A replacement manager needs to know what happens next, not just where the files are kept. A useful handover makes the unfinished work, deadlines and decisions easy to find.
Start with what cannot wait
Put the next two weeks on one page. Include meetings already booked, notices awaiting issue, urgent repairs, insurance matters, payment approvals and any other known deadlines. For each item, record the next action, its owner, the due date and a link to the supporting record.
Separate confirmed dates from assumptions. “Committee meeting next month” is not enough if a notice still needs approval. Equally, an old email marked urgent should not outrank a current matter simply because nobody changed its subject line.
Give each scheme a short working summary
List the scheme name and identifier, committee contacts, managing agency agreement location, regular contractors and key records. Then explain what makes the scheme different: major works, an unresolved defect, an active dispute or a committee that needs a particular communication approach.
Keep the notes factual. Record decisions and commitments rather than personal opinions about owners or colleagues. The incoming manager needs usable context, not a history of every difficult conversation.
Show the status of unfinished work
- Meetings: dates, notice status, agenda, minutes awaiting completion and outstanding actions.
- Works: scope, quotes, approvals, access arrangements and contractor follow-up.
- Financial matters: items needing review, approval contacts and where authorised staff can find records.
- Insurance and disputes: current status, relevant correspondence and the person responsible for the next step.
- Communications: promises already made and enquiries still awaiting a response.
A task without an owner is a likely gap. Agree who handles it during the changeover, including matters that stay with a director or specialist.
Arrange access before the first day
Confirm system accounts, email arrangements, document locations and the limits of the person’s authority. Use the business’s approved access process. Do not put passwords, banking credentials or private owner information into a general handover document.
Book a short walkthrough using a real scheme and an open task. Someone may know your software but still need to learn your filing structure, approval process and communication standards.
Make the handover work when time is short
If a resignation leaves little overlap, start with the urgent work register and the person who can answer questions. Build out the scheme notes as records are reviewed. Be clear about what has not yet been checked so the replacement does not mistake an incomplete list for a complete one.
For leave cover, also agree how unresolved work returns to the original manager. A temporary assignment should finish with a short record of completed work, outstanding matters and any decisions still needed.
Use the checklist
Download the editable handover checklist. It includes fields for scheme context, deadlines, ownership and access arrangements. Keep the completed version in your approved business systems.
Need someone to take over the work? Tell us about the portfolio, timing and support required. We can discuss the scope before you have every detail ready.