What should a property handover checklist include?

Record the starting position

Identify the property, handover date and people involved. Walk through rooms and outdoor areas systematically, noting visible condition rather than relying on a general statement that everything is satisfactory. Dated photographs can support the record, particularly for existing marks or damaged fittings.

Cover operation as well as appearance

List keys, access devices, appliance instructions and emergency contacts. Check that the receiving person understands ordinary operation of essential equipment. Record meter readings where relevant and clarify who is responsible for utilities, consumables and subsequent servicing. Keep sensitive access information in a separate secure record rather than a widely circulated checklist.

Give unfinished matters an owner

For each missing item or maintenance concern, identify who will investigate, what evidence is needed and how completion will be confirmed. An untested appliance should be marked untested, not assumed to work.

Send the checklist through the agreed booking or management channel and retain any corrections alongside it. If signatures or acceptance wording could affect contractual rights, ask a lawyer to explain their meaning before signing.