Mastering the VEFA Handover

Your Four-Step Journey to Handover

The final stage of your purchase follows a clear, legally defined sequence. Understanding each step in advance means no surprises — just a smooth path to receiving your keys.

This is Your One Chance to Get it Right

The visite de livraison is not a celebratory tour of your new home — it is a formal legal inspection. This is the moment you officially take possession of the property, record any defects, and set the terms for what the developer must fix.

Do not let the beauty of the property distract you from the job at hand. Walk in like a professional, not a proud new owner.

The Golden Rule: If it's not written on the Procès-Verbal (PV), it is much harder to enforce later.

Three Terms You Need to Know

Handover day has its own legal vocabulary. Knowing these three terms will ensure you communicate precisely and protect your rights.

• Faire des réserves — To formally record a snag. This is the legal act of noting a defect during the inspection visit and having it written onto the official handover document. Verbal complaints do not count — only written réserves carry legal weight.
• PV de livraison (Procès-Verbal) — The official signed handover document. This is the legal record of every defect noted during the visit. Both you and the developer sign it. Everything written here is the developer's formal obligation to fix.
• Levée des réserves — The formal sign-off once the developer has remedied the listed defects. You inspect the repairs, confirm they meet the required standard, and formally release each réserve.