Home Repair and Emergencies Guide | Cosmopolitan Projects

Home Repair and Emergencies Guide

Owning a new Cosmopolitan Projects home comes with several built-in checkpoints for repairs and installations: a tick sheet on handover day, installations completed within 5 working days, a 90-day retention window for snags you notice after moving in, a 12-month guarantee for emergency repairs, and up to 5 years of cover for latent defects and structural issues. This guide walks through each stage and how to report an issue at every point.

Your repair and warranty timeline at a glance

StageWhenWhat it covers
Tick sheetDay of key handoverSnag list of visible defects
After-occupation installationsWithin 5 working days of moving inStove, oven, gas bottle, inverter, external tap/drain cover
Retention repairsDay 45–91 after moving inNon-warranty snags noticed after living in the home
Emergency repairsFirst 12 monthsPlumbing, electrical, and roof faults
Quality inspection reportUp to 5 years after handoverLatent defects from workmanship
Structural warranty5 years (NHBRC)Serious structural cracks
Home Guarantee Coverage Overview illustration with an umbrella

Step 1: Your tick sheet (handover day)

On the day you receive your keys, you and your handover specialist complete a tick sheet (also called a snag list) together. Allow at least two hours to inspect your new home thoroughly, checking for everything from major faults (no electricity, no hot water) to minor ones (chipped tiles, small cracks). Once you're satisfied, you'll sign a "happy letter" confirming the handover.

  • Emergencies identified at handover, such as no water or power, are fixed within 72 hours.
  • Minor faults are fixed within 7 working days.

Step 2: After-occupation installations (within 5 working days)

For security reasons, a few items are only installed once you've moved in rather than before handover:

  • External tap and drain cover
  • Stove
  • Gas bottle (where applicable)
  • Oven (if separate from the stove)
  • Inverter (if applicable)

These are installed within 5 working days of occupation, excluding weekends. If 5 working days have passed and installation hasn't happened yet, contact our client care department.

Step 3: Three-month retention repairs (Day 45–91)

The first 90 days in your new home are when hidden issues tend to surface; as you use doors, windows, taps, toilets, showers, and cupboards day to day, you may notice problems that weren't visible during your tick sheet inspection. This is known as the retention period.

What's covered:

  • Non-warranty issues not caused by misuse, such as broken hinges or loose door handles
  • Settlement cracks (common in new homes and generally not a structural concern)

What's not covered:

  • Damage you caused while moving in (cracked tiles, chipped paint, broken windows)
  • Anything not reported within the 90-day window

Your retention timeline:

  • Day 45: You receive an email with a link to your online inspection form
  • Day 80: A reminder email if you haven't submitted the form yet
  • Day 91: A final email confirming the retention period has closed and no further defects can be logged

How it works: Submit your form within 90 days. CDP Construction will contact you to arrange an appointment. You must be available within 7 days of that contact, or your file may be closed. Once repairs are complete, you'll sign off that you're satisfied, and your file closes. After that, upkeep is your responsibility, aside from the warranty items covered below.

Step 4: Emergency repairs (12-month guarantee)

Every new Cosmopolitan Projects home comes with a 12-month guarantee covering emergency repairs to plumbing, electrical installations, and the roof structure, starting from the date your house registration is complete. If your geyser trips the electricity, a tap leaks, or your roof lets in water, scan the QR code in your handover pack to log the request. Our client care team will contact you within 12 hours, and a contractor will complete the repair within 24 to 72 hours (excluding weekends).

What your 12-month guarantee covers

  • Plumbing: the geyser (water heater), water pipes, taps, and valves
  • Electrical installations: the stove (excluding the globe), plugs, wiring, and switches
  • Roof structure

Although everything is tested thoroughly before handover, certain issues, such as a leaking toilet or a leaking roof, may only become apparent after a few months of everyday use. This 12-month warranty covers repairs to these items, provided the fault wasn't caused by misuse or alterations.

What counts as an emergency repair?

  • A geyser that trips your electricity
  • A geyser that doesn't heat water, even though the circuit breaker is on
  • A stove that doesn't work, or that trips your electricity
  • Leaking pipes or taps, which need an emergency plumbing service
  • A leaking roof, which needs roof leak repairs
  • Plugs that aren't working
  • Lights or light switches that aren't working (this excludes broken light bulbs)

How to report an emergency repair

Scan the QR code in your handover information pack or on any notice board in your development. It opens an online form where you can log your request with our client care team.

How long do emergency repairs take?

  • Within 12 hours: Client care contacts you to arrange a contractor
  • Within 24–72 hours: The contractor completes the repair (excluding weekends)

Step 5: Quality inspection reports (up to 5 years)

Beyond the 12-month emergency guarantee, you can request a quality inspection report at any time within 5 years of your key handover. This generally covers latent defects or signs of deteriorating workmanship that point to a problem with the original construction quality.

