How to Appoint your Managing Agent

Service Description

This College of Block Management (CBM) course provides RMC and RTM directors with the practical knowledge and confidence to appoint a managing agent well — and to avoid the costly mistakes that come from choosing on price, promises, or habit alone. Appointing a managing agent is one of the most important decisions a resident-managed building can make. It affects your service charges, your building's condition, your legal compliance, and the day-to-day experience of everyone who lives there. This course helps boards make a decision with a clear framework, knowing what questions to ask, and understanding what a good appointment actually looks like. The course is designed for volunteer directors who want to approach the appointment process with structure and clarity — not as a generic procurement exercise, but as a governance decision that will shape how your building is managed for years to come. We cover what a managing agent is actually there to do, how to match the right type of agent to your building's size and complexity, what services should be included in the fee, how to read and negotiate a management agreement, and how to assess competence rather than confidence. You will learn what financial transparency to expect, how compliance should be tracked, what communication standards to require, and how to set measurable expectations from day one. We also cover the warning signs that should make you walk away — and why the cheapest quote is rarely the best value. The course does not stop at selection. We explain the board's ongoing role after appointment: how to oversee performance, maintain accountability, and deal with problems before they escalate. By the end of this session, you will have a clear understanding of: — What a managing agent should and should not do — How to define what your building actually needs before going to market — How to compare agents on substance, not just price — What questions to ask during a tender or interview — What a strong management agreement looks like — How to set KPIs and maintain effective oversight after appointment — What red flags to watch for during the selection process If you haven't done so already – download our free comprehensive e-book: