Changing Property Manager (WEG): Process & Checklist

The decision has been made: the owners' association wants a new property manager. Now come the practical questions. Which resolutions are needed, when does the old contract end, who prepares the last annual statement, and what exactly does the outgoing manager have to hand over?

This guide takes you through a change of property manager in a condominium (WEG) from the first quote to a completed handover. It reflects the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) ruling of 26 September 2025 on the annual statement and includes a handover checklist you can use as it is.

Key facts at a glanceLink to this section

Possible at any time: Since the 2020 reform of the Condominium Act (WEG), an association can dismiss its manager at any time without cause. The management contract then ends no later than six months after the dismissal (§ 26(3) WEG).
Simple majority: The owners' meeting decides on dismissal and appointment by a majority of the votes cast (§ 25(1) WEG).
Annual statement: If the manager's term ends on 31 December, the new manager prepares the statement for the year just ended (BGH, 26.09.2025, V ZR 206/24). If the change happens during the year, the outgoing manager still owes the statement for the previous year.
Handover: The outgoing manager must hand over all of the association's documents and funds and account for their term in office (§§ 666, 667, 259 German Civil Code, BGB).
Planning: Allow three to six months between the first quotes and a completed handover.

How does a change of property manager work?Link to this section

A change of property manager takes seven steps: collect quotes, call an owners' meeting, pass the resolutions, end the old contract, organise the handover, check the outgoing manager's accounts, and prepare the fresh start with the new manager.

Collect quotes: Get at least three quotes and share the key figures with all owners before the meeting. What to look for when comparing is covered in our overview of property management costs.
Call the meeting: Put dismissal, appointment and the management contract on the agenda as separate items. The invitation must be in text form, with at least three weeks' notice. Details are in our article on the notice period for owners' meetings.
Pass the resolutions: The meeting dismisses the current manager, appoints the new one and approves the new contract.
End the old contract: The dismissal ends the appointment. The contract ends no later than six months afterwards, often sooner if it expires anyway or is terminated for cause.
Organise the handover: Agree a date with the outgoing manager and go through the documents with a checklist.
Check the accounts: The outgoing manager sets out all income and expenses up to their last day and lists open claims.
Prepare the fresh start: The new manager informs the bank, insurers and service providers and introduces themselves to the owners.

Planning a change of property manager? Request a no-obligation quote from Ralph.

Which resolutions does the association need?Link to this section

For a clean change, three, ideally four, resolutions should be on the agenda:

Dismissal of the current manager: with a fixed date, for example as of the end of 31 December. No reason has to be given.
Appointment of the new manager: with a start date and term. The appointment can run for up to five years, or up to three years for the first appointment after the association is founded (§ 26(2) WEG).
Management contract: The meeting approves the contract and decides who signs it. Towards the manager, the association is represented by the chair of the advisory board (Verwaltungsbeirat) or by an owner authorised by resolution (§ 9b(2) WEG). What matters in the contract is covered in our article on the management contract.
Authority for the handover: Expressly authorise the new manager to demand documents and funds from the outgoing manager and, if necessary, to enforce these claims in court. That saves a separate resolution later.

If the old contract should end earlier than six months after the dismissal, for example because there is good cause, also resolve to terminate it.

Each resolution needs a majority of the votes cast. Since the reform, the meeting has a quorum regardless of how many owners attend. Changing manager without a meeting by circular resolution is possible, but only if all owners agree in text form (§ 23(3) WEG).

What if the current manager won't call the meeting? More than a quarter of the owners can demand it in text form. If the manager refuses in breach of their duties, the chair of the advisory board can call the meeting (§ 24(2) and (3) WEG). How the dismissal works step by step is explained in our article on dismissing a WEG manager.

Sample wording for the resolutions

Dismissal: "The owners' association dismisses [current manager] as manager with effect from [date]."
Appointment: "[New manager] is appointed as manager with effect from [date] for a term of [number] years."
Contract: "The association concludes the management contract with [new manager] in the version dated [date]. [Name], chair of the advisory board, is authorised to sign it on behalf of the association."
Authority: "[New manager] is authorised to demand from the outgoing manager the handover of all management documents and funds and an account of their term, and to enforce these claims on behalf of the association out of court and in court."

Have the wording checked for your association before the invitation goes out, for example by the new manager.

