How to Reduce Post-Completion Queries with Better Handover Information

When a homebuyer moves into their new home, you want them to feel excited, delighted with the property and confident in how to get the most out of living there.  You do not hope for them to be bombarding your after-sales team with questions.

Great handover information isn’t just paperwork; it’s the key to fewer post-completion queries, happier customers, and stronger reputations for your homes and your brand.

In this newsletter, we uncover the secret to delivering smarter handover solutions, whether in print or digitally, and get an understanding of what a difference it makes when you choose the best option for you and your homebuyers.

1. Why Clear Handover Information Matters

A robust handover process which includes detailed information, ensures homeowners understand how their new home works, whether that means operating the boiler, keeping the house looking its best or knowing where to find their local amenities. 

The other significant benefit of providing a comprehensive handover solution is that it prevents many questions from the new homeowner before they arise.  Digital product data software supplier, BSI Identify, points out that, ‘While the burden to prepare the completion handover documentation falls on the builder; the perceived beneficiary is the homeowner or property manager.’  And though there are many benefits to the homebuyer, as BSI Identify stresses, ‘Builders often overlook the long-term benefits to their sales journey and customer care efficiencies that come with a comprehensive property handover pack – including less customer queries, improved customer satisfaction, trust and better reviews.’

Another valuable outcome of helping homebuyers feel educated about their new home and ready to move in with confidence, is that it can lead to an increase in referrals.  As BuilderTrend points out, ‘A smooth project handover helps promote client satisfaction by ensuring their expectations are met, which can increase your referral revenue down the road.’  And according to their State of the Residential Construction Industry annual report, nearly 55% of builders said that over half of their sales came from referrals.’   

2. What Quality Information Looks Like

What makes a high-quality handover solution?  It is as important to focus on how the information is provided, as much as the content of the handover solution.  All information regarding the home, whether that is explaining what constitutes a ‘snagging’ issue as opposed to a defect, details of any ongoing service charges or where to find the local supermarket, should always be written in clear language that is easy to understand.

To comply with consumer codes and regulations, you must also ensure your complaints process is easily accessible and written in plain language, as well as details of how to contact the relevant member of your team in case of any disputes.

Adding information regarding the materials used to finish the home allows your homebuyers to easily complete repairs or order replacement products such as tiles or paint colours, so that they can address small areas of damage without having to replace the entire finish to the affected area.

Safety information, such as fire safety protocols, how to maintain fire and smoke alarms and advice on how to minimise risk of fire within the home are valuable inclusions for a home user manual, as is information on carbon monoxide poisoning and the importance of maintaining the carbon monoxide alarm.

It is also important to recognise the value of introducing your homebuyers to the local area with a local area guide that includes a list of key nearby amenities, as well as parks and open spaces that they can enjoy.

Remember that homebuyers prefer clear, meaningful documentation, not contractor jargon.  Keep the end user in mind when planning for your handovers, and try to personalise the information wherever possible, to increase customer satisfaction and referrals.  The less room for confusion in the information you have provided, the lower the chance of this information raising queries from your homebuyers.

3. Start Planning Handover at Project Kick‑Off

Handover isn’t the final stage of completion - it’s a process you should be considering from the outset of the project.  A study titled ‘Standardising the route to project handover to improve the delivery of major building projects’ carried out by the University of Bath, has found that ‘Giving a large amount of ‘completed’ data to clients towards the end will lead to a ‘tsunami of information’ phenomenon.’  The study suggests scheduling your handover strategy from project inception: draft requirements early, track everything, and build manuals as you go. 

Ensuring you include all the relevant information without overwhelming the homebuyer with a ‘tsunami of information’ can be a challenge and one that is often best addressed by outsourcing to a professional who can condense key information in an easily digestible format, and create Quick Start Guides for all the key areas of the home.  This allows for larger documents to be stored in Document Boxes in your company colours and branding, also provided at handover, to further enhance your commitment to customer care.  When homebuyers have felt involved throughout the construction of their home and informed along the way, they will naturally have fewer queries when they move into the property.  Ensuring that any new information you provide is easy to read and understand only encourages that independence and lessens the chances of new homeowner queries.

