You have the handover report. What now?
How to send a pre-handover report to your builder, agree a fix list, book a reinspection and keep the paper trail if items are not resolved.
In short: The report is the start of a conversation with the builder. Handled well, most items are fixed before you move in.
Send it in writing
Email the report to the builder's site supervisor or customer service contact and ask for a written response with dates. Keep a copy of everything sent and received.
Safety items first
Anything that affects safety, such as a loose balustrade, should be fixed before you or anyone else lives in the house. Say so plainly in your email.
Agree what is a defect
Most items are straightforward. Where the builder disputes one, the report's reference to the NCC, the contract or the Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2015 usually settles it.
Reinspection
Once the builder says the list is done, a reinspection checks each item against the original report. It is quicker than the first inspection because the list already exists.
If items remain
Write to the builder again, then contact the Building and Plumbing Commission's dispute resolution service (formerly DBDRV). If it reaches VCAT you will need an expert witness report, which is a different document from a handover report.
Keep the report
Statutory warranties run long after handover. Items such as door binding or cabinet gaps can come back, and a dated record of the original condition helps.
Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Ballarat. Licensed building practitioners, Building & Plumbing Commission registration CDB-U 53425.
