Pull out the signed S&PA and any developer notices. Identify the property and exact unit, the notice that the developer delivered, the date you received it and the date vacant possession was actually delivered. Keep those four details on a single sheet. A press release that a project has obtained TOP may help you understand its progress, but it cannot tell you what notice you received or which date your contract uses.

A licensed developer purchase can have different steps for TOP payment, key collection and later legal completion. The document that transfers title is a separate matter from the date you can begin inspecting the unit. Ask the conveyancer to identify each milestone and the clause governing the defects period. Save the response beside the contract.

A family has travel booked around key collection The developer sends the notice while the buyer is overseas. The family plans to collect keys later and wonders whether its full inspection time starts when it returns. It sends the actual notice and dates to its conveyancer and asks which earlier event could apply. It makes arrangements for an inspection or assistance promptly rather than waiting on the assumption that the clock has not started.

Use the date of receipt where the clause refers to it. Keep the relevant email, letter or delivery evidence. If a buyer receives a new appointment after rescheduling, store both messages so the timeline is clear. Ask how the chosen date affects any other obligations, such as maintenance charges.

Prepare the report as soon as the unit is available to inspect. An early report is easier to reconcile with the original condition and gives the developer more time to review what you observed.

URA says licensed developers of projects launched for sale from 31 December 2026, with no OTP issued before that date, must use the new prescribed OTP and S&PA. Projects where options were issued before that date may continue using the earlier forms for remaining unsold units, subject to approved amendments. URA also explains the treatment of sub-sales and corresponding EC amendments. Check the signed documents and the property route.

In its earlier buyers’ guide, URA describes the 12-month period as starting on the earlier of actual vacant possession and the 15th day after the buyer receives the qualifying TOP and infrastructure notice. For the revised form, the legislation uses the earlier of actual vacant possession and the 35th day after receipt of the TOP payment notice as the DLP commencement date. The unit period is 12 months from that date. The revised common property provision can extend the period beyond 12 months depending on the first AGM.

Compare two projects that collect keys in the same year One project first issued options before the change and hands over a unit in 2027. Another project was launched under the revised rules. The buyers should check their own documents and dates rather than assuming the same rule applies to both. The year in which they collect keys is only one fact. It does not determine which prescribed form is in use.

If the development is an EC, ask the conveyancer to confirm the applicable EC documents and rules. For a sub-sale, check what terms the developer has entered into with the new buyer. A copy of the earlier buyer’s general brochure is not enough to settle the new buyer’s rights.

Check the documents that trigger the revised date

The revised prescribed form defines its commencement date by reference to delivery of vacant possession and the buyer’s receipt of all documents specified under the relevant item of the payment schedule. The circular summarises the latter as the TOP payment notice. Give your conveyancer the full set of documents and the receipt dates if they did not all arrive together. A headline that TOP was granted does not establish which of the contractual events happened first. Record the date the adviser confirms and ask whether the unit period and maintenance charges start together in your case.

Use the plans, specifications and supplied-fittings schedule for your unit. Check the room arrangement and visible condition of the supplied items. If the contract describes a finish or component, point to that document when reporting a concern. A showroom picture or a similar unit online may show a different layout or optional work. Record what was agreed for the actual purchase.

Walk the unit in the same order each time. Start at the entrance, then check rooms, windows, balconies and wet areas. Take an overall photo of each room and a close view of any issue. Describe the location in words so the developer can find it without trying to identify a close-up in isolation. Where an item cannot yet be checked through normal use, note that and ask when it can be examined.

Report a missing item with the document reference If a fitting appears missing, record the room and expected fitting. Find the specification, mark the relevant passage and attach a photo of the location. Ask the developer whether the item was included and how it will respond. This makes it easier to distinguish a missing contracted item from an option the buyer intended to purchase separately.

Do not force a fitting, open an electrical panel or dismantle a part to investigate. If something seems unsafe, stop using it and contact the responsible party promptly. Seek appropriate professional help for an issue you cannot assess by ordinary observation.

If a renovation contractor has already quoted for alterations, tell it which parts may need to remain unchanged for inspection. Keep the original plans, the report and the renovation plan separate.

Make a separate list of checks you could not complete

For example, the window mechanism could be checked but a supplied appliance was not ready for ordinary operation. Add the appliance to a pending list, record why and ask the developer for the appropriate next step. A later observation can then be attached to the correct item. The date of a repair visit and the date you first observed a problem are different parts of the timeline. Keep both.

If the developer’s staff are walking through the unit with you, ask what record will be left with the buyer and how they will acknowledge any additional report. Photograph documents or labels where appropriate and allowed. Put the property, date and room beside each image. For a household using a professional inspection service, check that its report identifies the unit, observation and relevant specification, and confirm how you will submit it under the agreement.

