Free resource for new committees

The Developer Handover Checklist for New Committees

Taking over a building from the developer is a lot for a volunteer committee with day jobs. This checklist lists what to ask for, check and set up, section by section, so nothing important slips. Tick items as you go, share it with your fellow committee members, and bring in a qualified professional wherever the law or money is involved.

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📜Documents & approvals

Ask the developer for copies (and see originals where possible). Keep one indexed set.

Occupancy Certificate (OC) for every building or wing, and the Completion Certificate (CC) where issued
Commencement certificate and all sanctioned building plans, including any revised or amended plans
Title documents for the land, plus the title search or title certificate the developer relied on
Society or association registration certificate and the bye-laws adopted
Conveyance status: has the land and building been formally transferred to the society? If not, note the timeline and ask a professional about conveyance or deemed conveyance
Project registration details with the state real-estate regulator, if the project was registered
List of all flat and shop owners with agreement dates (kept privately by the committee)
Layout approvals for parking, open spaces and amenities, showing what is common and what is allotted

📐As-built drawings

What was actually built, not just what was planned.

Architectural as-built drawings for every building
Structural drawings and the structural stability certificate
Plumbing, drainage and water-tank layouts
Electrical single-line diagrams, panel and cable routes
Fire-fighting layout: hydrants, sprinklers, pumps and alarm zones
Soft copies (PDF or CAD), not just paper

🛠️Warranties & AMCs

For each system: the vendor, contact, warranty end date and AMC terms.

Lifts: warranty, AMC, last inspection and lift licence or certificate
DG sets: warranty, AMC, running-hours log and fuel arrangement
STP / WTP: operating manual, AMC, recent water-test reports
Fire systems: pumps, sprinklers, alarms, extinguishers, with service records
Water pumps and tanks: warranty, AMC and cleaning schedule
Other equipment: CCTV, intercom, boom barriers, solar, EV chargers, gym and pool equipment
Waterproofing and façade guarantees, if any were given

💰Accounts & deposits

Money matters most to residents. Get it in writing.

Statement of maintenance collected from each owner, and how it was spent
Maintenance corpus or deposits collected: total amount and transfer to the society's account
Sinking fund and repair fund balances, if collected
Society bank account opened, signatories agreed, funds transferred
Outstanding dues from owners, and any dues owed by the developer for unsold flats
Pending bills, vendor payables and refundable utility deposits
An audit of the developer-period accounts, by an independent auditor

⚡Utilities & meters

Common-area electricity connections transferred to the society's name
Water connections and any tanker arrangements, in the society's name
Meter numbers and opening readings recorded on handover day
Piped gas, internet and telecom arrangements for common areas
Property tax status for common areas and any pending payments

🔥Fire safety

Fire NOC copy and its validity or renewal date
Equipment check: extinguishers, hydrants, sprinklers, alarms and their service dates
Fire exits and staircases clear, lit and signposted
Evacuation plan displayed, fire wardens named, first mock drill scheduled
Records of any periodic fire audits that must be filed

🔧Snag list process

One shared list of defects, with photo, location and date for each
Common areas and individual flats tracked separately
Agreed timeline with the developer for fixing each item
Re-inspection and sign-off by the committee before an item is closed
Note any defect-liability period and when it ends

👷Staff & vendor contracts

List of all staff and agencies: security, housekeeping, gardening, technicians
Copies of contracts, rates, notice periods and end dates
Statutory compliance of agencies (for example, labour registrations) checked
Decide which contracts to continue, renegotiate or retender

🔑Keys & access

Keys for meter rooms, terrace, pump rooms, lift machine rooms, clubhouse and stores
Access cards, remotes and software logins (CCTV, intercom, access control) handed over
Passwords changed after handover, and a key register started
Parking allotment list and stickers

📅First-year calendar

Put these on one shared calendar with an owner each.

First committee meeting, roles agreed (chair, secretary, treasurer, sub-committee leads)
First general body meeting and its minutes
Building insurance in place, and the renewal date
Registrations, filings and returns that apply to your society, with due dates
Annual statutory audit appointed
AMC and licence renewals (lifts, fire, DG, STP)
Elections calendar, as per your bye-laws

🤝Working with the FM

Your facility manager runs the building; the committee sets direction and keeps track.

Scope of services agreed in writing, with response times
A monthly report format: open issues, closed issues, costs, upcoming renewals
One committee owner for the FM relationship, so requests don't come from five people
A shared list of resident concerns the committee has passed to the FM, with dates
A regular review meeting (monthly works well)

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