The Home Documents Worth Keeping — an Australian Checklist

Keep the documents that prove what the home contains, what changed, who did the work and how each system should be maintained. The most useful home file combines primary records—contracts, approvals, invoices and warranties—with a simple owner-maintained timeline.

You do not need to scan every piece of paper. Keep records that reduce cost, uncertainty or delay when something breaks, an insurer asks a question, a trade needs a specification or a buyer wants to understand past work.

Which purchase and ownership documents should you keep?

• The signed contract, settlement statement and title or strata records supplied by your adviser.
• Building, pest, survey and specialist reports you are entitled to retain.
• Keys, access devices, alarm instructions and utility connection details.
• A copy of the property report and the date each external data source was checked.

What renovation and approval records matter?

Store the final approved and as-built versions, not just early drawings. Link each invoice or warranty to the room, system or renovation it concerns so it can be found without remembering a supplier name years later.

• Approved plans, permits, certificates and consultant reports.
• Builder and trade contracts, variations, invoices and payment records.
• Before, during and after photographs, especially before walls or floors close over services.
• Product schedules, finish selections and the final as-built changes.
• Warranties, defects correspondence and completion dates.

What should be recorded for appliances and home systems?

• Brand, model and serial number.
• Purchase and installation date.
• Installer and service contact.
• Warranty expiry and proof of purchase.
• Manual, filter or consumable type, and recommended service interval.
• Repair history and the date a unit was replaced or removed.

What insurance records should you keep?

Keep the current policy schedule, product disclosure statement, renewal notices, valuations used for specified items and material correspondence about coverage. Keep claims records and invoices for completed rectification. Do not assume an old policy proves current coverage.

At each renewal, confirm the building description, occupancy, sums insured, exclusions and relevant hazards directly with the insurer. A home record helps you prepare; it does not interpret or replace the policy.

How long should home records be kept?

Keep core ownership, approval and major-work records for as long as you own the property and pass appropriate copies to the next owner. Warranty, tax, insurance and dispute records may have specific legal or practical retention periods, so obtain advice for your circumstances.

When replacing a document, mark the old one as superseded instead of presenting it as current. Retain enough history to explain a change without confusing the person reading it later.

How do you build a useful digital home logbook?

1. Start with the address and core property details.
2. Create records for important systems, rooms, materials and appliances.
3. Forward or upload current policies, warranties, manuals and invoices.
4. Add dates and reminders only after checking the source document.
5. Review the record at renewal, after major work and before selling.

A good home file is not a scrapbook. It is a compact evidence trail that helps the next decision happen faster and with fewer guesses.

This checklist is general information. Legal, tax, insurance and warranty retention requirements vary; obtain advice where the consequence matters.