Our Services
New Development Handover
Getting a new development off to the right start matters more than most developers will tell you. We take on newly built blocks and manage the handover process properly — protecting leaseholders from day one.
Why It Matters
The Developer Handover Problem
When a developer completes a new residential block, the transition to independent management is one of the most critical moments in a building's life. Done badly, it sets up years of problems — inflated service charges, unresolved defects, missing documentation, and leaseholders who feel misled from the start.
Abbeystone specialises in taking on new developments and managing this transition properly. We work with developers, directors, and leaseholders to ensure the building is handed over with accurate budgets, proper insurance, documented defects, and a clear management structure in place.
Whether you are a developer looking for a managing agent to take on a completed block, or a newly formed RTM company taking control of a recently built building, we have the experience to get it right.
Common Handover Pitfalls We Prevent
Service charge budgets on new developments can sometimes be set conservatively at the outset — meaning leaseholders may face increases in year two as running costs become clearer
Communal defects go unreported without a managing agent actively logging and chasing them during the warranty period
Building documentation — warranties, O&M manuals, as-built drawings — can be lost if not collected and stored properly at handover
Leaseholders in new developments often have no experience of service charges and need clear, honest communication from day one
Buildings insurance arranged at the development stage may benefit from an independent review at handover to ensure cover remains appropriate and competitively priced
How We Work
Our Six-Stage Handover Process
Pre-Handover Review
We review the lease, building warranties, insurance schedule, and developer documentation before the first leaseholder completes — so we understand the building before we manage it.
Building Inspection
A thorough inspection of all communal areas, plant rooms, and external fabric. We document the condition of the building from day one, protecting directors and leaseholders from future disputes with the developer.
Service Charge Budget
We prepare a realistic first-year service charge budget based on the actual building — not the developer's optimistic estimate. Leaseholders deserve accurate figures from the outset.
Insurance Placement
We arrange buildings insurance on competitive terms, ensuring the policy reflects the reinstatement value and covers all communal areas and shared services correctly.
Leaseholder Welcome
We introduce ourselves to all leaseholders, provide contact details, explain how the service charge works, and set expectations for how the building will be managed.
Defects Period Management
New buildings have defects. We log, chase, and manage all communal defect rectifications with the developer during the warranty period — so nothing gets missed or ignored.
What's Included
What's Included
Our new development service covers the full scope of what a newly completed block requires — from the paperwork before the first leaseholder moves in, to managing defects through the warranty period and beyond.
Talk to Us About Your DevelopmentPre-handover lease and documentation review
Day-one building condition inspection and report
Realistic first-year service charge budget
Buildings insurance placement and review
Sinking fund establishment and planning
Leaseholder welcome pack and onboarding
Developer defects logging and chasing
Compliance checks — fire safety, EWS1, asbestos
Contractor setup for routine maintenance
Online portal access for all leaseholders
Who We Work With
Developers, Directors & RTM Companies
Residential Developers
We work with developers who want to hand over a completed block to a professional managing agent. We take on the management from practical completion, giving buyers confidence from day one.
Newly Formed RTM Companies
If leaseholders in a new development have exercised their Right to Manage, we can step in as the appointed manager — bringing structure and experience to a building that may never have been properly managed.
Directors of New Builds
If you are a director of a newly completed block and are unhappy with the developer's appointed managing agent, we can take over the management and put things on a proper footing.
Get Started
Taking On a New Development?
Whether you're a developer approaching completion or a director inheriting a poorly managed new build, we can help. Get in touch for a no-obligation conversation.