Construction - Managing a Defects Liability Period

The DLP clock starts at practical completion. If you followed the Construction - Managing Practical Completion workflow, the PC date, DLP end date, and retention balance are already in the job record - confirm them now before defect tracking begins.

Raise the first 50% retention invoice same day as the PC certificate. Separate invoice from the main contract sum - triggered by the certificate, not a client request.

Create a defects register with fields for date reported, description, location, reporter, priority, assigned resource, response deadline, and status.

Log every defect notification within 24 hours. Assess contractor liability vs exclusions (wear and tear, client misuse, manufacturer faults) before assigning.

For contractor-liable defects: raise a repair works order linked to the job, assign resource, and confirm attendance date to the client in writing within 48 hours.

Capture work completed, materials used, and dated photograph via eForms App on each repair visit. Obtain written client sign-off before leaving site.

30 days before DLP end: review defects register, chase any outstanding items, and notify client of any remaining visits required.

At DLP end: confirm in writing that all notified defects are resolved and formally request the Certificate of Making Good Defects under the relevant contract clause.

On receipt of the Defects Certificate: raise the final 50% retention invoice immediately, sync to accounting, close the job record, and reconcile sub-contractor retention.

The PC date gets recorded in the job notes but the DLP end date is never calculated or logged anywhere - the retention release deadline passes without a Defects Certificate request being made.

Defects are reported by phone and email but never entered into a central register, so it's impossible to demonstrate at DLP end that every notified item was resolved.

Repair visits happen but the operative leaves without written sign-off, giving the client grounds to withhold the final retention by claiming defects were never formally closed out.