Check the ordinary operation of doors and locks and identify which keys match each fitting. Record an issue by its exact location and action. For a window, specify the room and panel, whether it was viewed from inside, and whether the issue was visible damage or a problem during ordinary use. Avoid leaning beyond openings or trying to adjust a mechanism yourself.

In a bathroom or kitchen, look for visible damage or moisture around the supplied fittings and their surroundings. If the services are active and the building’s instructions allow it, observe ordinary use and record any symptom. Avoid flooding or intrusive testing. For a balcony, check the visible condition and report anything that looks unsafe without using or touching the affected part.

An issue is visible only after rain A resident notices dampness at the edge of a window after a rainy day. It takes a wide photo, a close-up and a note of when it occurred. It records whether the mark was already there and what the window was doing at the time. It reports the symptom and asks for an assessment rather than assuming which external part caused it. If the developer needs access during a particular condition, it can coordinate another visit.

For built-in fixtures, note which component is supplied and which is awaiting activation or commissioning. Ask who will confirm operation if the utility was unavailable on the day. Do not mark an untested item as passed simply because no issue was visible.

Take a short video only where ordinary operation demonstrates the problem safely. Keep the date and file name beside the relevant issue number. The goal is to make the condition easy to reproduce during the inspection.

Separate issues within the unit from those affecting common property. A mark in a living-room finish is a different report from water in the shared lift lobby. The boundary can be less obvious with windows, external walls or a leak between areas. Ask the developer, management or your adviser which party should assess the issue. Record what you can observe rather than guessing responsibility.

For revised forms, URA says the common property defects period can end later than the unit period if the first AGM happens sufficiently late. The revised provisions use the later of 12 months from the applicable start and six months after the first AGM. Confirm the exact facts and the relevant clause. Do not wait to report a common property concern just because the possible end date is later.

A lift lobby issue affects several residents One owner notices a recurring wet patch in a shared area. It tells the responsible building team and preserves the location, date and circumstances. The management team can collate information from residents and decide what requires escalation to the developer. The owner keeps that report separate from its own unit issues and does not arrange work in a shared area.

If there is a potential safety issue, contact the responsible building team promptly. Describe the location and risk clearly. For a private defect that might involve common property, ask who will lead the inspection and how the result will be shared. Save the contacts and references so you can follow the correct route later.

Check how the development is managed at its current stage. The first AGM and appointment of a council can change who coordinates common issues. Keep the original reports accessible through that transition.

Run a simple common property timeline

For illustration, if the first AGM is held five months after the revised commencement date, the later of the two described endpoints is the 12-month mark. If the first AGM is held nine months after the start, six months after that AGM would be 15 months after the start. These examples concern the revised common property calculation. They do not change the unit’s period. Ask the conveyancer or relevant management body to confirm the actual contract and dates before applying either example.

If the management body is still being formed, ask who keeps the shared issue log until it can take over. Include the first report and any response from the developer. The newly appointed council can then see what was raised and when, rather than relying on memories from different residents.

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Use the notification channel and format the agreement requires. An app or a handover desk may help track repairs, while the legal notice requirements can have their own recipient or form. Ask your conveyancer whether the practical reporting channel satisfies the clause or whether another notice is needed. Keep proof of submission and receipt.

URA’s earlier buyers’ guide says the developer must rectify covered defects within one month of receiving the notice requiring rectification under the described S&PA. Read the actual agreement for its dates, procedure and any separate common property terms. Ask what happens if further access is needed or the issue changes. Keep an ongoing record rather than relying on a verbal promise at the handover desk.

Use a table each party can reconcile List each issue number, room, symptom, photo, notice date and expected next step. Add an entry for the date the developer acknowledged it. If the developer groups items differently, make a short mapping between your list and its references. Ask who will confirm what was accepted, what will be investigated and what has been completed.

If a concern was first reported informally, tell the conveyancer what happened and ask whether it needs formal notice. Keep all correspondence. Do not substitute a new version of the record without retaining the original date. The timeline can matter when checking whether the contractual steps were followed.

If another defect appears later, document it separately and check the deadline and notice route. Refer to the earlier report only if there is a clear connection.

Write the report so the recipient can act on it

Use the subject and format required by your agreement. Identify the unit, the item, the date observed and your contact for access. Refer to the relevant specification where the concern is a missing or different supplied item. Ask the developer to confirm receipt and the next step. Keep any app entry or acknowledgement in the same file. If the contract asks for a particular recipient or form, check that the notice reaches the correct party and that you have evidence of delivery.

