An ending is a state change. It is negotiated in conversation before it is done in a control panel. Two weeks is enough, if the first week goes on people rather than on files.
Week one: agree the sequence
- Tell the client in writing, with the last day named.
- Ask who takes over, and whether they are technical.
- Agree the accounts that move, and who signs in to each.
- Agree the date for the final deploy freeze.
- Ask for the new person’s email, so notes go somewhere useful.
Nothing is transferred in week one. It is the week the plan is agreed.
Week two: move, then verify
monday transfer ownership of the hosting and repository accounts
tuesday hand over DNS and email records, with a copy of every record
wednesday move the form endpoint, then submit one test response
thursday the client signs in to each account, with you watching
friday rotate every credential, remove your access, send the note
The handover email, filled in
subject: handover complete, and what to check next week
Hi Sam,
Everything below is done, and Ravi has signed in to each account.
- hosting and repository: ownership moved Monday, your account is owner
- DNS and email: records copied, MX unchanged, mail tested both ways
- forms: endpoint moved Wednesday, one test response stored
- search and analytics: your account is the owner, access list is two people
Next week, please check two things yourself:
1. that new enquiries appear in your own inbox
2. that the certificate renewal reminder reaches you, not me
I have removed my own access today. If something breaks, or you find
that I still appear somewhere, tell me and I will fix it that day.
The notes document has the build command, the node version, and the
last reading before handover.
The deadline problem
Most bad handovers are not careless. They are late. A client who asks on Friday for a Monday exit gets a list of accounts, not a verified transfer. That difference shows up months later, during a renewal.
Ask for two weeks, and say what the two weeks buy.
Acceptance: the handover is complete when
- the client signed in to each account themselves, not on your word
- every credential you held has been rotated, with the date
- one test form response is stored under the client’s account
- a test email was sent and received after the DNS work
- the notes document names the build command and the last reading
- your own access is gone, in the same week
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The client asks for three days | The relationship ended badly | Do the accounts first, and the notes after |
| The new developer is not technical | They asked for a handover they cannot use | Add a walkthrough call, and a written command list |
| A renewal is due during the handover | Nobody checked the dates | Move the renewal first, or pay it and invoice |
| Something breaks after you leave | A credential was rotated mid-deploy | Keep access for 48 hours, then remove it |
| The client found your old login | Rotation was skipped | Rotate now, and tell them what changed |
Limits
You cannot hand over an account you do not own.
If the client cannot find their own login, that is a recovery problem. Solve it before the last day, because afterwards you have no access either.