What should a building handover checklist include?
Everything the building manager will need to run the building without calling the developer: assets, documents, keys, defects, contractors and a plan for residents moving in.
| Area | What to hand over | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Assets | A register of plant, lifts and services with models, locations and warranties | Maintenance and warranty claims start from this list |
| Documents | Manuals, certificates, as-built plans and service contracts | The manager needs them the first time something fails |
| Keys and access | A full key register for building and apartment keys | Lost keys and unknown copies are a security problem |
| Inspections | Pre-settlement inspection results with photos | A baseline for every later defect discussion |
| Defects | A list of open items with who is fixing what | Owners will ask, and the answers need to be on record |
| Contractors | Who installed and services each system | Warranty work often has to go back to the installer |
| Maintenance schedule | Recurring servicing set up from day one | Warranties can depend on servicing being done |
Why is handover the moment to get systems right?
Because it is the only time all of the building's information is in one place, with the people who know it still on site.
A few months after settlement, the builder has moved on, the site team has dispersed and documents are spread across emails and folders. If the asset register, keys and defects are captured in a system at handover, the building manager inherits a working building rather than a filing problem.
It is also when the building's software gets chosen. Developers who set the building up on a platform before handover give the incoming manager and committee a head start.
How does MYBOS support handover?
The records captured at handover become the records the building runs on.
- Asset register with warranties, manuals and the installing contractor on each asset
- Building library for plans, certificates and manuals, searchable later
- Digital key register so every key is recorded and signed in and out
- Inspections with photos captured on site
- Defect tracking through cases and work orders, followed to close-out
- Resident registration so new owners and tenants can register their details
See how MYBOS works with developers on the MYBOS developers page.
What happens after handover?
The defects liability period starts, and the building has to prove its systems work.
The first two years of a new building bring a steady flow of defects, warranty claims and resident questions. Tracking them properly protects the owners' position and keeps the builder accountable. We cover that stage in detail in our guide to the defects liability period, and defect tracking itself on our building defect management software page.
This page is general information for developers and building managers. It is not legal advice.