When you mobilise or inherit a new development, the word “handover” sounds so final - but that’s when the real work starts. I’ve lost count of how many sites I’ve come across with missing asset registers, incomplete O&Ms or metering information that just doesn’t match what’s on the ground. As a property manager, you’re suddenly the person everyone turns to when the heating doesn’t work or a bill doesn’t make sense - but without the right documentation and a clear understanding of the network, you’re trying to piece together a jigsaw without the picture on the box. The pressure is real; because at that point, the responsibility sits firmly with you and your client.
The biggest challenge, by far, is metering and billing. Developers and Freeholders often assume that once meters are installed, the job’s done - but if there’s no data flow, no register, or no proper integration with billing, you’ve got a problem that doesn’t show up until months later. I’ve seen entire networks where one faulty meter or missing logger takes down the whole chain, delaying bills by months. In the meantime residents move out, deposits get returned, and costs end up sitting with landlords who had no idea what they’d inherited. That’s when the complaints start, and there’s nowhere to hide. Once that trust with residents is lost, it’s incredibly difficult to rebuild.
The long-term impact of a poor handover is huge - financially, operationally, reputationally. What looks like a small gap in a spreadsheet can turn into years of disputes, inefficiency and unrecoverable costs. I’ve learned that you have to be the person who asks the important questions early: “Where’s the meter map?” “Who owns what?” “How does this tie into the billing system?” It’s not about paperwork for the sake of it - it’s about protecting your client, your residents and yourself. Because once the handover’s done, you’re the one left holding the keys - and every missing piece will find its way back to your desk eventually.
