Collecting keys to a new Singapore home starts a quiet countdown. For most new BTO flats, condominiums and executive condominiums, the Defects Liability Period (DLP) runs for 12 months from the key collection date. During this window, you can report genuine workmanship or material defects to the developer or HDB for rectification. The hard part is rarely spotting a hollow tile or a sticking window; it is proving the defect exists, recording it clearly, and submitting it before renovation alters the unit. Good documentation turns a verbal complaint into a dated, traceable claim. It also gives you a fair record if a rectification is incomplete. The same habits help condo, resale and landed owners who are inspecting before renovation, even where the DLP rules differ.
Know What the DLP Covers—and What It Does Not
The 12-month DLP is best understood as a claim window, not a maintenance warranty. It usually covers defects arising from original construction or workmanship—hollow floor tiles, water seepage near windows, misaligned doors, loose electrical fittings, poor paintwork, plumbing leaks and damaged surfaces. It does not normally cover normal wear and tear, accidental damage, or changes caused by your own renovation. For HDB flats, the developer is HDB; for condominiums, ECs and many landed projects, it is the developer or main contractor. Resale homes may not have the same 12-month DLP, but the discipline of documenting existing defects before renovation remains useful.
Before you photograph anything, separate defects, unfinished work and preferences. A floor tile that sounds hollow when tapped, a window that scrapes its frame, a ceiling stain that spreads after rain, or a socket that trips when tested are defect candidates because they point to installation or material issues. A loose door handle may be an installation defect; a hairline paint mark that wipes away may be finishing. A preference—such as wanting a cabinet aligned differently—is not usually a DLP claim. Record only what you can describe and show, and leave aesthetic upgrades for your renovation plan.
Timing matters because renovation changes the evidence. Once hacking, tiling, carpentry or painting begins, the developer can argue that a crack, chip or misaligned fitting was caused by your contractor. That is why the most useful defect list is made immediately after key collection, before any works start. If renovation must begin early, document the unit first and keep the report dated. A structured room-by-room record is more persuasive than a folder of random photos, and it helps you group items by location when you speak to the developer or HDB.
Document Each Defect So It Cannot Be Dismissed
A defect claim becomes stronger when it is easy to match the complaint to the exact spot. Build a simple numbering system: D-01 for the living room, D-02 for the kitchen, and so on. Use the same numbers in your photos, video and written list. For each item, record the room, surface or fixture, a short description, and what you observed. For example: “D-07, master bathroom, floor trap area—water ponds near the left edge after pouring water from the far end; photos 12–14, video 3, recorded 14 March.” That is far more useful than a caption such as “bathroom defect”.
Take two kinds of images for every claim: a wide shot that shows where the defect sits in the room, and a close-up that shows the defect itself. Include a ruler, coin or tile edge for scale where helpful, and keep the date and time switched on in your phone camera. Short videos are useful for anything that moves or reacts—a window that sticks, a tap that drips, a door that scrapes, or water that does not flow toward the floor trap. For electrical sockets and switches, do not open wiring or attempt DIY testing beyond what is safe; note the symptom and let a qualified person assess it. Never work on live electrical parts.
Write descriptions in plain, factual language. Avoid “terrible workmanship” or “unacceptable finishing”; instead, describe the measurement, sound, movement or water behaviour you observed. If you engage a professional inspection firm, ask for a report that is clearly organised and can be submitted in the developer’s format. Defect Check Singapore is one independent inspection provider that prepares photo-based defect reports for submission to developers or HDB; the firm does not carry out rectification, so the report functions as evidence rather than a repair promise. Whether you inspect yourself or use a firm, keep the original files, not just WhatsApp-compressed images, because low-resolution copies can hide fine cracks.
Create a Submission and Follow-Up Rhythm Before Renovation
Once your list is ready, submit it through the channel the developer or HDB has specified. Some developers provide a defect form; others use a mobile app or portal. Keep the acknowledgement, email trail or app screenshot, and save a PDF copy of the full report. If an item is rejected, ask for the reason in writing and add your own dated note: “Re-inspected on 2 April; hairline crack above master bed window has widened from 0.2 mm to 0.8 mm.” That record is useful if the same issue reappears or if you need to escalate within the DLP. Do not rely on a verbal promise from a site supervisor as your only evidence.
A common question is whether every defect must be reported within seven days of key collection. The practical answer is that the DLP runs for 12 months from key collection, and defects can be reported within that period provided you have not started renovation or moved in. That does not mean you should wait. Early reporting gives the developer time to schedule rectification before your renovation crew arrives, and it reduces blame-shifting once other trades have entered the unit. Aim to submit your first comprehensive list within the first few weeks, then keep a second list for items that appear after heavy rain or after the first round of rectification.
Follow-up is where many homeowners lose momentum. Set calendar reminders at the two-week, one-month and three-month marks after submission. Reinspect the same numbered items, photograph them again, and update a simple status column: open, rectified, disputed or pending. Before renovation begins, walk the unit with your contractor and confirm which items remain unresolved. Near the end of the 12-month DLP, do a final check of areas that are easy to forget—window seals, service yard pipes, floor traps, cabinet hinges and silicone joints. If you find a genuine defect, submit it before the DLP expires with the same photo-and-location discipline. Good documentation will not guarantee that every claim is accepted, but it gives you a clear, fair record of what was reported, when, and what happened next.
Madrid linguist teaching in Seoul’s K-startup campus. Sara dissects multilingual branding, kimchi microbiomes, and mindful note-taking with fountain pens. She runs a weekend book-exchange café where tapas meet tteokbokki.