How to change or leave your strata manager in Northern Territory

No term cap and no breach-notice route, so the contract's term and termination clause matter more here than anywhere else.

Your scheme is: Body corporate
The law: Unit Title Schemes Act 2009 with its management modules (Module 2 applies by default). Older units plans stay under the Unit Titles Act 1975.
Who regulates: No strata commissioner; disputes go to NTCAT. Paid managers must be licensed real estate agents, so complaints also go to the Agents Licensing Board.

1Get a motion on the agenda

No statutory right, but the AGM agenda must include consideration of the manager's engagement and a review of delegations every year (clause 30). Write to the secretary before notices go out and ask for your motion under that item.

2Force a meeting

A voter nominated by holders of 25 per cent of the interest entitlements can call a general meeting directly on 14 working days' notice (clause 31). Quorum is 50 per cent of interest entitlements, with an interim-resolution process if it is not reached.

3The vote you need

Ordinary resolution: more votes for than against, one per unit. The committee can sign an engagement unless owners reserve it to the general meeting. Nothing stops proxies voting on manager motions, so collect yours early.

4Contract limits and how termination works

No maximum term and no cap on extensions. If the engagement document is silent on termination, the body corporate may terminate on 3 months' written notice (clause 64); otherwise the contract governs. There is no breach-notice route in the Act: use the contract, or apply to NTCAT.

5What happens at expiry

The contract lapses on its end date. The AGM must reconsider the engagement every year.

6Handover

The committee may require the manager to produce all records kept for the scheme and the manager must comply (code of conduct item 12); set a deadline in the notice. The scheme's money sits in the agent's trust account, so require its transfer to an account in the body corporate's own name on the handover date. Pre-2009 plans: records, books and keys within 7 days of a committee resolution.

7Running it yourselves

A committee is mandatory for schemes with four or more owners (two to seven members) and it elects a chairperson and a secretary. Keep accounting records, the annual statement, the roll, minutes and contracts for 7 years. No annual lodgement with government.

8Protections you already have

The code of conduct requires honesty, fairness, skill and care, best interests, competitive prices, no conflicting arrangements and records on request. A committee decision prevails over the manager's. There is no statutory commission-disclosure duty, so ask for it in writing.

Wording for NT

Fill in the brackets, put each decision as its own motion, and keep the minutes.

Motion to terminate

That the body corporate resolves, under clause 64 of Module 2 of the Unit Title Schemes (Management Modules) Regulations 2009 [or clause [x] of the engagement], to terminate the engagement of [manager] by three months' written notice, revokes all delegations to the manager under clause 66(3) with effect from [date], and directs the committee to require production of all scheme records and the transfer of all funds held on the scheme's behalf to an account in the body corporate's name.