New House Defect Checklist: A Print-and-Carry Guide

Bring these

• Phone for photos. Charger to test sockets.
• Masking tape to mark defects, notebook or defect app to log them.
• Marble or small ball to check floor level.

Living areas and bedrooms

• Tap floor tiles for hollows. Look at edges for chips.
• Check walls and ceilings for hairline cracks and damp.
• Every door and window opens, closes, locks smoothly.
• Every socket and switch works. DB labels correct.

Bathrooms

• Run every tap and flush every toilet.
• Water drains fully (a slow drain hints at slope issues).
• No leaks under sinks or behind shower walls (look after rain).
• Silicone seals are continuous and clean.

Kitchen

• Worktops level. No chips at the joins.
• Tap and sink drain properly. Hood vents outside, not into the ceiling.
• Tall cabinets aligned. Doors open without scraping.

Outside and exterior

• Driveway and walkway tiles secure, not loose.
• Roof gutters clear, no obvious staining on eaves.
• Boundary walls and gates align and operate properly.

Document and submit

Photograph every defect with a location note. Send the list formally to the developer within the DLP. Keep a copy. Written, dated records are what get repairs actually done.