What to look out for when taking possession and moving into your new home in India.

All the construction linked payments to the developer are done and its that time when you have been asked to come over, visit your newly built home in India and take possession. Its a pretty exciting day for you and your family and you get to the site on time. The key is turned and your agent or the developer's bloke there shows you inside. Its that one blissful moment which will remain etched on your mind for a lifetime. But, its also your hard earned money and you deserve its worth. Sadly, India is a country where a quality and impeccable finish is a BIG deal. You can say that again. Also, there are a few minor teething in problems associated with a new home. Here are a few dummy tips to ensure that things are going right for you:

1) Check all the locks installed in your home. Thoroughly check the locking and unlocking mechanisms three times for each lock installed. Try them with the doors open first so you are not locked in due to a faulty lock, crying for help, which may take hours to arrive.

2) Check the floor tiles thoroughly for cracks, chips, uneven laying and most importantly, colour mismatches. The best time to go into your newly finished home is in the morning when the sunlight is abundant and you don't miss a flaw.

3) Check the toilets next. Ensure all the fittings and fixtures are soundly attached, colour matched and the wall and floor tiles are up to your satisfaction. Check if the washing machine space is for real and can accommodate your washer. We have seen our fair shares of holes in the wall that can't fit in a mini bar. Check if the false ceiling is finished to your satisfaction.

4) Check the kitchen fittings next. The sink, the kitchen top and the tiles on the dado and the kitchen floor. Check for cracks, colour mismatches and chips. Ensure that the gas pipeline is done or there is a proper puncture in the slab for your gas hose pipe to be passed from the cylinder to the hob!

5) Check the walls next. Waves on the POP finish, hairline cracks, uneven plastering, spots of mold and damps.

6) Check the electrical fittings. MCBs, switch gear, plugs, AC points and starters, cable tv, intercom and LAN access points. ensure that they are as promised to you in the specifications page of the agreement.

7) If you had suggested internal changes, check if these have been actioned and finished to your satisfaction.

8) Drive over to your allotted parking space. Back in and take out your car to ensure that the space is ample and ingress and egress is comfortable.

Sign out the last possession money cheque only after you are satisfied. Remember that once you have signed out the cheque and signed the possession documents, any request for correction that you notice may or may not be entertained. Be firm. It is your money and you deserve the best. If the site dude is not authorized to take your request for rectifications, meet the higher authority at the developer's office to get things sorted out. We live in a country where a good job does not happen by default. Your first home inspection is very critical. Take your time. You are going to be living there for a long time! Cheers!