Switching property managers
Switching property managers in Massachusetts: how it works
Switching managers is simpler than most owners and boards expect. You read the notice clause in your current agreement, give written notice, and the new manager collects the deposits, records, keys and vendor contacts, tells tenants and vendors, and takes over on a set date. Copper Bottom has done this for rental owners and condo boards across the North Shore, and we start every switch with a free review of your current setup so you know what you are getting into before you give notice.
Signs it is time to switch
None of these alone means you need a new manager. Three or four of them usually do.
For rental owners
- Calls and emails go unanswered for days, by you or by your tenants.
- Owner statements arrive late, or the numbers do not add up to what hit your bank account.
- Fees you did not expect: markups, "administrative" charges, repair bills with no detail.
- Repairs take weeks, and tenants tell you about them before the manager does.
- Units sit vacant for months, or get leased to tenants who were never properly screened.
- You are not sure where the security deposits are, or whether they were ever put in a proper account.
For condo boards
- Financials arrive late, are hard to read, or do not reconcile to the bank statements.
- Reserves are not tracked separately, or nobody can say what the roof fund is.
- 6(d) certificates take weeks and hold up unit sales.
- No budget help: the board gets last year's numbers with a percentage added.
- Owners complain to trustees because the manager does not reply to them.
- The account manager has changed three times and the newest one has never seen the building.
How switching works in Massachusetts
- Read your current agreement
Find the term, the renewal date and the notice period (30, 60 or 90 days is common), and any early termination fee. If you cannot find your copy, ask the manager for one in writing.
- Give written notice
Email and a mailed letter, dated, stating the end date. For a condo association, the board votes first and the notice is signed by a trustee.
- Transfer the money and the records
Security deposits, last month's rents, operating and reserve accounts, leases, tenant files, vendor contracts, insurance policies, keys and codes, warranties and the financial history. We send the outgoing manager a written list.
- Tell tenants and vendors
Residents get a letter with the new portal, the new maintenance number and where to pay. Vendors get a notice about who approves work and who pays from the switch date.
- Day one with the new manager
Portals live, rent and dues collection set up, a walkthrough of the building, and a 30-day plan for anything that was neglected.
What happens to security deposits when you switch
In Massachusetts a security deposit belongs to the tenant and must be held in a separate, interest-bearing account at a Massachusetts bank under M.G.L. c. 186, s. 15B, with the tenant told in writing where it is. When management changes, the deposits move to a compliant account under the new manager and each tenant gets a written notice of the new bank and account. If the outgoing manager cannot produce the deposits or the paperwork, that is a problem for the owner, not the tenant, and it needs to be fixed before the switch date. The security deposit rules in detail.
What Copper Bottom does in the first 30 days
- Reconciles every deposit and every account to the records we received, and tells you in writing what was missing.
- Walks every unit or common area we can get into, with photos, and gives you a repair list with prices.
- Sets up the resident and owner portals and sends every tenant or unit owner a plain-language welcome letter in English and, where useful, Spanish.
- Reviews each lease or the condo documents and flags anything that needs attention: lead paint status, detector inspections, local registrations, expired insurance certificates.
- Sends your first monthly statement on schedule, so you can judge us by the thing that was probably broken before.
Switching questions
Can I switch managers in the middle of my agreement?
Usually yes, with notice. Most agreements allow either side to end with 30 to 90 days' written notice; some charge a fee for ending early. We read the agreement with you before you give notice, and we are not lawyers, so if the clause is unclear we suggest a short call with your attorney.
Will my tenants have to do anything?
Set up a login in the new resident portal and start paying there from the switch date. We send the letter and help anyone who calls.
What if my old manager will not hand over records?
Put the request in writing with a deadline. The records belong to the owner or the association. If they still refuse, the next step is your attorney, and we will give you the list of exactly what is missing to make that short.
Do you charge to take over a property?
For condo associations, onboarding is one month's fee. For rental owners, any onboarding charge is listed in the agreement before you sign, so there is nothing to discover later.
How long does a switch take?
The notice period in your current agreement sets the pace. Once it ends, we aim to be fully running within 30 days, and rent or dues collection starts on day one.
This page is general information, not legal advice, checked in October 2026. Massachusetts law and your own agreement control; talk to an attorney about your situation.
Switching in your town
Each town page explains what managing a building there involves, from Lynn's rental registration to Salem's historic districts.
Get a free review of your current setup
Send us your current agreement and last two statements. We will tell you what we would change and what switching would cost, with no obligation.