How it works: You report the issue, a quality inspector assesses it, and you receive a formal report confirming whether the repair will be carried out. If accepted, the contractor contacts you to schedule an appointment. You can request repeat inspections if new issues appear later.

Not covered: general wear and tear, age-related damage, and storm damage. These fall under normal homeowner maintenance.

Structural warranty (5-year NHBRC cover)

Serious structural cracks are covered by a 5-year NHBRC warranty. Hairline cracks and normal settlement cracks are not covered under this warranty (settlement cracks reported within the 90-day retention window are handled as described in Step 3 instead).

What your warranties cover, item by item

ItemCoveredNot covered
Stove1-year warrantyHob glass, oven light bulbs, insect/animal infestation
Geyser1-year warrantyThe geyser element
Roof1-year warranty on leaksStorm damage
Electrical1-year warrantyLight bulbs
Plumbing/drainsClogged drains covered for the first 2 months (silt or debris only)Blockages caused by nappies, wipes, or foreign objects; drain maintenance after 2 months

Large sewer blockages affecting multiple houses fall under your local municipal council's responsibility — report these directly to the council rather than to client care.

You can report a warranty fault at any point during its 1-year period, and emergency faults are always prioritised. All warranties become void if you carry out your own alterations or repairs to the affected system.

What's not covered or becomes your responsibility

  • Damage caused by you while moving in
  • Issues not reported within the relevant window (90 days for retention items, 12 months for emergency items, 5 years for structural/latent defects)
  • General wear and tear, age-related deterioration, and storm damage 
  • Any item you've altered or repaired yourself
  • Repairs after the applicable warranty period has ended

How to report an issue at each stage

You'll receive QR codes and links in your handover information pack, which you can also find on notice boards throughout our developments. These log your fault directly into our system for fast tracking and real-time contractor updates.

StageHow to report
Tick sheetCompleted in person with your handover specialist
InstallationsContact client care if not completed within 5 working days
Retention repairsOnline form sent via email on Day 45
Emergency repairsQR code in handover pack or on-site notice boards
Quality inspection / structuralContact client care to request an inspection

Practical tips for new homeowners

  • Take your time on the tick sheet and go through every room properly before signing off.
  • Don't miss your three-month retention form; it's a once-off opportunity.
  • Know the difference between what's covered by warranty and what's your responsibility.
  • Keep your QR codes, links, and warranty documents somewhere safe for easy reporting.
  • For large water or sewer issues affecting multiple homes, contact your local municipal council.

See our top tips for first-time homeowners for more guidance on settling in. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Cosmopolitan Projects 12-month guarantee cover? 

It covers emergency repairs to plumbing (geyser, water pipes, taps, and valves), electrical installations (stove excluding the globe, plugs, wiring, and switches), and the roof structure, for 12 months from the date your house registration is complete.

What's the difference between the tick sheet, retention form, and quality inspection report? 

The tick sheet is completed with your handover specialist on the day you receive your keys. The retention form covers issues you notice within the first 90 days of living in the home. The quality inspection report can be requested at any time within 5 years and covers latent defects linked to construction quality.

How do I report an emergency repair in my Cosmopolitan home? 

Scan the QR code in your handover information pack or on any notice board in your development. It opens an online form where you can log your emergency repair request with our client care team.

How long does it take for an emergency repair to be fixed? 

Our client care team will contact you within 12 hours of your request to arrange a contractor. The contractor will complete the repair within 24 to 72 hours of the request being logged, excluding weekends.

Is a leaking roof covered by the warranty? 

Yes. Roof leak repairs are covered under the 12-month guarantee, provided the leak wasn't caused by misuse or alterations to the roof structure.

Are broken light bulbs covered? 

No. Broken light bulbs and the stove globe are consumable items and aren't covered. Faulty lights, light switches, plugs, and wiring are covered.

What happens after the first 12 months? 

After the first year, repairs to plumbing, electrical installations, the geyser, the stove, and the roof become the homeowner's full responsibility, aside from what's covered by the 5-year structural warranty or a quality inspection report.

What items are installed after I move in, rather than before handover? 

The external tap and drain cover, stove, gas bottle (where applicable), oven (if separate from the stove), and inverter (if applicable) are installed within 5 working days of occupation, excluding weekends, for security reasons.

Are settlement cracks covered? 

Settlement cracks reported within the 90-day retention period are addressed as part of that process. Hairline cracks and normal settlement cracks are not covered under the 5-year NHBRC structural warranty, which applies to serious structural cracks only.

Will renovations affect my warranty? 

Yes. Any modification to your home's plumbing, electrical systems, geyser, stove, or roof installations will invalidate the guarantee on those items.

When does the 12-month warranty period start? 

The warranty period starts from the date your house registration is complete, not from the date you move in.