Already have a tenant? Start with Management Only.
Flat Fee Landlord offers Management Only for an existing tenancy on Preferred or Concierge. Services include rent collection, owner payouts, owner and tenant portals, maintenance coordination and lease enforcement under the selected agreement. Basic is not available for this service, and placement bundle guarantees do not transfer to an existing tenant.
Preferred is $179/mo and Concierge is $349/mo with annual billing; monthly billing is $199/mo and $369/mo respectively. The standard activation fee is $500. Repairs carry a 10% coordination fee on the vendor invoice; other charges depend on the plan.
Every home after your first has no activation fee: sign up your next home with the same email or phone and it comes off automatically, no code needed. Monthly and annual options are available. Annual pricing carries a term commitment, and early termination can require payment of the remaining management fees. Notice, renewal, refund and termination rules depend on the service agreement you select. Review those terms in the quote builder before signing; the monthly rate alone is not the full agreement.
Compare Management Only fees and inclusions →A practical sequence for the switch
Review the current agreement before selecting a date.
Identify notice delivery requirements, the end date, termination charges and any fees that continue after the relationship ends. Ask for clarification where the agreement is unclear.
Confirm the incoming manager can accept the property.
Share the tenancy status, unpaid balances, open repairs and known disputes. Agree on scope, fees and a realistic start date before ending the current arrangement.
Build one shared handoff inventory.
Use the records table below. Mark what has arrived, what is missing, who is responsible and when it needs to be resolved. Transfer sensitive documents through an agreed secure channel.
Agree on the rent cutover.
Name the manager responsible for rent due before and after the effective date. Resolve pending payments, autopay, prepaid rent and tenant balances before activating conflicting payment instructions.
Give the tenant one clear instruction sheet.
Include the effective date, verified payment destination, what to do about existing autopay, repair contact and emergency contact. Confirm receipt and offer a contact for questions.
Reconcile the first payment and statement.
Check the incoming ledger against the outgoing closing statement. Confirm deposit accounting, outstanding invoices and repairs, and who follows up on any discrepancies.
The occupied-rental handoff checklist
Use this as a planning worksheet. Assign a person and a due date to every missing item; confirm legal and agreement-specific requirements for your property.
| Record | What to confirm | Suggested coordination |
|---|---|---|
| Management agreement | Notice requirements, end date, termination charges and any continuing fees | Owner and outgoing manager |
| Lease file | Signed lease, amendments, renewal dates and current tenant contact information | Owner or outgoing manager |
| Rent ledger | Charges, payments, unpaid balances, prepaid rent and pending transactions | Outgoing manager; reconcile with incoming manager |
| Deposit record | Amount held, current holder, deductions or disputes and transfer confirmation | Confirm responsibility and transfer requirements before moving funds |
| Property access | Keys, remotes, access codes and any tenant access arrangements | Owner and managers; use a secure handoff |
| Condition and repairs | Move-in report, inspection photos, open work orders, invoices and vendor contacts | Outgoing manager; incoming manager confirms outstanding work |
| Property requirements | Association rules, licensing records, insurance contacts and known deadlines | Owner; confirm property-specific requirements with the incoming team |
| Rent cutover plan | Effective date, receiving account or portal, autopay instructions and first-payment check | Both managers and owner agree before tenant communication |
Houston rent handoff: resolve payments before changing portals
For an occupied Houston rental, agree in writing which manager receives rent before and after the cutover. Check settled payments separately from pending bank transfers. A new portal balance should reflect reconciled records, not a fresh charge for rent the tenant already paid.
Rent already paid to the outgoing manager
Match the amount, rental period and settled payment to the closing ledger. Record the tenant credit separately from any funds still owed by the outgoing manager.
Bank transfer is still pending
Record its transaction reference and settlement status. Assign someone to confirm settlement or a return before treating the amount as final.
Autopay is still scheduled
Confirm the last authorized collection and the new start date with both managers. Give the tenant explicit instructions so two systems do not collect the same rent.
Payment arrives after the cutover
Assign responsibility for tracing, transferring or returning misdirected payments under the agreements. Update both ledgers and confirm the tenant balance.
Worked example: paid rent is different from money in transit
Illustration only: a tenant owes $2,000 for the month and paid $2,000 to the outgoing manager before the switch. Once that payment is verified as settled, the tenant owes $0 for that rent charge. If the manager has not transferred the funds, track that amount in the manager-to-owner reconciliation; do not treat it as another $2,000 owed by the tenant. Keep security deposits, owner reserves, fees and open invoices separate.
Blank planning worksheet; keep tenant identifiers and banking details in your secure management system. Agree on responsibilities and timing with the managers. This is not a promise of uninterrupted collections.
Texas sources to check with the handoff
- Texas Property Code §92.201 addresses disclosure of the owner’s name and address and, when an off-site entity primarily manages the home, the management company’s name and street address. Check the permitted disclosure methods and applicable request deadlines.
- TREC Rule §535.146 requires brokers to document trust-account deposits and withdrawals and provide beneficiaries an accounting at least monthly when the account has activity. Ask for the records needed to reconcile the handoff.
- Texas Property Code §§92.105–92.106 distinguishes a change in ownership from ordinary management work and requires accurate security-deposit records. Do not assume an ownership-transfer provision supplies the procedure for a manager-only switch.
Sources checked October 13, 2026. These references do not set a universal management-contract notice period. Review your lease, management agreement and property-specific requirements before acting.
Discuss Management Only with our Houston team →Before you send new rent instructions
Confirm these fields with the managers first. This is a communication checklist, not a termination notice or a replacement for required notices.
- Effective date
- When the new manager’s responsibility begins
- Payment destination
- Verified portal or payment instructions; never an unverified link
- Existing autopay
- Whether and when the tenant should change the old arrangement
- Already-paid rent
- Who confirms receipt and handles pending transfers
- Maintenance
- The new repair channel and emergency contact
- Questions
- A named contact and a way to confirm the notice is genuine
Questions about switching managers
Yes. Management Only is available on Preferred or Concierge for an existing tenancy. The standard activation fee is $500, plus the selected management rate and any applicable additional charges. Basic and placement bundle benefits are not included. The team reviews the property and tenancy before the handoff. Every home after your first has no activation fee: sign up your next home with the same email or phone and it comes off automatically, no code needed.
Discuss the handoff in your market
Sources and scope
Service terms: Flat Fee Landlord’s current Management Only fee reference and the agreement presented in the quote builder. The checklist is general operational planning guidance; it does not establish a legal notice period or override your lease or management agreement. Property-specific legal questions require review by qualified counsel.