A useful follow-up gives the original reference and describes the current status. It also notes whether work can be scheduled without changing the unit’s original condition. Ask your adviser what to do if the response does not resolve the issue within the applicable procedure.

Give the developer and your renovation contractor a schedule that identifies the affected areas and intended changes. If built-in furniture would cover a concern, ask the contractor to keep that area accessible. If a planned alteration could change the condition being reported, obtain advice on sequencing first. Keep the scope of repair and the scope of renovation separate.

Check the building’s renovation rules, booking requirements and approved work hours before bringing in a contractor. Ask which work must be authorised by management or another authority. Do not treat collection of keys as permission to start every planned change. A defect repair can also require access that conflicts with a contractor’s delivery or with the resident moving in.

A kitchen installation depends on a repair A household plans to fit cabinetry around an area where it has reported moisture. It asks the developer how access should be preserved and tells the carpenter which part to postpone. It moves deliveries if necessary and checks which other rooms can be finished independently. It keeps the original condition documented until the repair has been inspected.

If a delay affects rental or moving dates, estimate the cost of temporary storage or accommodation and check your existing agreement. Ask the developer what dates it can confirm. An estimated finish date is different from a confirmed appointment, particularly if a part needs to be ordered.

After rectification, verify the item before authorising work that will conceal it. Ask who will explain when the area is ready for the next trade. A coordinated sequence gives you a better chance of avoiding unnecessary removal later.

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Take your original list to the inspection after repairs. Check each location in the same way where safe and practical. Record whether the original symptom remains, whether the repair is complete and whether further observation is needed. Take a new photo if it helps show the difference. If an issue recurs, refer to the earlier repair and give the developer the date and circumstances.

If the developer disputes a defect or misses a contractual step, ask your conveyancer what to do next. URA describes routes under the S&PA that may allow buyers to arrange rectification and seek a deduction from stakeholder money, but these depend on following the prescribed procedures. Before hiring someone or spending money, obtain advice about the actual notices, timing, evidence and stakeholder requirements. Keep payment obligations separate unless advised otherwise.

A buyer is quoted for independent repair A buyer receives a quote and wants to go ahead because renovation is due to start. It checks whether the developer has been given the required opportunity to rectify and asks its conveyancer whether further notice is needed. It also checks whether the work would destroy evidence of the original issue. It does not assume a quotation or invoice will make the cost recoverable.

If a professional inspects the issue, retain its scope, findings and date. Give the developer access or information as required by the agreement. Keep a list of unresolved items and the dates when advice was sought. This can help avoid missing a further step while the parties discuss the issue.

For common property, keep an organised record the relevant management body can use. Include the exact location, date first seen, what was reported and who responded. Note whether the issue is recurrent or shared across several areas. A simple list with photographs is easier to act on than isolated messages. Do not distribute personal information or access details to people who do not need them.

Ask the management body what it needs for common property issues under the applicable arrangement. For revised forms, the first AGM can affect the end of the common property period. Confirm the actual AGM date and what has been done to record and follow up on defects. Even before the council is appointed, ask where the concern should be sent and keep proof of receipt.

Keep the move file useful after legal completion Save the agreement, handover notices, key inventory, inspections and repair records together. Keep proof of the notice date and developer response. If your unit has a recurring issue, the original documents can help show whether it was reported before renovation and how it was handled. A new owner or adviser can review the records if needed later.

For shared issues, keep any official notice or meeting record that relates to the location. Record the managing agent or council contact and how owners are asked to report concerns. Do not treat another resident’s account as the final status of a repair. Verify the position with the responsible party.

If a new matter arises after the defects period, ask about the correct route and responsibility. Keep the earlier history but distinguish it from the later event.

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Write the project and unit, contract version, relevant notice receipt date, vacant possession and confirmed defect start and end dates. Add the first inspection, formal notice, developer response, repair dates and verification. For common property, put the separate timeline and first AGM where applicable. Use the actual contract and advice, especially for a project that crosses the revised-rule date.

Keep the renovation schedule beside the record. Tell contractors what needs to remain accessible and when work can safely proceed. Put the handover, storage and actual move on the same calendar. Verify essential access and utilities before committing to the first night. If you still have unresolved issues, know who will follow up and which date matters next.

Four questions for the final check Which contract applies? What starts the relevant period? What evidence shows the issue? What should happen next under the notice procedure? Ask those questions for both the unit and any common property concern. If one is unclear, obtain the relevant answer before paying a third party or changing the affected area.

Keep the list concise enough for another owner or adviser to use. Put the most important issue first, identify who holds the record and save the response. Then compare the actual repairs with what was accepted, retaining any pending item on its own line.

A household can complete much of this work early. An organised first inspection makes the rest of the move easier to coordinate and gives the developer clearer information for the repair.

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