Aras Development: how to inspect a new apartment at handover

Handover is the point at which you accept the property. Everything found before that is the developer's problem; much of what is found afterwards becomes an argument. It is worth several hours and, for most buyers, worth paying a professional to do.

What to check, systematically

• Doors and windows. Every one opened, closed and locked. Alignment, seals, and whether they catch.
• Water. Every tap and shower run; every drain checked for flow; every trap checked for smell. Look under sinks and behind the WC for damp.
• Air conditioning. Every outlet, on maximum, for long enough to feel the temperature. Check for condensation staining around grilles — a sign of poor insulation that surfaces later as mould.
• Electrics. Every socket and switch tested; the distribution board labelled; the earth leakage breaker tested.
• Floors and walls. Tile hollowness tapped for, level checked, grout inspected. Hollow tiles lift eventually and are far harder to fix once you are living there.
• Kitchen and appliances. Every unit opened, every appliance run through a cycle, every seal checked.
• Balcony. Drainage falls, railing fixings, waterproofing at the threshold.
• What is missing. Compare against the specification item by item, including brands where they were named.

How to document it

• Photograph everything, with a scale and a date.
• Produce a written list and have it acknowledged in writing by the developer's representative.
• Establish the timeframe in which items will be rectified, and record it.
• Do not sign an unqualified acceptance while defects are outstanding — sign subject to the listed items where the process allows.

What protection remains afterwards

• A defects liability period covers ordinary defects for a period after handover, and structural elements carry a longer statutory protection. Establish the exact durations that apply to your building and how a claim is made.
• Report defects in writing and promptly. A verbal complaint to a site manager is not a claim.
• Keep every record. The snagging list, the acknowledgement and the correspondence are what any later dispute turns on.

Two things to do before handover day

• Book an independent snagging inspection. It costs a small fraction of one month's rent and finds items an owner will not.
• Re-read the specification so you know what was promised. Handover is when the gap between brochure and building becomes visible, and it is the only moment when pointing it out is easy.

Based on standard handover and defects-liability practice. Confirm the periods applying to your specific contract.