A socket-by-socket check for key collection, and which electrical faults go on the developer's defect list.
At vacant possession, test every power point with a plug-in socket tester, try every switch and light, press the RCCB test button and check that every circuit in the DB board is labelled. Dead sockets, non-working light points and DB board faults in fittings the developer supplied are defects to list during the 24-month defect liability period. Write each fault down with its room and position, and leave the wiring itself alone: opening a socket or the board is work for a wireman registered with Suruhanjaya Tenaga.
On the day you collect the keys the walls are bare, nothing is plugged in and the developer still owes you the repairs. ClickBina's guide to claiming new-house defects lists dead sockets, non-functional light points and DB issues as defects the developer must fix in fittings it supplied. Once your carpenter has built a wardrobe across a socket, or your own electrician has added points, the developer can argue the fault is not theirs. Test first, renovate later.
Do not bring screwdrivers to open sockets or the board. A tester plugged into a socket checks it from the outside; anything that needs a cover removed is a job for an electrician.
Start at the front door and work clockwise through each room so nothing is missed. Switch each socket on, plug in the tester and read it against the legend. Then plug in the charger or lamp to confirm the socket really gives power. Wiggle the plug gently: a socket that cuts out when the plug moves has a loose contact. Check the faceplate is straight, flush to the wall and not cracked, and that the switch on the socket works. Number every socket on your sketch and tick it or write the fault beside it.
| What you see | What it usually means | What to write |
|---|---|---|
| Tester shows the correct pattern and the lamp lights | Socket is working | Tick it on the plan |
| No lights, lamp stays off, other sockets work | Dead socket or loose connection | "Dead socket" with room and wall |
| Tester shows a fault pattern | Possible wiring fault at that socket | The fault named on the legend |
| Works only when the plug is held | Loose contact inside the socket | "Intermittent socket" |
| Faceplate loose, cracked or not flush | Finishing defect | "Loose / damaged faceplate" |
| A whole room is dead | A tripped or faulty circuit | Check the DB board, then note the circuit |
Try every switch, including two-way switches on the stairs and in long corridors, which should work from both ends. Where a light is fitted, it should come on cleanly without flicker. Where only a capped point is left, note which switch controls it so you know it is live later. Check fan points and the regulator if one is fitted. Look for switches that are loose, crooked or behind a door swing.
The RCCB is the earth-leakage breaker in the DB board, the device that cuts the power if current leaks to earth through a person or a faulty appliance. It has a small button marked T or TEST. Press it: the RCCB should trip at once and the power to its circuits should go off. Switch it back on afterwards. ClickBina's DB box guide notes that Suruhanjaya Tenaga's RCD leaflet says the device needs to be tested at least once a month by pressing its test button. An RCCB that does not trip goes at the top of your list.
| Circuit (ST's examples) | RCD must be at least this sensitive |
|---|---|
| Wet floors and low-resistance locations, including water-heater circuits | 10 mA |
| Where hand-held appliances are or may be used: socket-outlet circuits | 30 mA |
| Other circuits: lighting, fans, air-conditioners | 100 mA |
The figures above are the sensitivities Suruhanjaya Tenaga's domestic wiring guideline sets, as tabulated on the DB box guide. You do not need to measure them; just read the rating printed on each RCCB and note it with a photo of the board.
Open the DB board door (not the cover) and photograph it. Every breaker should have a label telling you what it feeds: lights by floor or zone, socket circuits, each aircon and the water heater. Switch each breaker off in turn and check that what goes dark matches the label. Missing or wrong labels are a defect worth listing, because the day something trips you need to know which circuit it was. Note scorch marks, loose doors or a board that hums.
Air-conditioners, water heaters, ovens and clothes dryers must be on circuits separate from other circuits, under Suruhanjaya Tenaga's guideline as set out in ClickBina's socket placement rules. Check that each aircon point has its own breaker in the board. A water heater must not be connected with a plug and socket; it should be permanently connected with an isolating switch. Kitchen sockets should sit at least 300 mm from the edge of the sink. If you plan to fit aircon units on piping the developer installed, the pre-installed aircon piping check explains which tests to ask for.
| Finding | Developer defect? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dead socket or light point the developer supplied | Yes | List with room and position |
| RCCB does not trip on the test button | Yes | List as urgent |
| Breakers unlabelled or wrongly labelled | Yes | List and photograph the board |
| Aircon point not on its own circuit | Yes | Note the breaker it shares |
| Socket you want moved for your furniture | No | Renovation work, not a defect |
| Fault after your own electrician added points | Usually no | Test before any electrical work |
Anything you or your contractor installed is outside the developer's responsibility. That is why the test has to come before the renovation, and why a dated record of every point matters.
Put the electrical items on the same numbered defect list as the rest of the unit, grouped together so one electrician can attend to them in one visit. For each item give the room, the wall, the socket or switch number from your plan and what failed. Submit the list in writing and keep proof of delivery. ClickBina's handover guide quotes the statutory wording that the developer must make good within 30 days of receiving written notice. To build the list room by room, tick your defects room by room with ClickBina's checklist tool.
ClickBina offers a defect inspection service in KL & Selangor for new homes. We test every socket, switch and light point, press the RCCB test button, check the board labels and the aircon and water-heater circuits, and put the findings on a numbered defect list with photo references, together with the rest of the unit. Electrical rectification must be done by a wireman registered with Suruhanjaya Tenaga. As a whole-house refurbishment contractor, ClickBina coordinates that trade with the rest of the work the developer does not cover. A site visit to price repair works is RM150, waived if you proceed, and it is not the inspection fee. We reply within the hour, we are registered with SSM, and the price we agree is a flat price with no hidden charges.
Methodology: this page tells a homeowner what to check from the outside with a plug-in tester. It is not an electrical test certificate and does not replace an electrician's instrument tests.
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