Handover is the moment a project ends and maintenance begins, yet the information rarely travels between the two. This guide explains what to keep from a completed project so that the people who look after the property are not starting from zero.
What information should be retained
- Product and material details, including finishes and fixtures that will need replacing or cleaning.
- Care and cleaning instructions for the installed finishes.
- Relevant test and commissioning records where they apply.
- Warranty details that were actually provided, with their conditions.
- The list of open items at handover and who owns each one.
Why product details are useful
When a tile, fixture or finish needs replacing years later, the exact product reference saves guesswork and mismatched repairs. A single page of references kept with the property file is often enough.
Transferring unresolved items
Anything still open at handover should pass to the maintenance team with its history. Otherwise a known issue is rediscovered as a new fault and its background is lost.
Spotting repeat issues early
If the first maintenance reports are compared with the handover list, repeat problems show up quickly and can be traced back to their source instead of being repaired again and again.
Questions clients ask
Who should keep the handover records?
The property owner or manager should hold the master set, with a copy passed to whoever maintains the property.
Does handover include a maintenance plan?
Not automatically. It is a separate scope, but the handover records are the best starting point for one.
How SADEED joins the two
Because SADEED delivers projects and also maintains property through the Care programme, project records can pass directly into planned maintenance.
Want your handover to feed a maintenance plan?
Related guides
- Commercial Project Handover: Documents, Inspections and Responsibilities
- Preventive Maintenance for Commercial Buildings in the UAE: A Practical Framework
- Care maintenance programme
- Request a site visit
Last reviewed: October 2026. This guide is general information; requirements vary by property, scope and authority.