The handover of a new build apartment is the culmination of several months—sometimes several years—of waiting since signing the VEFA (off-plan) reservation contract. It is also a legally decisive moment: the day the keys are handed over conditions your rights to repairs, triggers the countdown for legal warranties, and marks the exact moment you officially take possession of the property.
In Marseille, where new build developments are multiplying and delivery times vary by developer, fully understanding what happens on key handover day—and how to prepare—makes all the difference between a peaceful move-in and months of procedures to get defects corrected.
Before handing over the keys to the buyer, the developer carries out the work acceptance process with the architect and construction companies. It is at this stage—defined by Article 1792-6 of the French Civil Code—that the developer officially accepts the completed structures, with or without reservations.
This acceptance report (procès-verbal de réception) is the starting point for all legal warranties: perfect completion, biennial, and decennial warranties. The acceptance date is recorded in the authentic deed of the VEFA sale and on the report that the developer hands to the buyer.
Handover, or key delivery, is the moment the developer officially transfers your apartment to you. On this date, you take possession of the premises, start paying co-ownership charges, and begin the period during which you can report visible defects to activate the perfect completion warranty.
The remaining balance—generally 5% of the total amount—is paid to the developer at handover, except in the case of major reservations that allow for this sum to be escrowed.
Marseille new build developments typically show delivery times between 18 and 36 months after signing the deed of sale at the notary's office. Delays are frequent in the construction industry, linked to weather conditions, material supply strains, or administrative appeals.
In Marseille, some East Marseille new build developments have recorded delays of 12 to 24 months relative to their initial contract timelines. These delays directly impact the buyer's financing plan: extending the interim interest period, and delaying move-in or rental placement.
Regularly monitoring the construction progress and maintaining contact with the developer helps anticipate these timelines.
The handover report (procès-verbal de livraison) is the document signed in the presence of the developer or their representative on key delivery day. It lists all anomalies, defects, and non-conformities found during your walkthrough. This document is essential: only the reservations written here—or notified within the following 30 days—are covered under the perfect completion warranty.
Any visible defect not reported within this period can only be covered by the biennial or decennial warranty depending on its nature, which involve more restrictive activation procedures.
The handover inspection walkthrough must be methodical and exhaustive. The delivered property should be systematically compared with the technical specifications annexed to the reservation contract: living area, number of rooms, outlet locations, equipment, finishes, and materials.
Priority checkpoints include the sealing of windows and the terrace or balcony, the proper function of all installations (shutters, locks, intercoms, water heaters, heat pumps), the quality of interior finishes (tiling, paint, baseboards), the absence of humidity or signs of leaks, and the conformity of shared facilities (parking, elevator, common areas).
For buyers who lack the technical expertise to evaluate the quality of a new home, hiring an independent structural or building surveyor to attend the handover walkthrough is a highly recommended precaution.
This professional knows the specific vigilance points of new construction, knows how to read plans and specifications, and identifies defects that could go unnoticed by a non-specialist. Their cost—generally between 300 and 600 euros depending on the size of the property—is negligible compared to the savings they can generate by catching defects before they worsen.
If defects were not detected during the handover walkthrough—either because they were not immediately visible or because the inspection was conducted under pressure—the law grants a 30-day window from the key handover to report them to the developer.
These additional defects must be notified via registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt, precisely describing each issue along with its location in the home. After this 30-day period, visible defects will no longer be covered by the perfect completion warranty and must be reported through alternative channels.
In the presence of major defects or significant non-conformities, the buyer can escrow the remaining 5% balance with a notary or a financial institution rather than paying it directly to the developer. This sum remains blocked until all reservations are fully resolved.
Escrowing is a powerful legal mechanism that encourages the developer to address reservations quickly, as they do not receive the balance until the remedial works have been completed and approved by the buyer.
After handover, monitoring the clearance of reservations can sometimes stretch over several weeks or months, depending on the nature of the defects and the developer's responsiveness. It is recommended to keep a copy of the handover report and all communications with the developer, formalize every follow-up in writing, and issue a formal default notice to the developer if resolution times prove excessive.
On handover day, several documents must be given to the buyer: the keys to the property and common areas, the signed handover report, the maintenance and technical file (DIUO) listing equipment and their datasheets, the co-ownership rules along with the building's maintenance log, and user manuals for all installations.
Before moving in or renting out the property, several insurance policies must be taken out. Comprehensive home insurance is mandatory for tenants and highly recommended for owner-occupiers. Non-occupant owner insurance (PNO) is indispensable for investors renting out their property—it covers damage you might cause to third parties or the building itself, even in the absence of a tenant.
The handover of a new build apartment is a step that is prepared well in advance, not just on key delivery day. Our real estate agency in Marseille supports our clients in preparing their handover walkthrough, reviewing their contractual specifications, organizing technical assistance if required, and following up on the clearance of reservations until their full resolution. This continuity of support, reaching far beyond the initial transaction, is what distinguishes a lasting agency relationship from a mere commercial intermediary.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
