How do I get my code back if the previous team gatekeeps?

Demand the seven-item handover before paying the final invoice: repository ownership transferred to your org, full commit history (no squash), every secret in your password manager, every cloud account transferred, a working README, a runbook, and a scheduled date when their access is revoked. Most engagement contracts assign IP to you by default. If yours does not, we flag it in the audit and help you negotiate.