Check the notice period, appoint a new manager and let them arrange the handover: the new manager does most of the work. Your tenancy agreements continue unchanged. The remaining question is when to make the change. Your management agreement holds the answer.
What notice period applies?
A management agreement for a rental building is legally a business services agreement (§ 675 BGB). Most agreements run for a year, renew automatically and require three to six months' notice before the end of the term. If the agreement specifies no notice period, you may be able to terminate at short notice (§ 621 BGB). In cases of serious misconduct, such as misappropriated funds or persistently missing statements, termination without notice for good cause remains possible (§ 626 BGB, within two weeks of learning of the cause).
Changing at the end of the year is popular because one manager can then handle the annual service charge statement. It is not compulsory. An orderly handover works on any agreed date.
The process in five steps
Find a new manager first. Give notice only once a successor is in place, following a visit and written quotation. That avoids a gap.
Give notice on time. Do it in writing and keep proof of delivery. The date depends on your agreement.
Arrange authority and accounts. Give the new manager a power of attorney, change the rental accounts and transfer deposit accounts.
Hand over the documents and inspect the building. The old and new managers carry out the handover directly; you do not have to sort everything yourself.
Inform the tenants. A circular gives them their new contact and bank details, ideally about four weeks before the change.
Documents the former manager must hand over
Handing over the records is a legal duty (§ 667 BGB), carries no charge and includes digital data. The records include all tenancy agreements and amendments, correspondence with tenants, service charge statements and supporting documents from recent years, deposit records and accounts, current service and insurance contracts, maintenance records and all keys. The former manager may not withhold them, even during a dispute about fees.
What your tenants will notice
A letter. Their tenancy agreements continue unchanged because the manager is not a party to them; the rent remains the same and deposits move to a new trust account. Tenants receive a new contact and payment details. Ideally, the change is most noticeable because someone answers the phone again.
Signs that it is time to change
Three signs are clear: service charge statements repeatedly arrive after the annual deadline, which can cost you the right to claim additional payments (§ 556(3) BGB); vacancies drag on for months without a plan; and calls go unanswered. If any of these sound familiar, every additional year costs money and peace of mind.
van de Loo at a glance
Gefühl für Räume · van de Loo Immobilien & Hausverwaltung · apartment building management in Hamburg, Berlin and Dresden · owner-managed by Bettina van de Loo · more than 25 years in the Hamburg market · 4.9 out of 5 stars from 69 Google reviews · we organise the entire takeover, from the documents to the letter to tenants
Frequently asked questions
How long does changing property manager take? Including notice, it usually takes three to six months; the handover itself takes four to eight weeks. Without a contractual notice period, it can be much faster.
What does the change cost? Giving notice costs nothing, and the former manager must hand over the records free of charge (§ 667 BGB). Any setup fee charged by the new manager belongs in a clearly itemised quotation.
Can I change manager partway through the year? Yes. The current service charge period continues using the records handed over; the new manager then prepares the statement on that basis. A change at year-end is convenient, not required.
Must I tell my tenants? Yes. They need their new contact and payment details. In practice, the new manager sends a circular before the next rent payment is due.
What if the former manager does not hand over the records? Request them in writing with a deadline, referring to § 667 BGB; if necessary, seek legal help. Missing information can often be reconstructed through the land registry, insurers and utility providers. We have done this more than once.
I missed the notice deadline. What now? The agreement continues until the next termination date; immediate termination requires good cause. Use the time to choose a new manager so the switch is ready for that date.
Conclusion and contact
Thinking of changing manager? We will look at your building and agreement and tell you what handover date is realistic. Call 040 50 09 06 04.
As at 3 October 2026. Sources: §§ 621, 626, 667 and 675 BGB; § 556(3) BGB; German property management platforms' market assessments for 2025/2026.
