Getting the keys to a new condo or terrace house is the start of a clock. Under the standard sale agreements in the Housing Development Act, a new home comes with a defect liability period (DLP) of 24 months from vacant possession. Report a defect in writing during that time and the developer has 30 days to fix it. If it does not, you can have it repaired yourself and recover the cost, including from the retention sum your lawyer holds.
The catch is that you have to find the defects first. Hollow tiles, hairline cracks, uneven floors, water ponding on a bathroom slab and badly fitted doors and windows are easy to miss on a handover walk-through. That is the job a defect inspection firm sells: a team spends a few hours in the unit with spirit levels, tapping rods, moisture meters and, at some firms, thermal cameras, then hands you a numbered photo report you can submit to the developer.
We read the websites of six firms that serve KL and Selangor on 2 October 2026. Only three publish a price. We have listed what each one says it covers and noted where a page looks old.
*Image: Top Property Inspection*
How to choose a defect inspection firm
Ask what the price is based on. Firms charge by built-up area and property type. A condo costs less than a landed house of the same size because there is no roof, porch or external wall to check. BS Expert's table shows the gap: RM400 for a 600 to 2,000 sq ft condo, RM650 for a 1,000 to 2,000 sq ft landed house.
Check who signs the report. Some firms say their inspectors are registered building surveyors, or that a Professional Engineer endorses the report. Others say their staff are trained in CIS 7 or QLASSIC, the CIDB standards for judging building workmanship. A developer is more likely to take a report seriously when it refers to a recognised standard.
Know what is extra. Water ponding tests, water tank checks, electrical tests (earthing, RCD, polarity), roof inspections and drone surveys are often add-ons. BS Expert, for example, charges RM50 per upper-floor toilet for ponding tests and RM100 for the tank area.
Ask for the report format your developer accepts. Many developers now take defect lists through their own app or a set form. Top Property Inspection and HDI Ventures both say they can deliver in the developer's format.
Book a re-inspection. The real test is whether the repairs are done properly. Most firms offer a second visit after the developer's contractor finishes. Ask the price up front.
How to pick
If you want a number before you call, BS Expert's table is the most complete in the Klang Valley, and Top Property Inspection and Perintis Bariz both start at RM300. For a large landed house, expect the bill to land between RM650 and RM950 before add-ons. If you care most about the inspectors' credentials, ask each firm for the name and registration of the person who signs the report, and a sample report. Then book early. A 24-month DLP sounds long, but repairs, re-inspections and disputes take months, and a defect reported in month 23 leaves very little room.
If the developer ignores your list, the next step is the Tribunal for Homebuyer Claims, which hears claims of up to RM50,000 under section 16M of the Housing Development Act. A dated, photographed report from an inspection firm is exactly the kind of evidence that helps there.
