Taking over a building with a lift: start here

Identify each lift

Give every lift its own reference. Match the location and identification number to the service records, examination report and contract. In a building with several lifts, check that documents have not been mixed up.

Record basic details that you can establish safely from existing records: type, manufacturer, approximate installation date, rated capacity and floors served. Ask the contractor to confirm unknown details. Do not enter restricted spaces to look for them.

Collect the documents that drive decisions

• The latest thorough examination report and any examination scheme.
• Recent service records and the agreed maintenance programme.
• Open repair quotes, orders and evidence of completed defect work.
• The current maintenance contract, including renewal and notice dates.
• Operating instructions, available technical records and alteration history.
• Alarm communication, monitoring and rescue arrangements.

Record missing documents explicitly. Give each gap an owner and a target date; an empty folder should not disappear from the handover conversation.

Test your contact arrangements

Confirm the routine service contact, out-of-hours fault number, examination provider and building access contact. Store the lift reference with each contact so the person making a call can identify the equipment quickly.

Agree who can approve costs, who updates residents or occupants, and who covers absences. Check that any handover between managing agents includes the status of outstanding instructions.

Make one action list

Extract unresolved items from reports, service sheets and correspondence. For each item, record the issue, the relevant deadline, the responsible person, next step and evidence needed to close it. Ask a competent adviser to clarify safety implications.

Use the handover checklist to collect the records. The completion count means you have gathered information; it does not certify that the lift is safe or compliant.