Handover of a New-Build Apartment in Serbia: What to Check Room by Room

In Serbia, the handover of a new-build apartment from the developer is called primopredaja. At this appointment you sign the handover record (zapisnik o primopredaji), receive the keys and take possession of the apartment. Anything that is not written into the record on that day is hard to enforce later. This article is therefore deliberately a pure checklist: which documents to request, what to test in each room and how to record defects so that they hold up. For how buying from a developer works overall and which payment plans are common, see Buying a New-Build Apartment in Belgrade: Why a German-Speaking Contact Makes the Difference.

Why the handover carries so much legal weight

The Serbian Law on Obligations (Zakon o obligacionim odnosima, ZOO) sets clear and short deadlines for purchases. Under Art. 481 ZOO, the buyer must examine the item after handover in the customary way and report visible defects within eight days. If the examination takes place with both parties present, objections regarding visible defects must be raised immediately, otherwise the right is lost. That is exactly the situation at a primopredaja: you and the developer's representative walk through the apartment together. A crack that was visible and is not in the record will, in case of doubt, be treated as accepted.

Hidden defects are covered by Art. 482 ZOO: they must be reported within eight days of discovery, and the seller is in principle only liable for defects that appear within six months of handover, unless the contract provides for a longer period. On top of that, there are two longer layers of protection:

How these warranties apply to the developer under your specific purchase contract varies from one contract to another. Please have a lawyer confirm this on the basis of your contract before the handover. In practice this means: the more complete the record, the less you will later depend on deadlines and questions of proof.

Before the appointment: documents to request

A few days before the handover, ask the developer in writing for the following documents. Many developers only provide them on request.

• Occupancy permit (upotrebna dozvola) with its number and date. Without it, the building is formally not approved for use, and the final registration in the cadastre is delayed.
• Specification of fittings (specifikacija opreme) from the purchase contract or its annex. It is your benchmark for floors, tiles, windows, sanitary fittings and doors.
• Floor plan with area schedule for each room. In Serbia, building areas are calculated according to the standard SRPS U.C2.100:2002. Check which coefficients the contract uses to count balconies, loggias or terraces.
• Warranty documents and operating manuals for built-in appliances such as the air conditioning, hot water boiler, intercom or roller shutters.
• Energy performance certificate (energetski pasoš) for the building, which forms part of the technical documentation for new builds.
• Evidence on the electrical installation, for example a test report on insulation resistance and earthing. Please ask the developer whether such a report is handed over separately for your unit.

Also bring tools: a laser distance meter, a spirit level or straightedge, a socket tester, a simple moisture meter, a torch, a bottle of water for the balcony test and a smartphone with a camera that stores the date and time of each photo.

The inspection room by room

Re-measure the areas

Measure every room with the laser and note the figures directly on the floor plan. Purchase prices often refer to an area that includes a proportion of balconies or terraces. What matters is the comparison between the net area per room in the contract and what you actually measure. Small deviations due to plaster thickness are normal. If a room deviates significantly, record the measurement in writing and refer to the contract clause on area deviations, if there is one. The basic difference between gross (bruto) and net (neto) square metres is already explained in the linked article on buying a new build; here the focus is only on the check on handover day.

Walls, ceilings and screed

Shine the torch along walls and ceilings at a low angle. This makes unevenness and fine cracks visible. Hairline cracks in the plaster where ceiling meets wall are common in new builds and are often repaired after the first heating season. Record them anyway, with a photo and their location.

Pay particular attention to damp. New builds in Belgrade often only dry out fully during the first winter. Use the moisture meter in room corners, on external walls behind where furniture will later stand and in the bathroom. Dark edges, a musty smell or peeling paint are warning signs. If the floor covering has not yet been laid, check the screed for evenness with the straightedge and ask whether a residual moisture measurement is planned before parquet is laid.

Windows, balcony and terrace doors

Open, tilt and close every window several times. The sashes must not rub, the handles must move easily and the seals must sit tight all the way round. Look for scratches in the glass and damaged frames; after handover, such damage is readily dismissed as caused by moving furniture.

On the balcony, check the fall: pour out water and watch whether it runs towards the drain or the edge and not towards the door threshold. Check the joint between the floor covering and the facade as well as the threshold of the balcony door. Leaking joints at this point are one of the most common causes of later damp damage in the apartment below or in your own living room.

