Defects Liability Period (DLP): what to check on your Lifts before the DLP ends

When new Lifts are installed, or old ones modernised, the contract usually includes a defects liability period: a set time after handover, usually 12 months from practical completion, during which the installer must fix defects at its own cost.

It is the owner's best protection, but it is often wasted because nobody checks the Lifts properly before it ends. Defects that appear after that may be the owner's problem, especially if you have moved from the installation contractor.

Why it matters for lifts

Many Lift defects don't show at handover. Adjustments drift and components bed in, and some faults appear only under real traffic. The defects liability period exists so that the installer fixes those problems. Once it expires, the same work may become a repair invoice or a claim under the maintenance contract.

6 months

before the period ends: the latest to hold an independent audit. Earlier is better, while the builder is still involved

When to book the audit

Book an independent audit early, in the first months after handover, while the builder still has leverage over the installer. That leaves time to issue the defect list, have the installer fix each item and re-inspect before expiry. Hold it at least six months before the period ends, so there is room if an item is disputed.

What the audit looks for

• Ride quality and levelling under real use
• Door operation, protection and timing
• Safety devices and test records
• Workmanship in the machine room, liftwell and pit
• Items left incomplete at handover
• Documentation: manuals, drawings, test certificates and log books

Door adjustment, levelling drift, noise, faulty fixtures and incomplete handover documentation are all typical of what an end-of-period audit turns up.

Getting defects fixed

1. Issue the defect list formally before the period ends, and quote the contract clause.
2. Agree a completion date for each item.
3. Re-inspect and sign off each item.
4. Keep records in case any item is disputed.

Notify before expiry

A defect notified after the period ends may no longer be the installer's cost. Get the list in before the deadline, even if the fixes run past it.

New apartment buildings

In a new strata building, the developer usually hands the Lifts to an owners corporation that may not know the period exists, or when it ends. Asking the developer for the handover documents early makes the audit straightforward. Committees in their first year should ask the strata manager when the Lift defects liability period ends, and book the audit early. See lift services for owners corporations.

Support for the whole defects liability period

The first year after handover is often the most demanding for a new Lift, because teething problems cause disruption just when owners and tenants expect perfection. LML's Defects Liability Period Managers Assistance Package (DLP-MAP) supports owners from day 1 (practical completion) to day 365. It includes:

• Quarterly meetings with building management and the Lift contractor, with minutes
• Monthly breakdown reports from the contractor, reviewed for trends and concerns.
• Certification of any chargeable invoices for work the contractor says falls outside defects liability maintenance
• Direct access to an LML consultant for questions as they arise

Defects commonly found at the end of the period

Every installation is different, but end-of-period audits often find:

• Door operation that needs adjusting: timing, closing force, noise or reopening
• Levelling that has drifted as the Lift beds in
• Noise or vibration in the car or adjoining spaces
• Faulty fixtures: indicators, buttons, lighting or the emergency phone
• Incomplete documentation: manuals, drawings or test certificates still to be supplied
• Minor damage to finishes from the construction period

What owners often miss at handover

The defects liability period starts at handover, which is also when owners are least likely to be checking. The Lifts are new and look good, and everyone is relieved the project is finished. These items are easy to miss:

• Incomplete documentation: manuals, wiring diagrams, test certificates and spare parts lists
• Temporary fixes left in place after commissioning
• Items deferred at handover and never followed up
• Training for building staff on emergency procedures

A defects timeline

1. At handover: agree a list of any incomplete items and the dates to finish them.
2. In the first months: hold the independent audit and check early issues, such as door adjustment and levelling, while the Lifts settle in.
3. At least six months before expiry: issue the formal defect list.
4. Before expiry: have the installer complete each item.
5. After expiry: re-inspect each item and sign it off. A re-inspection once the period has closed is often worth doing.

Keep the retention until the list is closed

Where the contract holds back a retention or security, don't release it until the defect list is closed.

Questions people ask

How long is the defects liability period for lifts?

It is set by the installation or modernisation contract, and is typically 12 months from practical completion. Some Lift Contractors offer longer.

Who pays for the defects audit?

Usually the owner. The audit costs little compared with fixing defects after the period ends.

What if the installer won't fix a defect?

Go back to the defects clause in the contract. An independent audit report is strong evidence if the installer disputes the item.

Talk to us about a defects audit

LML Lift Consultants audits new and modernised lifts before the defects liability period ends and tracks every defect to completion.

Book a defects audit or call 1300 001 565.