A buyer arrives for handover expecting to be shown round and given keys. She has an hour, a list of things she noticed on her last visit, a friend who has told her to check everything, and no idea whether raising any of it now is helpful or awkward.
What happens in that hour shapes the next two years of the relationship.
What buyers ask
They usually ask whether they can inspect before completion, whether they can bring someone, how long handover takes, what is demonstrated, what documentation they receive, what happens to things they notice, how long they have to report defects, what counts as a defect and who they contact afterwards.
Publish the pre-completion inspection position
Whether one is offered, when it happens, what it covers, who attends and what happens to items raised. Buyers increasingly expect this and a developer who offers it clearly looks confident.
Example conversations
These scripts use information a developer might publish. Your answers should come from your own pages.
Buyer: Can I look round the house before completion? Assistant: The handover page explains the pre-completion inspection, when it takes place, how long it lasts and what happens to anything raised at it. It also explains who from the site team attends. Could you confirm your plot so I can pass a request to the sales team?
Buyer: Can I bring a snagging inspector with me? Assistant: The page explains the developer's position on third-party inspectors, including whether they can attend and on what basis. If you would like to discuss it, I can arrange for the sales team to call you.
Buyer: What actually happens on the day? Assistant: The page describes the handover, including the demonstration of heating, water, alarms and appliances, the documentation provided, what you should bring and roughly how long to allow. It also explains how to report anything you notice afterwards.
Explain the demonstration properly
Heating controls, hot water, stopcock, consumer unit, ventilation, alarms and appliances. Buyers forget most of it in the excitement, so a written summary matters more than the walkthrough.
Say what documentation they receive
Warranties, appliance manuals, certificates, the completion documentation and any maintenance guidance. Buyers ask for these months later and cannot find them.
Be clear about third-party inspectors
Whether they are permitted, whether findings are accepted and how they are processed. A stated policy, whatever it is, is better than a decision made at the door.
Explain what happens to items raised
How they are recorded, what timescale applies and who confirms completion of the work. Buyers fear a list disappearing into a folder.
Distinguish defects from finishes
Shrinkage, minor marks, normal settling and genuine defects. Explaining the distinction before handover is far easier than arguing it afterwards.
Set the reporting window clearly
How long buyers have, how to report and what happens after the period ends, which connects to snagging and warranty questions after completion.
Completion dates set the tone
They are covered in reservation and completion date questions from new-build buyers.
First appointments matter everywhere
The parallel is in new patient questions before a first adjustment, and publishing answers before they are asked is the approach in proactive support answering questions before customers ask.
Getting started
Publish your inspection policy, what handover involves and the reporting window, then answer buyers at any hour in the weeks before completion. SpideyChat for property businesses answers from your published pages. Try SpideyChat on your own site, or read about answers on the features page.