Timeline: how long does a change of property manager take?Link to this section

Allow three to six months from the first quotes to a completed handover. A typical sequence:

Weeks 1 to 6: collect quotes, meet two or three managers, prepare the documents for the meeting.
Weeks 6 to 9: send the invitation with at least three weeks' notice.
Meeting: resolutions on dismissal, appointment, contract and authority.
Changeover date: the outgoing manager's term ends and the new manager takes over.
The following four weeks: handover of documents and funds, accounts for the final period, bank mandates, informing service providers.

Many associations time the change for the turn of the year: resolution at the autumn meeting, new manager from 1 January. The advantage is a clean cut for bookkeeping and the annual budget. Bear in mind that the new manager then also prepares the annual statement for the year just ended, based on the predecessor's bookkeeping.

Who prepares the annual statement when the manager changes?Link to this section

That depends on when the outgoing manager leaves. What matters is who holds office when the obligation to prepare the statement arises. Under § 28(2) WEG, the owners decide on the annual statement "after the end of the calendar year", so the obligation arises on 1 January of the following year.

Change on 31 December: The new manager prepares the statement for the year just ended. The BGH decided this on 26 September 2025 (V ZR 206/24). The former manager is not obliged to do so, even though they ran that year.
Change during the year: If the manager leaves on 30 June, for example, they still owe the statement for the previous, already completed year, even if it wasn't finished when they left. The new manager prepares the statement for the current year (BGH, 16.02.2018, V ZR 89/17).
Different rule in the contract: The management contract can oblige the outgoing manager to prepare the last statement anyway. Check the current contract before the resolution.

Either way, the outgoing manager must hand over the complete bookkeeping and account for their term. This account is not yet an annual statement with individual statements per owner, but it is the basis on which the new manager prepares one. What an annual statement must contain is explained in our article on the annual statement in a WEG.

Duties of the outgoing managerLink to this section

When their term ends, the outgoing manager must hand over to the association everything they received for, or obtained through, the management (§ 667 BGB). This includes:

Original documents: on paper and electronic, including files and records they created themselves.
Funds and accounts: balances, online banking access, bank mandates and statements.
An account of their term: information on the state of the management and a statement of income and expenses with receipts up to their last day, plus open claims against owners and third parties and open liabilities (§§ 666, 259 BGB).
Known risks: for example running warranty periods, known defects or pending proceedings.

The handover is due immediately when the term ends. According to a widely held view, the outgoing manager does not have to deliver the documents but only has to make them available for collection at their office. Plan the collection from the start. As a rule, they have no right to withhold documents the association needs for ongoing management.

Handover checklist for a change of property managerLink to this section

Go through the list together at the handover and have both sides confirm completeness in a handover record.

The association's foundations

Declaration of division (Teilungserklärung), community rules, division plan and house rules
Resolutions register and minutes of owners' meetings
List of owners with contact details and co-ownership shares
Previous management contract and powers of attorney

Finances

Statements, online banking access and bank mandates for all association accounts
Annual budgets and annual statements for recent years
Account of the final period with receipts
Balances of all owners as of the changeover date, service charge (Hausgeld) arrears and ongoing collection proceedings
Balance of the maintenance reserve

Contracts and insurance

Building, liability and other insurance policies, open claims
Contracts with service providers: caretaker, cleaning, winter service, maintenance, energy, metering
Contracts concerning common property, such as rented parking spaces or roof areas

Building and technical systems

Building plans, energy performance certificate and documents on past renovations
Maintenance and inspection records (lift, heating, fire safety, drinking water)
Keys, locking plans and security cards

Ongoing matters

Resolutions not yet implemented and ongoing building works
Warranty periods and defect notices
Legal disputes and correspondence with authorities

Digital data

Export of master data and bookings from the management software
Access to the owner portal, service provider portals and metering service

If the outgoing manager doesn't cooperateLink to this section

Most handovers go smoothly. If documents or funds don't arrive, a structured approach helps:

Set a deadline: Demand the handover in text form with a specific deadline and list what is missing.
Have proof ready: The new manager proves their appointment to banks and authorities with the minutes of the meeting. Where an officially certified form is required, the minutes with certified signatures are sufficient (§ 26(4) WEG).
Inform the bank: Have old bank mandates revoked and the new manager authorised.
Enforce the claims: If the meeting has authorised the new manager, they can demand the handover in court with a lawyer's help, in urgent cases also in summary proceedings.

If the outgoing manager is not just unwilling but insolvent, special rules apply. More in our article Property management company insolvent: what to do?

