Guide

Apartment Handover Checklist: 24 Points to Check Before You Sign

A practical inspection checklist covering plumbing, electrics, finishes, air conditioning, meters and paperwork before signing a handover record.

Signing the handover record confirms the unit is sound. Every defect you fail to note in it becomes your responsibility. Take two hours, carry this list, and do not sign before you finish it.

Plumbing

• Open every tap and watch the pressure and its stability.
• Flush every toilet and check how quickly it drains.
• Look under every sink for seepage or damp.
• Test floor drains by actually pouring water.
• Run the water heater and wait until the water is genuinely hot.
• Check the washing machine connections and dedicated drain.

Electrics

• Try every light switch in every room.
• Test the sockets with a charger or small device — do not just look at them.
• Inspect the distribution board and check the labelling is clear.
• Run all air conditioners together and see whether the breaker trips.
• Test the doorbell and intercom if fitted.

Finishes, doors and windows

• Open and close every door and window; note friction and locks.
• Check window sealing: does air or dust come through the edges?
• Inspect ceilings and corners for damp patches or cracks.
• Tap the floor tiles and listen for the hollow sound that signals a void beneath.
• Check the paint is even and complete behind doors and in corners.
• Inspect kitchen units: drawers, hinges and the stability of the worktop.

Air conditioning and ventilation

• Run each unit on cooling for ten minutes and feel the air.
• Confirm condensate drains to the outside.
• Test bathroom and kitchen extractors.

Meters and documents

• Photograph the electricity and water meter readings on handover day.
• Confirm utilities are disconnected from the previous owner and ready to transfer.
• Collect every key, copy, and remote control for gates and lifts.
• Ask for appliance manuals and warranties if any exist.
• Record every observation in the handover document, with photos and both signatures.

Before you sign

Do not sign a record stating "received in sound condition, free of defects" if observations exist. Write them into the record, set a deadline for resolving them, and sign afterwards.

Two hours of inspection before signing can save months of claims afterwards.

Common questions on this topic