Strata council handover: a checklist for outgoing and incoming councils
Every year, some strata loses a decade of records because they were on a past secretary's laptop. A one-hour handover after the AGM prevents it.
Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
After each AGM, the outgoing council should hand the incoming council the strata's records, bank and online access, keys, a list of contracts and renewal dates, and a written summary of open matters. The records belong to the strata corporation, which must keep them under section 35 of the Strata Property Act, some for six years or more and some permanently. Record the handover in the minutes of the new council's first meeting.
Why a handover matters
Council changes every year. The strata corporation does not. Its duties to keep records, answer owners and meet deadlines continue without a pause. Three things go wrong without a handover:
- Records are lost. The strata must prepare and retain the records listed in section 35 for the periods in Regulation 4.1.
- Deadlines are missed. Insurance renewals, contract notice dates and depreciation report timing.
- Access is stranded. Bank accounts, email and storage in the names of people no longer on council.
In a managed strata, the manager holds much of this. Council should still hold its own copy of key records and know where everything is.
Records to hand over
- Minutes of council meetings and general meetings, as far back as they exist.
- The list of council members and the list of owners, with mailing addresses, strata lot numbers, parking and locker numbers and unit entitlements.
- Books of account, bank statements and financial statements.
- The registered strata plan, bylaws and rules.
- Written contracts.
- Correspondence sent and received by the strata and council.
- Budgets and financial statements for the current and previous years.
- Insurance policies and appraisals.
- Depreciation reports, engineering and other reports, and any electrical planning report.
- Legal opinions and decisions of courts, arbitrators or the tribunal.
- Information Certificates (Form B) issued.
- Waivers and consents, and resolutions dealing with changes to common property.
See records retention for how long each must be kept.
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Banking, access and passwords
| Item | Action |
|---|---|
| Bank accounts | New signing officers appointed by council motion. Old ones removed. |
| Online banking | New users set up. Old tokens returned or cancelled. |
| Council email address | Password changed. Forwarding to former members removed. |
| Shared storage | Ownership transferred to a council account, not a personal one. |
| Vendor portals (utilities, insurance, elevator) | Contact names updated. |
| Keys, fobs, garage openers | Returned and reissued. Keep a log. |
| Door and alarm codes | Changed if former members knew them. |
A strata should have accounts in the strata's name, with a generic council email address. Personal accounts are how records walk away.
The open-matters briefing
Ask the outgoing president, secretary and treasurer for one or two pages covering:
- Action items outstanding from the last minutes.
- Projects underway: contractor, contract price, payments made, holdbacks, completion date.
- Contracts: each renewal or notice date in the next 12 months.
- Insurance: renewal date, last appraisal, open claims.
- Bylaw matters: open complaints, hearings scheduled, fines outstanding.
- Arrears: lots in arrears, demand letters sent, liens registered.
- Disputes: tribunal claims, lawsuits, lawyers' letters.
- Requests from owners awaiting a decision.
- Due dates: next depreciation report, electrical planning report, AGM.
A handover meeting
Hold a joint meeting of outgoing and incoming members within two weeks of the AGM. Walk through the list, hand over physical items, and sign a simple receipt. Then the new council holds its first meeting and records the handover.
Sample minute wording: Council confirmed receipt from the outgoing council of the strata corporation's records, keys and access credentials as listed in the attached handover checklist dated March 3, 2026. The following items remain outstanding: bank token (former treasurer, to be returned by March 10).
When a former member will not return records
Records belong to the strata corporation. Start with a written request and a date. If that fails, the strata can seek an order from the Civil Resolution Tribunal requiring their return. Where a strata management contract has ended, the manager must return the strata's records within four weeks (section 37), and the Regulation sets an amount payable if they do not.
Make the next handover easy
- Keep everything in one shared, backed-up location with a simple folder structure by year.
- Save final minutes as PDF, named by date.
- Keep a running "contracts and dates" sheet.
- Use a council email address that passes from council to council.
See first council meeting after the AGM for what the new council does next.
Questions councils and owners ask
Who owns the strata's records?
The strata corporation. Council members and managers hold them on its behalf.
How long must a strata keep its records?
It varies by record under Regulation 4.1. Minutes must be kept for at least six years, and many stratas keep them permanently.
Must former council members delete their copies?
They have no continuing need for owners' personal information, and good privacy practice is to delete personal copies once the handover is complete.
What if the old council kept no records?
Rebuild what you can: bylaws and the strata plan from the Land Title Office, bank statements from the bank, insurance from the broker, and minutes from owners who kept copies.
Does a strata manager have to return records?
Yes, within four weeks after the management contract ends.
A handover is easier when the minutes are complete
If every decision is in properly prepared minutes, the new council can read its way in. StrataMinutes prepares them from your notes after each meeting.
Free for 30 days, then $29 a month. Cancel anytime.
For a 30-lot strata, that is under $1 a lot each month. Have the strata pay: free council approval kit.
This page is general information for BC strata corporations, not legal advice. Your strata's own filed bylaws may differ from the Standard Bylaws. See the current text of the Strata Property Act and the Strata Property Regulation on BC Laws.
Related guides
First Council Meeting After the AGM
Records Retention
New Council Member Guide
Resigning From Council
Correspondence
Self-Managed Stratas