What does a change of property manager cost?Link to this section

The change itself involves no statutory fees. Costs arise in two places:

The old contract: It ends no later than six months after the dismissal. Until then, the outgoing manager can in principle claim the agreed fee, unless the contract says otherwise. Timing the change for the regular end of the contract avoids paying twice.
The new manager: On top of the base fee, some managers charge separately for clearing up the predecessor's backlog, such as missing statements. Ask about this before signing.

What a manager costs per unit in 2026 and which extra services are common is shown in our overview of property management costs.

What to look for in the new managerLink to this section

A change is only worth it if the new manager doesn't repeat the old one's problems. Before the meeting, clarify:

Capacity: How many properties does the responsible person look after, and who covers during holidays?
Availability: How can owners reach the manager, and how quickly do they get an answer?
Takeover: How does the takeover work, who deals with the predecessor's documents, and what does clearing up a backlog cost?
Qualification: Since December 2023, owners can require the appointment of a certified manager.
Contract: Which services are included in the base fee, which cost extra, and how long does the contract run?

For criteria beyond price, see our guide What should I look for when choosing a property manager?

From practice: what is often missing at handoversLink to this section

The same documents go missing again and again in our takeovers. Ask for these four explicitly and note in the handover record what is missing.

Resolutions register: It has been mandatory since 2007 (§ 24(7) WEG), but in practice it often doesn't exist or covers only a few years. It can only be replaced if all minutes of owners' meetings are available, which is rarely the case. So ask for both: the register and all minutes.
Bank statements and transactions: We rarely receive complete bank statements, and transactions in digital form even more rarely. If the association's account is with DKB or we take over the account, we have the transactions directly. Otherwise they are often missing. If the account is in the association's name, it can also request the statements from the bank itself.
Previous year's annual statement: Statements often arrive late. At the moment the annual statement for 2025 is frequently still missing at takeover. Clarify early who prepares it (see the section on the annual statement).
Owners' balances: A list of who owes service charges (Hausgeld) and who is in credit is often missing. Without it the new manager can neither collect arrears nor settle credits correctly. Ask for the balances as of the changeover date as a list.

Frequently asked questions about changing property managerLink to this section

What do you need to consider when changing property manager?

Pass the resolutions on dismissal, appointment and contract clearly and with a fixed date, check the old contract beforehand for its term and any rule on the annual statement, and organise the handover with a checklist. The new manager should be authorised by resolution to demand the documents.

Who has to prepare the statement when the manager changes?

For a change on 31 December, the new manager (BGH, 26.09.2025, V ZR 206/24). For a change during the year, the outgoing manager still prepares the statement for the completed previous year. The management contract can provide otherwise.

Can you change property manager at any time?

Yes. Since the 2020 WEG reform, an association can dismiss its manager at any time without cause. The management contract ends no later than six months after the dismissal. How to go about it is explained in our article on terminating your property manager.

What majority do you need to change property manager?

A majority of the votes cast at the owners' meeting (§ 25(1) WEG). Abstentions are not counted. Without a meeting, by circular resolution, all owners must agree.

Does the outgoing manager have to deliver the documents?

According to a widely held view, no. It is enough to make them available for collection at their office. The handover itself, however, is due immediately when the term ends and covers all originals.

How long does a change of property manager take?

Usually three to six months from the first quote to a completed handover. Most of that time goes into finding a new manager and the notice period of at least three weeks.

Legal basis and sourcesLink to this section

As of September 2026. This information does not replace legal advice in an individual case.

Condominium Act (WEG): § 9b (representation), § 23(3) (circular resolution), § 24 (calling meetings), § 25(1) (majority), § 26 (appointment and dismissal), § 28(2) (annual statement)
German Civil Code (BGB): §§ 259, 666, 667 (accounting, information, handover)
BGH, judgment of 26.09.2025, V ZR 206/24: annual statement for a change at year-end
BGH, judgment of 16.02.2018, V ZR 89/17: annual statement for a change during the year
VDIV Deutschland: Wenn die Verwaltung wechselt (2022) and Fliegender Wechsel? (2019): accounting duties and place of handover

Have you met Ralph?Link to this section

Ralph takes on owners' associations in many German cities and supports the change from the draft resolution to the handover. How that works is described on our page changing property manager, and what ongoing management covers on our page on condominium management.

Want to know what managing your association with us would cost? Request a free, no-obligation quote.