Developer to JMB Handover
How It Works

General guidance for 2026 — not legal advice. Strata management is governed by the Strata Management Act 2013; consult your COB or a lawyer for your situation. Renovating a strata unit? Ask us →

Every stratified development starts under developer management, then transitions to owner control. Many owners do not realise they have a legal right to take over within a set timeframe — and that the developer cannot manage indefinitely.

The developer management phase

From the delivery of vacant possession, the developer manages and maintains the building and common property, and opens a maintenance account into which owners pay charges. This is meant to be temporary. See the Strata Management Act overview →.

During this phase, the developer sets the maintenance charge rate, controls contractor appointments, and is responsible for ensuring the common property is kept in good condition. Owners pay charges but have limited say in management decisions — a key reason the Act mandates a swift transition to owner control.

The first JMB AGM — the 12-month rule

The developer must convene the first JMB annual general meeting within twelve (12) months of delivering vacant possession of the first parcel. At that meeting:

• The JMB is established — comprising the developer and the parcel purchasers.
• A Joint Management Committee is elected to run day-to-day affairs.
• Office-bearers (chairman, secretary, treasurer) are appointed.
• The maintenance charge rate is reviewed and the budget discussed.
• The developer presents accounts for the period under its management.

See how meetings and elections work in our strata AGM guide →.

What the developer must hand over

A proper handover is more than just unlocking the management office. The developer must transfer the following to the JMB:

• The maintenance account and sinking-fund money, with bank statements and reconciliation.
• Financial records for the developer-management period, audited where required.
• Building plans, as-built drawings, and certificates of completion.
• Certificates of fitness, Bomba compliance, lift certificates, and statutory approvals.
• Warranties and guarantees for plant, equipment, and construction works.
• Inventory of common-property movable assets and contracts in force.
• Keys, access cards, and security system codes for common areas.
• Register of parcel owners (strata roll) and contact details.

Developer management vs JMB management

If the developer delays or refuses

A developer that fails to convene the first AGM on time, or to hand over properly, is in breach of the Act and commits an offence. Owners can press the Commissioner of Buildings (COB) to step in — the COB can direct the developer, and in some cases convene the meeting or appoint a managing agent.

In practice, delay is common. Owners who are nearing the 12-month mark should:

1. Write formally to the developer requesting the first AGM date.
2. If no response, escalate in writing citing the statutory requirement.
3. Lodge a complaint with the COB at the local authority if the developer still stalls.

The COB’s role

The COB is the local-authority regulator for strata management. If the developer stalls the handover or mismanages the maintenance account, lodge a complaint — see strata management complaints →.

After the JMB forms

The JMB takes over management: collecting charges →, maintaining common property, enforcing by-laws →, and deciding whether to self-manage or appoint a managing agent →.

In the first few months, the committee should verify the handover documents, confirm the maintenance and sinking-fund balances, and check that all statutory certificates are current. Any common-property defects from the developer should also be claimed within the defect liability period — see common-property defect claims →.

Common handover mistakes to avoid

Then the MC takes over

The JMB is interim. Once strata titles → are issued, the Management Corporation (MC) → automatically comes into being and the JMB hands over to it. The same handover discipline applies: the JMB must pass accounts, records, and assets to the MC intact.

Developer-to-JMB handover checklist

• ☑ First AGM held within 12 months of vacant possession
• ☑ Maintenance and sinking-fund accounts received with full statements
• ☑ Audited accounts for the developer-management period received
• ☑ Building plans, as-built drawings, and completion certificates received
• ☑ Bomba, lift, and statutory certificates received (and still valid)
• ☑ Warranties and guarantees received from developer
• ☑ Asset inventory signed off
• ☑ All keys, access cards, and security codes received
• ☑ Common-property defect claims lodged within the liability period

After completing the handover, the JMB committee should hold an early committee meeting to assign responsibilities, open or verify the scheme’s bank accounts, and prioritise any urgent maintenance or defect matters. Getting the records in order in the first month makes everything thereafter easier — and protects the committee against accusations from owners about the state of the building at handover.