A practical strata records handover checklist

Let SimpliStrata organise the handover

You do not need to build a tracking spreadsheet or collect everything in one owner’s inbox. The platform brings the records request, incoming documents and handover checklist together, so the committee can see what has arrived and what still needs attention.

• Prepare the request: enter the outgoing manager’s details and review the prepared records request before sending it from the platform on the scheme’s behalf.
• Collect the files: give the manager the scheme’s own inbox and a private upload link for delivering records.
• Review and file: see incoming documents and suggested matches to the checklist, then check and file them against the relevant items.
• Track the gaps: use the built-in checklist to see received, partly filed and outstanding records, and identify what needs following up.

• See the handover workflow in SimpliStrata →

First, agree who is handing over to whom

Nominate a contact on each side and agree the intended handover date, delivery method and follow-up process. Confirm who remains responsible for time-sensitive work during the change.

If you are leaving a strata manager, complete the agreement and decision checks first. This checklist helps organise the transfer; it is not a termination notice or a statement that your agreement has ended.

• Review the steps for leaving a strata manager →
• NSW Government: appointing and removing strata managers →

Use the built-in checklist to keep track

SimpliStrata’s handover checklist gives the incoming records a shared home. File documents against the relevant items, review suggested matches and keep outstanding records visible. Use the groups below to understand what you are collecting; you do not need to recreate them in a separate register.

Check the period covered by each file and retain the original records. A received document still needs checking for currency and completeness.

• Governance: strata roll, committee contacts, current by-laws, meeting notices, minutes and decisions awaiting action.
• Finances: accounts, bank statements, reconciliations, fund balances, levy records, unpaid bills and supplier commitments.
• Building: current insurance, maintenance records, capital works information and relevant safety documents.
• Open matters: repairs, claims, quotes, disputes and correspondence that somebody still needs to answer.

• NSW Government: record keeping requirements →

Check a few important things before filing it away

Start with items that could interrupt the building’s day-to-day operation. Can you identify the current insurance policy? Can someone explain the closing balances and unpaid items? Is an urgent repair waiting on a response? A filename or a recent email date does not establish that the contents are current.

For example, if the handover includes a contractor’s quote, record whether it was accepted, who approved it, whether work started and whether a deposit was paid. That small amount of context can prevent a second committee member from commissioning the same job again.

• Match the closing financial information to the supporting records; ask for an explanation of differences.
• Separate current documents from superseded versions without deleting the historical record.
• Give each unresolved item a person and a next follow-up date.
• Ask for clarification in writing where something is missing or unclear.

Transfer access securely

Arrange bank authority directly with the bank. Confirm access to the scheme’s records and relevant services through their authorised processes. Do not ask a departing person to share a personal password or keep using their account.

After the agreed changeover, review who still needs access and update correspondence destinations. Check that the next committee can retrieve information without relying on the departing person’s private inbox.

• NSW Government: record keeping requirements →

Make the first month manageable

Create a short list of immediate work: approaching renewals, bills needing a decision, unanswered correspondence and appointments already booked. Agree a check-in to review the platform’s handover checklist and remaining gaps.

In SimpliStrata, put the supporting records alongside the relevant task, meeting or invoice. Keep working through the handover checklist until the gaps have been resolved. If records are withheld or an agreement is disputed, seek advice on the appropriate process rather than assuming an upload request will resolve it.

• See how shared records work →