The single most common reason landlords stay with an agency they're unhappy with isn't loyalty — it's the assumption that leaving is complicated. In South Australia, it isn't. Here's what actually happens, start to finish.
Step one: you sign one form
You appoint the new agency with a management agreement, and give notice to your current agency as required under the agreement you signed with them (most SA management agreements require somewhere between 28 and 90 days' written notice — it's on the document). That notice letter? Your new agent drafts it for you. From that point on, the admin is our job, not yours.
What transfers — and who does the transferring
- The file. Lease, condition reports, inspection history, maintenance records, keys. The outgoing agency is obliged to hand these over, and the incoming agency chases them.
- The bond. In SA, bonds are lodged with Consumer and Business Services — not held by the agency — so the bond doesn't move at all. Only the managing agent recorded against it changes.
- The lease. This is the part most landlords don't realise: the tenancy agreement survives the switch untouched. Same tenant, same rent, same lease term. Changing agents never requires a new lease or any renegotiation with the tenant.
- Rent payments. The tenant simply gets new payment details and a new contact. Handled in the handover letter.
What your tenant notices
A letter introducing the new agency, new payment details, and — if they've been waiting days for a callback about a leaking tap — usually a faster response. A well-run handover is a non-event for a good tenant, and often a relief.
What it costs
Nothing, from our side. We don't charge to take over a management, collect the file, or process the bond agent change. The only cost to weigh is your current agreement's notice period, and we'll read that for you before you commit to anything.
When is the right time?
Any time — mid-tenancy is fine, and more common than you'd think. If you're mid-lease with a good tenant, that's actually the easiest moment, because nothing about the tenancy itself has to change.
Thinking about it?
Send us your current management agreement and we'll tell you exactly what notice applies and handle the rest — or start with a free rental appraisal to see whether your property is earning what it should. Our fees are published here, so you can compare before we've ever spoken. More on how we manage: for landlords.
General information only — not legal advice. Check the notice provisions of your own management agreement.