Buying a Bali villa: the water due-diligence checklist

Include water in the handover

Arrange a water-system review early enough to investigate unanswered questions. Keep legal entitlement, physical condition, water testing and maintenance cost as separate review items. Use appropriate local professionals for legal and technical advice.

Request a document folder

• Supply arrangements and any relevant agreements.
• A diagram of source, tanks, pumps and treatment.
• Equipment models, invoices and warranties.
• Service records and water reports.
• Operating instructions and supplier contacts.

Walk the complete route

Ask the seller or manager to identify each source and storage point. Find the shutoffs, access panels and equipment labels. Note which parts are shared with other properties and who can authorize or pay for work.

Commission your own assessment

Give an assessor the records and your intended occupancy pattern. Agree the inspection scope, sampling locations and exclusions in writing. Do not assume a seller’s older test represents conditions at completion.

Ask about operating costs

Request documented consumable and service requirements. Ask about parts availability, downtime and who handles faults. Separate known recurring costs from an assessor’s estimates and record the date of each quotation.

Prepare the handover checklist

Assign an owner to every unresolved item. Keep instructions for guests or tenants separate from technical maintenance documents. Establish a procedure for water interruptions and changes in appearance or taste.

Close the loop

After agreed remedial work, obtain installation records and any recommended commissioning checks. Store them with the property documents rather than relying on a message thread. Begin a due-diligence water check, and read the villa system guide.