Keys are ready. Are the utilities ready for the buyer?
Build a practical utilities checklist for an overseas home: accounts, connections, deposits, meters and responsibility for resolving unfinished work.
A buyer books flights after receiving a handover date. The property looks finished, but nobody has checked whether services are active, which accounts need changing or who will let a technician inside. These are separate tasks with practical consequences for arrival.
An agent should not promise connection dates on behalf of utility providers. They can make sure that the buyer and local team know which tasks remain open and which party has agreed to complete them.
Separate the connection from the account
Ask whether the property is physically connected and whether an account must be created, transferred or otherwise updated. A working light during a viewing does not identify whose supply is being used or the arrangement expected after handover.
For each service, record the provider or responsible management contact, the account requirements and any step awaiting the buyer. Do not publish or circulate actual account numbers unnecessarily. Keep documents in the channel agreed for the transaction.
Ask the relevant provider or adviser which documents and permissions are needed. Requirements may differ by property and ownership arrangement. Avoid giving the buyer a universal list copied from another transaction.
Make a service-by-service record
The following fields can form a practical worksheet. They are questions, not a claim that every property has the same services or charges.
| Service | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Electricity | Supply status, account, meter reading and remaining work |
| Water | Supply arrangement, account and any storage or treatment duties |
| Internet | Provider, installation status and usable coverage |
| Shared services | What management provides and what the owner arranges |
| Private equipment | Which systems require commissioning or regular servicing |
Add the evidence date and the person responsible for the next task. If the seller says activation is complete, ask what confirmation is available and whether the buyer's intended use has actually been tested.
Keep deposits and recurring costs distinct
Request the relevant quoted setup charges, deposits and recurring fees. Identify who receives each payment and how it should be verified. Do not assume a deposit is a non-refundable fee or that it will automatically pass to a new account holder.
For a resale property, ask the responsible professionals how final readings, outstanding charges and the effective handover date are dealt with. The agent should record the agreed process, not decide who legally owes an amount.
An ownership budget should show these items separately from furniture and travel. Otherwise a buyer may believe every arrival cost was already included in the price.
Plan for somebody to be present
If installation or inspection requires access, identify the authorised person who can attend. Confirm their availability and the scope of their task. A referring agent should not assume that an overseas manager will wait for technicians without an arrangement.
Arrange a sensible confirmation point before the buyer travels. A future appointment is not an activated service. If a service remains uncertain, discuss the practical alternatives with the buyer rather than letting a calendar invitation imply completion.
Check what "ready" means to this buyer
A holiday visitor may tolerate a temporary inconvenience that a remote worker cannot. Ask about work calls, medical equipment or other essential needs without collecting more sensitive information than necessary. Where specialist requirements exist, involve the appropriate professional.
For internet-dependent work, ask for evidence from the actual property and intended workspace. A development's advertised package is not a measurement of usable performance in the buyer's room.
Agree the boundary of after-purchase help
The IBG after-purchase case is a useful prompt for discussing responsibilities. It does not make every setup service included. Confirm who handles accounts, who pays and what support stops at handover.
Use the partner workflow to prepare the enquiry. The outcome of this checklist should be an arrival plan with named tasks, not a new promise of unlimited support.
Sources and scope
Original IBG Property editorial checklist. Utility arrangements, charges and documentation must be confirmed with the actual provider or responsible professional. Context: published after-purchase case.
Understand the partner process before introducing a buyer
Review the roles, client permission and cooperation terms. You can create a free agent account before you have a buyer enquiry.
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