GUIDE / NEW HOMES IN MALAYSIA
The defect liability period.
Your 24-month window.
Bought a new home from a developer? For a limited period after you collect your keys, the developer is responsible for rectifying defects. Here is how that window works — and how to use it well.
01 / THE BASICS
What it is,
when it starts.
The defect liability period (DLP) is the time after handover during which your developer must repair defects in your new home at no cost to you. For residential properties sold under the standard sale and purchase agreements prescribed under Malaysia's Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act — Schedule G for landed homes and Schedule H for strata units such as condominiums — the period is commonly 24 months from the date you take vacant possession.
"Vacant possession" (VP) is the formal delivery of the property to you — in practice, the day you are notified to collect your keys. The clock runs from then, whether or not you actually move in, renovate, or leave the unit empty.
Your own agreement is the authority: check your sale and purchase agreement for the exact period, deadlines and the procedure that applies to your purchase. Commercial-titled and other non-HDA properties can have different terms.
02 / THE PROCEDURE
Report in writing.
Keep the evidence.
- Document each defect. A written description, its exact location and clear photographs. This is what a professional defect inspection produces for you.
- Submit through the developer's channel. Most developers provide a defect report form or an online portal; your agreement sets out the formal written-notice procedure and timeframes for repairs.
- Keep copies and dates. Retain your submission, acknowledgements and photographs. If rectification stalls, your dated records are what the follow-up discussion rests on.
- Reinspect after repairs. Check rectified items before signing off, and record anything outstanding while your period is still open.
The inspection documents your home's visible condition; it does not decide the developer's obligations. For disputes, the Tribunal for Homebuyer Claims and professional legal advice are the appropriate channels.
03 / TIMING
Why inspecting early
pays off.
Inspect as early as practical after key collection — ideally before renovation or moving in. An early inspection makes it easier to distinguish original construction defects from later damage, leaves the whole period available for follow-up and reinspection, and means renovation contractors start from a documented baseline.
Buying together with neighbours? Several units in the same development can be inspected on coordinated dates — ask about group pricing.
Your window is running.
Send your development, unit type and preferred date — the scope and quotation are agreed before booking.
Plan your defect inspection