any one manager to keep its history intact.

Where UnitBuddy fits

When records arrive, bulk CSV import brings lots and other structured data into the building's own workspace, and the document vault holds the rest. Because the building owns that workspace, the record doesn't leave with the next manager. Export finances, owners, decisions and documents as CSV, JSON or PDF whenever you want, with no fee or support ticket. Next time, handover is a login, not a hunt through last year's files.

Further reading

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