Settlement and early ownership
The final inspection: complete checklist
What to check against your contract and original inspection notes in the week before settlement — and exactly what to do if you find a problem.
- You're entitled to inspect the property at any reasonable time during the week before settlement.
- The purpose is narrow: confirm handover condition matches the contract, not to renegotiate the whole deal.
- If you find a problem, document it and contact your conveyancer immediately — don't agree informally with the agent or refuse to settle without legal advice.
- Confirm vacant possession or continuing tenancy, every inclusion, and agreed repairs are actually complete, not just promised.
When and why
You're entitled to inspect the property once, at any reasonable time during the week before settlement, under General Condition 9 of the standard Victorian contract of sale (Consumer Affairs Victoria, verified 29 Jul 2026). The purpose is narrow and specific: confirm the property is being handed over in the condition the contract requires, not to renegotiate the deal. Bring the contract, your inclusions and exclusions list, your original inspection photos, any building-report notes, and a phone or camera.
This right, and its timing, differs by state
Every state's standard contract gives buyers some form of pre-settlement inspection right, but the window and its conditions genuinely differ. NSW's standard contract gives a narrower 3-business-day window (with a second inspection generally available if repairs were negotiated) (JB Solicitors (NSW law firm), verified 13 Aug 2026). WA's right is more conditional: the seller must grant one inspection within 5 business days of the possession date, but only to check the seller has met their specific contractual obligations — if the contract places no obligations on the seller, there may be no contractual right to inspect at all (Houspect WA (building inspection firm), verified 13 Aug 2026). Queensland's standard REIQ contract gives a similar right generally exercised a few days before settlement, though published summaries of that contract don't specify an exact number of days the way NSW and WA do (Cozee Law (QLD conveyancing firm), verified 13 Aug 2026) — confirm the precise window with your conveyancer rather than assuming it matches another state. SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the NT also provide for a pre-settlement inspection in their standard contracts, but Delora hasn't yet found a public source stating their exact timeframe with enough confidence to cite a specific figure — ask your conveyancer for the precise window in those jurisdictions.
What to check outside
New damage since your original inspection; the roof and gutters from ground level; fencing and gates; the garage; landscaping and any included plants or structures; rubbish removed if the contract requires it; a pool's condition and equipment; and any included sheds, water tanks or solar equipment still present.
What to check inside
Walls, floors and ceilings for new damage; windows, doors and locks; lights and power points; taps and drains; hot water and heating /cooling; every included appliance actually present and apparently working; smoke alarms; and any visible new leaks.
Handover items to confirm
Vacant possession where the contract requires it, or that a continuing tenant remains where the property is sold subject to a lease; every inclusion listed in the contract is still there and excluded items are removed; agreed repairs are actually complete, not just promised; and — separately from the physical inspection — that you know how keys, remotes, access cards, alarm codes, manuals and warranties will be handed over on settlement day.
If you find a problem
- Photograph and record it immediately, with the date.
- Don't agree informally with the agent about a fix or a price adjustment.
- Contact your conveyancer or solicitor immediately, not after settlement.
- Let them advise whether to request rectification, seek an adjustment, delay settlement, or proceed — this decision has real legal and financial consequences and isn't one to make on the spot at the property.
- Don't refuse to settle without legal advice — the contract may not give you that option even where a real problem exists.
Worked example
A buyer's final inspection finds the dishwasher listed as an inclusion is missing, and a new crack has appeared in a bedroom ceiling since their original inspection. They photograph both, note the time, and call their conveyancer before settlement rather than raising it directly with the agent. Their conveyancer contacts the seller's representative in writing, and the missing dishwasher is resolved by a price adjustment; the ceiling crack is assessed as new and minor, and settlement proceeds with the seller agreeing to a small holdback pending repair.
Practical checklist
Final inspection checklist
- Bring the contract, inclusions list, original photos and any building-report notes
- Check exterior: new damage, roof/gutters, fencing, garage, landscaping, pool
- Check interior: walls, floors, windows, taps, appliances, smoke alarms, new leaks
- Confirm vacant possession (or continuing tenancy) and every inclusion is present
- Photograph and date anything new or missing, and call your conveyancer before settlement
Questions for a professional
- I found [specific issue] at the final inspection — what are my options before settlement?
- Can settlement be delayed, or should we proceed with an adjustment or holdback?
Official resources
Sources and methodology
- Before property settlement — Consumer Affairs Victoria (retrieved 29 Jul 2026)
- Final Inspection Before Settlement NSW: What Every Buyer Must Check Before Moving In — JB Solicitors (NSW law firm) (retrieved 13 Aug 2026)
- Pre-Settlement Inspections in WA - What, Where Why and How — Houspect WA (building inspection firm) (retrieved 13 Aug 2026)
- Your Pre-Settlement Inspection Guide — Cozee Law (QLD conveyancing firm) (retrieved 13 Aug 2026)
Figures on this page are drawn from Delora's local knowledge graph, refreshed from these primary sources and checked for changes on a regular schedule. If a figure here looks out of date, the official source above is always the authority — please let us know.