Collecting the keys to a Build-To-Order flat is the moment most people want to start renovating. The more valuable thing to do first is slower and far less exciting: check the flat thoroughly for defects, and report them before any of your own work begins.

Under HDB's Defects Liability Period (DLP), a new flat is covered for one year from the date of key collection, during which HDB will rectify defects in its own building works at no cost to you. But the practical window is much tighter than a year: defects should be reported within the first month, and critically, before you start renovating. Once your contractor has hacked, tiled or built over something, it becomes very hard to show that a crack or a leak was HDB's doing rather than your own works — and you may lose the claim.

So the sequence that protects you is: collect keys, check the flat properly, submit the defects list, let HDB rectify, then renovate.

What a defect is — and what it is not

A defect is a fault in HDB's building work: a hollow or cracked floor tile, a door that does not close, a window that leaks, a tap that drips, a power socket that does not work, uneven plastering, a stain from water seepage. Normal wear, or something you would simply prefer to change, is not a defect. The test is whether the item was delivered not working or not to standard.

Room by room

Every room

  • Walls and ceiling: run your eye along for cracks, bulges, patchy or uneven paint, and any brown water stains.
  • Floor tiles: tap each one with a coin or knuckle. A hollow, drum-like sound means the tile is not bonded and may lift later. Check for cracks and lippage (one tile sitting higher than its neighbour).
  • Doors: open and close fully. They should not scrape the floor, swing on their own, or leave gaps at the frame.
  • Windows: open, close and lock every panel. Check the rubber seals and look for daylight gaps.
  • Power points and light points: test every socket (a cheap plug-in tester costs a few dollars) and every light fitting.

Kitchen and bathrooms

  • Run every tap, hot and cold where provided, and check the water pressure and that it drains away without pooling.
  • Fill the sink and basin, then let them drain, watching for leaks underneath.
  • Flush the toilet several times and check for leaks at the base and cistern.
  • Pour water across the floor toward the floor trap — it should flow to the drain, not collect in a corner. Standing water points to a floor that is not graded correctly.
  • Check the waterproofing and silicone lines around wet areas for gaps.

How to report, and the deadlines that matter

Record each defect with a photo and a note of its location. Submit the list to HDB through the official channel for your project (your Building Service Centre, or the HDB portal). HDB will inspect and rectify genuine defects within the DLP. Keep a copy of everything you submit.

The one-year DLP is the outer limit of the cover. The reason to move in the first month is simpler: it is far easier to prove a defect in an untouched flat, and far harder once renovation is under way.

If you are renovating with an interior designer, a careful one will walk the flat with you before works begin precisely so that nothing HDB should have fixed gets built over. It costs an hour and can save an argument no one wins.

Sources

Figures in this article were checked in October 2026 against the pages below. Schemes, rules and rates change — please confirm the current position before relying on them.

This is general information about renovating in Singapore, not legal advice. GoDesign is not a law firm. For a dispute or anything turning on your specific circumstances, consult a qualified practitioner.