4. When Digital Handover Tools Can Streamline Support

When you provide a handover solution for your homebuyers, you will already have had to question who the typical buyer of the homes on this development will be, and whether they would prefer a traditional, tailor-made folio with printed information contained inside, or a digital version that they can access through an online portal or app.

There are benefits to both styles of Home User Guide, depending on what your company values in terms of striving for tradition or innovation.  Not that these need to be mutually exclusive goals, but often, as an organisation, you will find one option seems to better reflect your brand.  In other cases, property developers choose to provide both a physical Home User Guide, as well as 24/7 access to an online portal.

Whether choosing a print or digital handover solution, it is crucial to ensure:

• It offers information simply and easily-located, with details categorised by suitable headings, including the home user manual, warranties, and compliance certificates

• Information is laid out in a user-friendly format, broken up into digestible chunks which help to reduce “how-do-I” calls.

• Information can be easily reviewed and updated in template documents, so that your handover solutions keep evolving with changing times and requirements.  This means last year’s manual can still apply today, with some key updates and personalisation, rather than creating a new handover pack for each development.

Ensuring these criteria are met means no chasing homeowners to deliver missing paperwork or documents if those handed over become out-of-date or no longer relevant, everything’s been updated throughout the build stage and ready for the current development and end users.

5. Better Handovers = Fewer Post-Completion Queries

Evidence shows that top-quality handover documentation significantly cuts after-sales contact.  ‘A successful project handover is not just about receiving a set of documents at practical completion.  It’s about ensuring that the information handed over is structured, accurate and usable for operating the building effectively,’ explains Lucas Cusack from digital information management provider, Glider Technology in Construction Management magazine.  If the information has been carefully thought-out, amended where necessary and provided in an easily digestible format, there are very few reasons for homebuyers to contact their homebuilders, unless in the case of issues arising, for which they are responsible for remedying.  Furthermore, taking the level of care necessary to provide a truly effective handover, ‘Demonstrates the team’s dedication to quality and professionalism, establishing their position in the competitive real estate industry,’ explains digital document management solution provider, Plan Radar.

Planning for project completion should include opting for a handover solution that embeds this exact clarity and accessibility – meaning fewer confusion-led calls and more happy homeowners.

6. Quick Checklist for Reducing Post-Move Queries

Here’s a one-page checklist to include in your process:

✅ Include O&M manuals, warranties, compliance certificates

Cover all critical systems (fire, electrical, plumbing…)

✅ Ensure product and material specifications are current

Reflect final site specs and any modifications

✅ Use end-user friendly language

Avoid tech-speak and explain clearly

✅ Train homeowners before handover

Dry-runs or walk-throughs help to reduce confusion

✅ Host information digitally, where appropriate

Use a digital tool for appropriate projects, for updates and easy access

✅ Update docs post-handover

Add new warranties, tweak instructions and update when legislation or regulations change

7. Bring it all together with Classic Folios and Spaciable

Classic Folios specialises in crafting Home User Guides tailored for UK homebuilders.  We ensure you provide all the information your homebuyers want and need to move into their new home with confidence.  We write our manuals in your company tone and ensure they offer a strong reflection of your brand, as well as meet all of your legal and regulatory requirements.

These guides can either be produced in print, and bound in beautiful folios in your colours and branding, or digitally through our user-friendly online portal, Spaciable, which offers:

• One central hub for documents

• Always accurate: easily updated to reflect modifications during snagging

• Empowers homeowners to self-serve key information, to reduce calls

Bottom Line

Delivering high‑quality, well‑structured handover information, professionally presented, user‑centric, and easily accessible, transforms your after-sales support.  It slashes routine queries, boosts homeowner satisfaction, and strengthens your brand.

Ready to ditch the endless post-completion calls?  Please get in touch to discuss your projects, here.