What is a home operations book?
It is a property-specific manual that stays with the home. A printed binder, a tidy digital folder or a combination of both can work. Bring together instructions, diagrams, model details, maintenance records and the practical knowledge that would otherwise leave with you.
Keep its job clear. The book is not a LIM, a property file, proof that work is compliant or a substitute for telling your lawyer and agent about a known issue. Our property documents and disclosure guide explains where that information belongs.
Make the first page useful on day one
Create a one-page quick-start sheet. Show the electricity switchboard, water shut-off, gas shut-off if relevant, hot-water control, broadband connection point, main keys and the simplest way to operate heating, lighting and access before any apps are configured.
The Settled moving-out guidance tells sellers to leave all keys and agreed chattels behind and to arrange final utility readings. Use that handover as your deadline, and check the final book against the sale and purchase agreement rather than relying on memory.
Recommended sections
- Utilities: meters, switchboard, water, gas, solar, battery and EV charging.
- Water and grounds: hot water, pumps, filters, irrigation, tanks, pool and spa.
- Heating and ventilation: heat pumps, fireplaces, underfloor heating, ventilation and filter schedules.
- Appliances: manuals, model numbers, warranties and unusual operating notes.
- Safety and access: smoke alarms, security, keys, remotes, gates and garage doors.
- Smart home: devices, rooms, hubs, physical controls, reset steps and support links.
- Maintenance: recurring jobs, paint colours, finishes, roofing, drainage and trusted product details.
- Shared services: body corporate, cross-lease arrangements, shared driveways and rubbish schedules where relevant.
Explain the things a buyer cannot guess
For a smart switch, name the room and physical control. Record the make and model, required hub, behaviour without internet, reset method and manufacturer support page. Explain any automation in plain language, such as “hall lights turn on at sunset”, and say how to disable it.
“Use the app” is not enough. The buyer needs to know which app, whether a hub stays and how the light works before setup. For account transfers and connected security equipment, work through the safer sequence in our smart-home handover guide.
Keep credentials and claims out of it
- Do not include current Wi-Fi, email or device-account passwords.
- Keep alarm PINs, lock codes and recovery codes separate until the agreed handover.
- Remove payment details, subscriptions, cloud links, recordings and access history.
- Do not describe work as compliant, consented or professionally approved unless the proper records support that claim.
Reset security credentials, remove personal accounts and let the buyer create their own. If a fitted appliance or connected device is staying, make sure it also appears correctly in the chattels list.
Build it while there is time to check it
Start during sale preparation, while you can still find manuals, photograph labels and test devices. A useful book is especially valuable where a Tauranga property has solar, irrigation, pumps, automation, specialist heating or shared services that are not obvious at a viewing.
After the agreement is signed, check the manual against the chattels list and any negotiated inclusions. The Real Estate Authority settlement checklist for sellers recommends checking the property and chattels before settlement. Remove obsolete pages, put a review date on the cover and give the final version to the buyer at the agreed handover point.
Make the home easier to own
Start with the systems buyers cannot understand by looking.
Document the first day, then work room by room. Keep sensitive credentials separate from the manual.
Frequently asked questions
Should the operations book be digital or printed?
Both are useful. A printed quick-start sheet works before broadband is active, while a digital folder is better for manuals, support links and updates.
Can it replace disclosure of a defect?
No. Tell your lawyer and agent about known issues through the proper process. A practical manual does not replace disclosure.
Should I include trade contacts?
You can name businesses that have worked on the property and explain what they did. Do not promise that a warranty, endorsement or future availability exists unless you have confirmed it.
Useful official guidance
Reviewed 15 August 2026. The operations-book structure is practical guidance for sellers. Use the manufacturer's current instructions for each system.
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