By The Address desk · Last verified 4 October 2026
When you collect the keys to a new home in Singapore, a defects liability period (DLP) of one year starts running. For a new HDB flat, the DLP runs for one year from key collection, and defects are reported to the Building Service Centre (BSC) in your project. For a new condo or executive condominium bought from a developer, the standard sale and purchase agreement gives a 12-month DLP, usually from vacant possession, and the developer is expected to make good reported defects within one month of being notified. Defects caused by poor workmanship or materials are fixed at no cost to you; normal wear and tear, and damage from your own renovation, are not.
Key day is a happy day. Give the flat one careful afternoon before the renovators arrive, and you will thank yourself for years.
Quick facts
- DLP length: one year, for both new HDB flats and new private homes.
- HDB: report defects to the Building Service Centre for your project; HDB suggests sending your first defects list within about a month of collecting keys.
- Private: notify the developer in writing; the standard agreement expects defects to be made good within one month of notice.
- Covered: defects from faulty workmanship or materials, or work not built to specification.
- Not covered: wear and tear, and damage caused by you or your contractor.
- After the DLP: HDB still investigates; if the cause is the contractor’s workmanship or design, HDB rectifies it, otherwise the owner pays.
HDB flat or private home: how the DLP compares
| New HDB flat (BTO) | New condo or EC from a developer | |
|---|---|---|
| DLP | 1 year from key collection | 12 months, generally from vacant possession (or shortly after TOP if earlier) |
| Who you report to | Building Service Centre in your project | Developer or its appointed defects team |
| Fix timeline | Agreed with the BSC; repairs often take under two weeks | Expected within one month of written notice |
| If repairs are not done | Escalate through the BSC and HDB | After notice, the owner may engage a contractor and claim the cost from the developer |
| Common property | Town council handles common areas | MCST raises common-property defects with the developer |
How to inspect: a step-by-step afternoon
- Bring the kit: painter’s tape or sticky notes, a torch, a phone charger for testing sockets, a coin or small rod for tapping tiles, a spirit level and a pail of water.
- Go room by room: walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, then fittings. Mark each defect with tape so it can be found again.
- Tap the tiles: a hollow sound can mean poor bonding underneath.
- Test water: run every tap, flush every toilet and pour water on bathroom and balcony floors to check it drains to the trap without pooling.
- Open and close everything: windows, doors, locks, gates; check that windows latch properly.
- Test sockets and switches and check the distribution board.
- Photograph and list: each defect with location and a clear photo, then submit the list in writing and keep a copy.
Do this before renovation. Once your contractor has hacked, tiled or painted over an area, it becomes hard to prove that a crack or leak came from the original construction. Our guide to HDB renovation rules and permits covers what comes next.
What counts as a defect, and what does not
Typical defects include cracked or hollow tiles, wall cracks, uneven plastering, ponding water, leaking pipes or windows, doors that do not close, faulty sockets and stained or chipped fittings. HDB treats some differences as normal: colour variations in floor tiles or timber and small differences in grout lines are part of the material, not a defect. A leak or crack that appears within the year is still covered even if it was not visible on key day, so report it as soon as you see it.
After the year is up
The DLP ending does not mean you are alone. MND has said that HDB investigates issues reported after the DLP: where the cause is contractor workmanship or design, HDB rectifies it; where it is wear and tear or maintenance, the owner pays. For a private home, defects that surface later may still give rise to a legal claim, subject to time limits, so speak to a lawyer if a serious problem appears. Remember too that HDB’s compulsory fire insurance covers fire damage, not construction defects.
The WahLiao Verdict
Book the inspection for the week you collect your keys, and do not let anyone start hacking until your defects list is in. Keep everything in writing, with photos and dates, and diarise a second walk-through about a month before the DLP ends to catch anything that has crept in. Paying for a professional inspector is optional; a patient afternoon with tape and a torch catches most of what matters.
Questions people ask
Can I report defects more than once?
Yes. Your first list is the big one, but you can report new defects at any point during the one-year DLP.
Should I hire a professional defects inspector?
It is your choice. Inspectors bring tools such as moisture meters and thermal cameras, which help in larger homes; many owners do well on their own with a careful checklist.
My contractor damaged something. Is that covered?
No. Damage caused by your renovation is your contractor’s responsibility, not the developer’s or HDB’s. That is another reason to report defects before work starts.
Does a resale flat have a DLP?
No. The DLP protects the first buyer of a new home. For a resale flat, inspect before you exercise the option to purchase; see our guide to the HDB resale process.
Sources: HDB, defects inspection guide for new BTO flats; MND, defects after the DLP; Singapore Legal Advice, DLP under the private sale and purchase agreement. Your own sale and purchase agreement or HDB key collection documents govern. The Address explains; it does not advise.
Read next: HDB Renovation Rules: Permitted Hours, Noisy Works and Permits · Executive Condominiums Explained · Back to The Address
For what’s worth it this week, with the bill shown, read The WahLiao Week.
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