You've accepted the keys. You've signed the handover certificate. Now, weeks or months later, you're finding defects — a shower that leaks, a ceiling crack that keeps growing, a door that has started sticking, or external water pooling toward the building after heavy rain. What can you do?
More than you might think. Queensland's domestic building legislation provides layered protection that extends well beyond the handover date. Here are your options in order of immediacy.
Option 1 — The 12-Month Defect Liability Period
If you are within 12 months of your practical completion date, you are still within the defect liability period — your strongest and most immediately actionable protection.
The defect liability period runs for 12 months from the date you accepted practical completion of the home. During this period, your builder is legally obligated to rectify defects notified to them in writing. The obligation covers workmanship defects and items not built in accordance with the approved plans, the QBCC Standards and Tolerances, or Australian Standards.
What to do. Notify the defects to your builder in writing — email to the site supervisor and construction manager. Include photographs of each defect and a clear description of the issue. State that you are providing formal defect notification under the building contract and require a written response within 10 business days confirming the rectification schedule.
If the defect involves waterproofing failure, structural cracking, or any element that may be worsening, notify immediately. Do not wait.
Option 2 — Commission a Warranty Inspection
If you want an objective and comprehensive assessment of all defects that have emerged since handover — rather than just the ones you've noticed — commission a warranty inspection from VG Inspect.
A warranty inspection systematically assesses the home against the QBCC Standards and Tolerances and identifies every defect that has developed or become apparent since handover. The report documents each finding with photographs and QBCC clause references — providing documented compliance evidence that your builder must engage with.
A warranty inspection report is significantly more effective than a list of items you've personally noted. It provides the evidence base for formal builder notification, QBCC complaint, or legal action if escalation is required.
Option 3 — QBCC Complaint
If your builder refuses to acknowledge defects, disputes them without providing counter-evidence, or fails to rectify within a reasonable timeframe, lodge a complaint with the Queensland Building and Construction Commission.
The QBCC complaint process is free and accessible at qbcc.qld.gov.au. QBCC assesses complaints, inspects properties where required, and has the power to issue directions requiring builders to rectify defects. Your inspection report is your primary evidence — the more detailed and clause-referenced it is, the stronger your complaint.
Ready to book your inspection? A VG Inspect QBCC-licensed inspector attends every job.
Book an InspectionOption 4 — Structural Warranty Beyond 12 Months
If you are beyond the 12-month defect liability period but within 6 years and 6 months of practical completion, you may still be able to claim under the structural warranty for significant structural defects.
The structural warranty covers defects that affect the structural integrity of the building — cracking in structural elements, foundation movement, or defects in load-bearing components. This is a narrower right than the 12-month period but can result in builder rectification for serious structural issues discovered years after handover.
Book a warranty inspection before your 12-month defect liability period expires. The 10-month mark is the optimal timing. QBCC licence 1318443.
