An employee-builder is leaving
A developer, analyst, founder or operations specialist holds knowledge that must become organisational evidence.
Software continuity · London
Free 20-minute checkExisting software takeover
Need someone to take over an existing software project?
Stonehold helps UK organisations inherit custom software from a departing developer, employee-builder or supplier—without treating an unfamiliar codebase as a routine handover.
Book a free Software Continuity Check
For live internal or customer-facing applications that still matter after their original owner moves on.
The riskiest moment is between owners.
A repository transfer is not the same as an operational takeover. The next owner needs the authority, evidence and working access to keep the business running.
The agency relationship is ending
The outgoing supplier built the system, but another team must now support production and deliver changes.
The software has been neglected
Dependencies, cloud configuration and documentation have drifted while the business kept relying on the application.
Takeover is a controlled investigation, not a leap of faith.
Stonehold does not promise a fixed support outcome before understanding the system. The Continuity Map separates facts, gaps and assumptions so the takeover can be priced and governed honestly.
What transfers
Code, data, infrastructure, credentials, domains, vendor accounts, documentation and decision history.
What must be rebuilt
Understanding of intended behaviour, safe releases, monitoring, recovery, ownership and escalation.
A takeover that leaves no new trapdoor.
Access inventory
Repositories, cloud, domains, databases, secrets and third-party services made visible and controllable.
Code and dependency map
Stack, build path, integrations, unsupported components and material technical constraints.
Business journey map
Who uses the software, what it must do and which exceptions have commercial or operational impact.
Risk triage
Immediate continuity risks separated from desirable engineering improvements.
Stabilisation plan
The smallest work needed to make releases, monitoring, support and recovery credible.
Clean operating boundary
Client, IT provider and Stonehold responsibilities written down with a route to hand over again.
From inherited code to accountable ownership.
- 01
Continuity Map
Establish what exists, what the business relies on and what the incoming owner can safely promise.
- 02
Productionisation
Complete the agreed stabilisation work and prove the release, monitoring and recovery path.
- 03
Managed Continuity
Operate and adapt the application with named accountability and current handover evidence.
Questions buyers usually ask.
Can a new developer take over an undocumented codebase?
Often, yes, but the uncertainty must be treated as work. Stonehold inventories the code, infrastructure, data, access, dependencies and business behaviour before committing to material changes or service levels.
What should we obtain from the outgoing developer?
At minimum: repositories, deployment access, cloud and domain control, secrets transfer, architecture and dependency information, data and backup procedures, current issues, third-party accounts, business rules and a known-good release path.
Can you help if the previous supplier is no longer available?
Yes, provided the organisation can lawfully grant access to the code, data and infrastructure. The takeover scope will reflect the additional discovery and recovery work created by a missing handover.
Will our code and infrastructure stay in our accounts?
Yes. Stonehold works in client-controlled systems wherever practical, with revocable access, visible evidence and documentation designed to support a future transfer.
Bring us the software. We'll help define the job.
The first call is free and requires no preparation. We'll tell you whether the sensible next step is a developer, a takeover, managed support—or no Stonehold engagement at all.
- 01 Tell us what the software does.
- 02 Tell us who depends on it.
- 03 Suggest a time that works.