Prepare a provisional list before vacancy.
List known repairs and finish work without treating the list as final. Use room names and clear descriptions. Mark anything that still needs inspection. Keep tenancy records and private resident information separate from the work brief.
Inspect the empty property before locking the scope.
Furniture and belongings can hide damaged flooring, walls and trim. Once access is available, confirm the visible condition and update the list. An empty-property walkthrough is also the time to check whether chosen materials match what is actually there.
Separate readiness from preference.
Group the work into items that must be addressed for the agreed handover, presentation improvements and optional upgrades. Any safety or regulated-trade concern needs the appropriate assessment. Do not bury a suspected leak or electrical problem in a cosmetic punch list.
Order around the dependencies.
Wall repairs generally need to be resolved before their finish coat. Some flooring work affects trim and transitions. Cleaning may need a final pass after other work is complete. Ask for the sequence to be explained rather than booking several people into the same space without coordination.
Have the materials and approvals ready.
Record who buys each item, the product specification and the delivery date. Check quantities and matching pieces before the work begins. Choose one person who can answer questions and approve a scope change while the property is vacant.
Close the list before the handover.
Walk the original scope, record any remaining items and keep the finish details for the next turnover. If the property is in a strata, confirm any building requirements that affect access or work. A requested move-in date should be shared early, but the work schedule still needs to be agreed.
A useful starting point
Send the vacancy dates, community, prioritized repair list and approval contact together. Keep the project focused on the work that makes the biggest difference to the next handover.