Electrical installation

Test every socket with the tester and every light switch. Open the distribution board (razvodna tabla) and check whether the circuits are labelled and whether a residual current device (RCD, known locally as a FID switch) is installed. Press its test button: it must trip immediately. Note where the cooker connection is and whether it suits the hob you plan to install. Test the intercom (interfon) with a second person at the building entrance, as well as the doorbell, roller shutters and, where applicable, the pre-installed lines for air conditioning units (predinstalacija za klimu).

Bathroom, kitchen and water

Run water at every tap for a few minutes, hot and cold. Pay attention to the pressure, to noises and to whether the water drains away quickly. Use the torch to look under the washbasin and behind the toilet panelling to see whether traps and connections stay dry. Tap tiles at random: a hollow sound indicates missing mortar behind them. Check the silicone joints in the shower for gaps and the fall towards the floor drain. Compare the make and model of the sanitary fittings with the specification of fittings, because a switch to a cheaper product is a typical point of dispute.

Heating and ventilation

Many new builds in Belgrade are connected to district heating (daljinsko grejanje); others have their own heat pumps or gas boilers. Ask to be shown how the heating in your apartment is controlled and billed, and note whether there is a heat meter for each apartment. If the handover takes place outside the heating season, the heating often cannot be tested under load. Note this explicitly in the record, stating that the functional test of the heating will be carried out later.

Doors, storage room, basement and parking space

Check the front door (closing, locking, number of keys) and all interior doors. Inspect the storage room (ostava) or basement compartment and any parking space you have bought: do the number and location match the contract? Can the parking space actually be used as drawn on the plan, without columns getting in the way of getting in and out?

Meter readings and utility providers

On handover day, photograph all meters with the meter number clearly legible: electricity, water and, if present, heat meters or gas meters. These readings belong in the record. They mark the point from which you bear the consumption costs. Clarify in whose name the customer accounts with the utility providers are held (electricity via Elektrodistribucija Srbije and EPS, district heating in Belgrade via Beogradske elektrane) and how they will be transferred to you. Please have the documents each provider requires for this confirmed locally, as the procedures have changed several times in recent years.

How to record defects properly

A good record describes each defect individually, with the room, exact location, photo number and a clear demand, for example "Bedroom window, left sash rubs, adjust". General wording such as "minor defects present" will not help you later. Agree a deadline for the repairs in the record and make sure you receive a signed copy.

Do not sign a record stating that the apartment was accepted "without defects" if you have found defects. How to follow up on the repairs afterwards is covered in a separate article on tracking defects after the handover.

If you cannot travel yourself

Many foreign buyers are not in Serbia on handover day. The primopredaja can then be carried out by an authorised representative; the form and scope of the power of attorney are covered in a separate article. What matters is that this person actually works through the checklist, delivers time-stamped photos and sends you the list of defects for approval before signing. Exgentum handles such handovers for English-speaking owners in Belgrade: Marin goes through the apartment with you by video call or on the basis of the photo documentation, and the record is drawn up in two languages. If you want to let the apartment afterwards, you will find the next steps in All-Inclusive Rental Management for New-Build Apartments in Belgrade.

Whether a new build is the right choice in the first place is weighed up in New Build or Older Apartment in Belgrade: Pros and Cons Compared. The entire purchase process, from reservation to registration, is described in Buying an Apartment in Belgrade: A Step-by-Step Guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can I refuse the handover if I find defects?

For minor defects, it is usual to take over the apartment and list the defects in the handover record with a deadline for repair. For serious defects that prevent use, such as a missing water or electricity connection, refusal may be an option. Whether it is justified in an individual case should be assessed by a lawyer on the basis of your contract.

How long do I have to report defects that only appear later?

Under Art. 482 ZOO, hidden defects must be reported within eight days of discovery. For the structural soundness of the building, the ten-year liability under Art. 644 ZOO applies, with notice within six months of discovery. Always report defects in writing and in a way you can prove.

Does the occupancy permit have to be issued by the time of handover?

Ideally, yes. A handover without an upotrebna dozvola does happen in practice, but it means that the building is not yet formally approved for use and the final registration of your ownership will be delayed. In that case, ask for written confirmation of the status of the procedure.

Is it worth hiring an expert for the handover?

For a typical apartment, a thorough checklist and an experienced companion are usually enough. If there are noticeable cracks, damp or doubts about the electrical installation, it makes sense to bring in a licensed engineer who records their findings in writing.

What do I do about defects in the common parts?

Defects in the stairwell, on the facade or on the roof affect all owners. Record them in your own handover record anyway and pass them on to the owners' association (stambena zajednica) as soon as it has been set up, so that they can be raised collectively with the developer.