Changing managers
Tendering property management: getting quotes, comparing them and presenting at the meeting
Short answer
When appointing a new manager, the owners’ association usually has to obtain comparison quotes and send owners the candidates’ names and key terms with the invitation. The law sets no fixed number such as “three quotes”. When reappointing the current manager, alternative quotes are only needed if the association is dissatisfied.
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Why a good tender saves time
Choosing a new manager is a decision for several years. Yet in many owners’ associations it happens on the spot: someone brings a quote, the meeting votes, done. That often works – and sometimes it ends in a lawsuit challenging the resolution, or with a manager who leaves again after a year.
A proper tender costs the advisory board a few evenings. In return, the association gets comparable quotes, an informed choice and a resolution that holds.
What the law requires
Comparison quotes for a new appointment. If the association elects a new manager, settled case law of the Federal Court of Justice says it is regularly required to obtain alternative quotes (BGH, judgment of 1 April 2011, V ZR 96/10). There is no fixed number. The court expressly rejected the so-called “three-quote rule” for maintenance work in March 2026 (judgment of 27 March 2026, V ZR 7/25); in the view of the managers’ association VDIV, the decision suggests that one further quote may also be enough when electing a manager. Two or three real alternatives are safer.
Timely information. Owners must receive the candidates – or at least their names and the key terms of their quotes – with the invitation, generally within the three-week notice period (BGH, judgment of 24 January 2020, V ZR 110/19).
Key terms in the resolution. The appointment should also fix the term and fee, at least in their essentials. The appointment may last at most five years (§ 26(2) WEG).
Certification. Every owner can demand that a certified manager be appointed (§ 19(2) no. 6 WEG). Ask all candidates for proof.
Reappointment is different. If you want to extend the current manager and are happy with them, you usually don’t need alternative quotes. That changes if the association is dissatisfied or wants to review the fee.
The process in five steps
Step 1
Write a building profile
Number of flats and parking spaces, year of construction, heating, lift, underground car park, special features, open issues, desired start date. One page is enough.
Step 2
Contact managers selectively
Pick three to five managers that suit your building’s size and location. All receive the same profile and the same list of questions.
Step 3
Compare and shortlist
The advisory board lays the quotes side by side, holds short calls and shortlists two or three candidates for the meeting.
Step 4
Send the invitation with the quotes
The invitation includes the names and key terms of all candidates, the quotes as attachments and one proposed resolution per candidate.
Step 5
Presentations and vote at the meeting
Each candidate briefly introduces themselves and answers questions. Then the owners vote – by simple majority.
What belongs in the request
The better your request, the better the quotes. And the more likely managers are to say yes at all – the market is tight at the moment, as our article Can’t find a property manager? shows. Include:
The building profile with all key data
The last annual statement and the current budget
The declaration of division and community rules
The minutes of the last meetings
A list of open issues and running contracts
Your list of questions and a deadline for replies
Making quotes comparable
A quote of 30 euros per flat and one of 38 euros look clear at first glance. But if the first charges extra for the meeting, payment reminders and implementing resolutions, it may end up more expensive. So compare:
- the base fee and what it includes,
- the extra fees – and how often they realistically arise in your building,
- the term and price adjustments,
- availability, portal and cover arrangements,
- when the annual statement is delivered.
Explained in detail with a comparison sheet in our article on comparing property management quotes. Which clauses to watch for in the draft contract is covered in reviewing the management contract.
Presentations at the meeting
The presentation is often where the decision is made. To keep it fair:
- Equal time for all, for example ten minutes of introduction and ten minutes of questions.
- The same questions for all. The advisory board can prepare two or three core questions: Who is our contact? How do we reach you? How does the handover work?
- Allow online participation if the meeting is hybrid – it lowers the barrier for candidates and owners alike.
- Don’t keep candidates in the room during the vote, so owners can speak openly.
Each candidate is voted on in a separate resolution. A proven approach is to start with the candidate the advisory board recommends. If they win a majority, the remaining motions are settled.
The resolution
A good appointment resolution contains: the name of the manager, the start and end of the appointment, the key fee terms and an authority – usually for the advisory board chair – to sign the management contract on the basis of the submitted quote. If the old manager has to go at the same time, dismissal and termination belong on the agenda too. A wording suggestion is in our template for a request to change property manager.
Ravenica is happy to introduce itself at your owners’ meeting – in person in Nuremberg, Fürth and Erlangen, or online. Send us your building profile via the contact form and you’ll receive a quote you can send out directly with the invitation.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need three quotes for a new manager?
There is no rigid three-quote rule. When appointing a new manager, however, the Federal Court of Justice regularly requires alternative quotes so that owners can choose on a sound basis (judgment of 1 April 2011, V ZR 96/10). According to the managers’ association VDIV, the court indicated in 2026 that one further quote may suffice. With two or three real alternatives, you are on the safe side.
Do the quotes have to be sent with the invitation?
Yes, at least the candidates’ names and the key terms of their quotes, generally within the three-week notice period (BGH, judgment of 24 January 2020, V ZR 110/19). If quotes are only put on the table at the meeting, the appointment resolution is open to challenge.
Do we need alternative quotes if we extend the current manager?
Usually not. With a reappointment, owners know the manager’s work. Alternative quotes are only called for if the association is dissatisfied or there is reason to review the level of the fee.
Does the association have to choose the cheapest manager?
No. Owners have discretion in their choice and may pick a more expensive manager if its advantages are convincing. The resolution only has to be economically justifiable overall.
About the author
Julius Launhardt
Founder, owner & managing director of Ravenica · Dipl.-Ing. (TUM)
Graduate engineer (Dipl.-Ing.) and M.Sc. in Management from the Technical University of Munich, IHK-certified property manager, TÜV-certified sustainability manager and long-standing member of the volunteer fire brigade. As founder and managing director of Ravenica in Nuremberg, he is responsible for day-to-day business, processes and long-term strategy. Knows building services, refurbishments, energy and inheritance cases first-hand, and owns several properties himself.
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