Whether you’re moving from one agent to another, or taking on self-management for the first time, the quality of the handover largely determines how smoothly the property runs afterward. Here’s what to actually request and check.
Request the full tenancy file in writing. This should include the original tenancy agreement and any variations, the current gas safety certificate, the most recent EICR, the deposit protection certificate with scheme and reference number, an up-to-date rent statement showing payment history, and details of any outstanding or recent maintenance issues along with their current status.
Get every set of keys. It sounds obvious, but it’s a common gap — confirm exactly how many sets exist for the property, including any held by contractors or previous occupants, and make sure they’re all accounted for and returned.
Check the deposit situation carefully. Deposits held in a protection scheme don’t automatically transfer cleanly between agents or from an agent to a self-managing landlord — the process varies depending on the specific scheme and how the deposit was originally registered. Confirm with the scheme directly what’s needed to transfer registration correctly, since getting this wrong can create genuine legal exposure around deposit protection compliance.
Coordinate who tells the tenant, and when. The tenant doesn’t need to be involved in the decision to switch, but they need clarity — ideally a single, clear letter confirming the changeover date and the new contact details, rather than a confusing overlap of messages from the outgoing and incoming arrangements.
Set a firm changeover date and treat it as non-negotiable. Ambiguity about exactly when responsibility transfers is where things go wrong — a maintenance issue reported the day before or after the changeover can otherwise fall into a gap where neither party feels responsible for actioning it.
If you’re moving to self-management for the first time, use the handover as the moment to also set up your own systems — a simple record for certificate renewal dates, a clear process for how maintenance reports will reach you, and a plan for how rent arrears would be handled from day one if it ever came to that.
One thing worth checking specifically given current legislation: confirm whether the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet was served to the tenant, and get a copy of the evidence that it was. This is exactly the kind of detail that can get lost in a handover and cause a real problem much later if it turns out it was never properly done.
A well-organised handover, done properly, is usually a one-off effort of a few hours spread across a week or two. A poorly organised one can leave gaps that surface as real problems months later, often at the worst possible time.
General information, not legal advice. Property Lounge, Guildford.
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