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How to switch from your property manager

A step-by-step plan for Australian landlords leaving a traditional property manager and taking back day-to-day control. About 30 days from first email to your first self-managed rent payment.

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Check your management agreement

Property management agreements typically run on 30 days notice, but the term varies. Find the agreement (in your email or your agent's portal) and look for the notice clause. Note the exit fee — most agencies don't charge one, but a few do.

Notice period (usually 30 days)
Whether the agency requires written notice or accepts email
Any exit / handover fee

Notify your agency in writing

Email is fine — keep the message short, factual, and dated. Reference the agreement and your effective end date. Ask them to confirm receipt and provide the handover schedule.

Subject: "Termination of management agreement — <property address>"
Effective end date (calculated from your notice period)
Request: full tenant file, current condition report, bond details, all keys, all correspondence with the tenant

Tell your tenant

Once the agency knows, tell the tenant directly. A short note explaining you'll be managing the property yourself, and that all communication will now come from you, keeps everything calm. Provide your new contact details and your preferred channel (Tenwise's tenant dashboard is ideal once they're set up).

Get your file from the agent

Typically within about 30 days of giving notice — the exact timeframe depends on your state and your agency agreement — you're entitled to: the signed lease, the bond receipt + state-authority reference number, all condition reports, payment ledgers, tenant correspondence, keys, and any maintenance contractor records.

Signed lease (PDF or original)
Condition report from move-in (with photos)
Bond receipt + RBO/RTBA reference number
Rent ledger for the current tenancy
Tenant identification and contact details
Keys, remotes, garage openers

Transfer the bond record (if needed)

In NSW the bond stays with NSW Fair Trading (Rental Bonds Online); you don't need to move it, just update the managing party on RBO. In VIC, RTBA holds the bond — update the agent/manager record. Most state authorities expose this in their online portal; some need a paper form.

Set yourself up on Tenwise

Once your data is in hand: add the property in Tenwise, link the tenant to a tenancy with the lease terms, upload the existing lease as a document, and invite the tenant to their dashboard. Routine inspections and maintenance requests carry on from there — without re-keying anything.

Confirm the bank arrangement

Make sure rent stops landing in the agent's trust account and starts landing in yours. The agent's last statement should reconcile to zero by the end of the notice period.

Common questions

What if my agent stalls or refuses to hand over files?+
You have a statutory right to your tenant file. If the agent doesn't deliver — typically within about 30 days, though the exact timeframe depends on your state and your agency agreement — escalate to the licensee (the principal of the agency) in writing, citing the relevant state agency licensing rules. If that fails, NSW Fair Trading (or your state equivalent) handles licensing complaints.
Can I switch mid-tenancy?+
Yes. The tenant's lease isn't affected — they signed it with the landlord (you), not the agent. The agency was acting on your behalf and the relationship can be terminated under the management agreement, not the tenancy agreement.
Will the tenant be unhappy with the change?+
Communication does the heavy lifting. Most tenants are neutral or positive about dealing with the owner directly, especially when maintenance turnaround improves. The biggest mistake landlords make is not telling the tenant promptly. Do that in step 3.
Do I need a licence to self-manage?+
No. Self-managing landlords don't need a real estate licence in any Australian state. Licensing applies to anyone managing property on behalf of someone else, not to managing your own.
What about insurance?+
Building and landlord insurance carry on as normal — your insurer doesn't care who manages the property. Some landlord-insurance policies require ongoing condition inspections, which Tenwise's routine-inspection flow handles.

Ready to switch across?

Your first month is free, with no credit card to start. Add the property you already manage — no setup fee, cancel any time.

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No card needed. First month free on monthly · 30-day money-back on annual · cancel any time.

General guidance only. Property management regulations vary by state and change periodically. Check the relevant fair-trading or consumer-affairs body for the rules that apply to you, especially before invoking statutory rights. Not legal advice.