Flat Possession Checklist: How to Inspect a New Flat Before Taking Keys

The possession letter has arrived. After three years of instalments and site visits, the builder wants you to pay the final dues, sign the handover form and collect your keys. The flat looks lovely in the photos on the buyers' WhatsApp group. It is tempting to sign on the day and start planning the housewarming.

Slow down for one visit. Defects are cheapest to fix before you move in, and the handover form you sign often says you accept the flat 'in good condition'. Here is how to inspect it properly, what to collect, and what RERA gives you if problems show up later.

Before the visit: check the occupancy certificate

Do not take possession of a flat without an occupancy certificate (OC) from the local authority. In Bengaluru that comes from the Greater Bengaluru Authority's corporations or the relevant planning authority. Without it, you may struggle with permanent utility connections, khata, resale and even loan disbursement.

Ask the builder for a copy of the OC before your inspection, and check it covers your block. Under RERA, you are expected to take possession within two months of the OC being issued, so the clock starts then.

What to bring

• Your agreement for sale and the specification schedule
• The approved floor plan for your unit
• A measuring tape or laser measure
• A spirit level (a phone app works)
• A torch
• A small socket tester or phone charger to test sockets
• A coin or small rubber mallet to tap tiles
• A bucket or bottle of water
• Masking tape and a marker to label defects
• Your phone, charged, for photos and video

Go in daylight and allow two to three hours. If you can, hire a professional snagging inspector. In most cities this costs a few thousand rupees for a 2BHK or 3BHK, and they bring moisture meters and thermal cameras.

Try to visit twice if you can: once on a dry day and once soon after heavy rain. Seepage around windows, balcony doors and bathroom walls often shows up only after a good downpour, and a monsoon visit can save you a year of damp patches.

The room-by-room snagging list

Walls and ceilings

• Cracks, especially at corners of doors and windows
• Damp patches, bubbling paint or a musty smell, signs of seepage
• Uneven plaster: shine the torch along the wall at an angle
• Paint finish and touch-ups

Floors and tiles

• Tap every tile. A hollow sound means poor bonding, and the tile may crack later
• Chipped, cracked or mismatched tiles
• Gaps in grout and uneven joints
• Level: place the spirit level in a few spots

Bathrooms and kitchen

• Pour water on the floor. It should flow to the drain without pooling
• Run every tap and shower, hot and cold. Check pressure and how fast the drain clears
• Flush each toilet and look for leaks around the base
• Check under sinks for leaks after running water for a few minutes
• Look at the ceiling of your bathroom for damp from the flat above
• Kitchen: platform level, sink drainage, provision for water purifier, exhaust and gas line

Doors and windows

• Doors open and close smoothly, without scraping the floor
• Locks, handles, stoppers and the main door's peephole and safety chain
• Windows slide easily and shut fully. Check rubber seals and the mesh
• Look for gaps around frames where rain could get in

Electricals

• Test every socket and switch, room by room
• Points for AC, geyser, washing machine, TV and inverter match the plan
• The distribution board is labelled and has an earth leakage breaker (RCCB or ELCB)
• Power backup works for the points the builder promised

Balcony, utility and common areas

• Railings are firm and at a safe height
• Balcony floor slopes away from the house and the drain is clear
• Your allotted car parking slot is marked and matches your allotment letter
• Lifts, fire extinguishers and staircase lighting are working

Measure the carpet area

Measure each room and add them up. Compare with the carpet area in your agreement. RERA-format agreements typically allow small variations, with a refund if the area is smaller than agreed. A noticeable shortfall should be raised in writing before you pay the final instalment.

How to report defects

1. Mark each defect with masking tape and photograph it with the tape visible.
2. Write a numbered list, room by room, with photo references.
3. Email it to the builder's customer care and the project manager. Keep the email trail.
4. Ask for a written timeline for repairs and a re-inspection date.
5. On re-inspection, tick off each item. Note anything still open on the handover form before you sign.

If the builder insists you sign a form saying the flat is defect-free, add a line in your own handwriting: 'Subject to the snag list emailed on [date]'. It keeps your record straight.

Documents to collect at handover

• Occupancy certificate and completion certificate copies
• Possession letter with the handover date, which starts your defect liability period
• Registered sale deed, or the date it will be registered
• Final payment receipts and a no-dues letter from the builder
• Parking allotment letter with the slot number
• Approved plan and, ideally, electrical and plumbing layouts showing where pipes and wires run
• Warranty cards for lifts, pumps, fittings, appliances and any modular kitchen
• Utility papers: electricity meter and water connection details (BESCOM and BWSSB in Bengaluru), with deposit receipts
• Maintenance agreement, advance maintenance receipt and corpus receipt
• Owners' association membership form or details
• Keys list: main door, bedrooms, letterbox, utility, and the number of each

After registration, apply to transfer the khata and property tax account, and the electricity and water connections, to your name. In Bengaluru, the khata is now handled by the Greater Bengaluru Authority's city corporations, so keep the sale deed, OC and tax receipts ready when you apply.

Your rights after you move in: the 5-year defect liability period

Under Section 14(3) of RERA, if you report a structural defect, or a defect in workmanship, quality or services promised in the agreement, within five years of possession, the builder must fix it free of charge within 30 days. If it does not, you can claim compensation through your state RERA authority. Karnataka RERA has ordered builders to repair seepage in Bengaluru flats on buyer complaints.

This covers things like cracks, leaks, seepage, faulty wiring and plumbing. It does not cover damage you or your interior contractor cause. That matters: if your carpenter drills through a concealed pipe, the builder is not responsible. Keep your plumbing and electrical layouts handy for your interior team.

Report every defect in writing, with photos and dates. A WhatsApp message to a site engineer is easy to deny.

Buying a home that is close to completion? Skyros Estates can help you check the occupancy certificate and handover paperwork so the last step goes smoothly.