NovShow unit vs delivered property in Cambodia
A show unit sells the feeling of the future apartment, but it is not always the contractual specification. If furniture, appliances, brands, ceiling height, materials or layout matter, put them in the SPA annex, signed specification or handover document, not only in the brochure.
Create an identity record for the show unit
Record the project, building, showroom floor or location, layout type, viewing date and finish-package name. State whether it matches the selected apartment's plan, orientation, area, height, windows, balcony and service points. Where it has no unit number, identify it as a non-unit display sample.
Ask the seller to list the differences in writing: oversized furniture, removed doors, mirrors, lighting, upgraded materials, appliances, decoration and items excluded from the price. An observation in the showroom belongs only to the identified sample and does not carry to the selected apartment without a link to the signed specification.
What Carries Weight
| Source | Use | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Render | Visual idea of the project | Not delivered condition |
| Show unit | Sales sample and atmosphere | Staging, upgrades and furniture package may differ |
| Brochure | Marketing, layouts and general promise | May include disclaimers and may not be contract evidence |
| Signed annex | Contract evidence for materials, area, brands and inclusions | Details and substitutions must be checked |
| Handover record | Actual acceptance of delivered unit | Late to dispute if clean acceptance is signed without defects |
What to Put in the Annex
- Floor plan with unit number and area basis.
- Finishes schedule: floors, walls, ceiling, doors, windows.
- Furniture and appliance list with brands/models where promised.
- Ceiling height and balcony/window details.
- Substitution clause: equivalent by what standard and who approves.
- Photos or sample board references if they are intended to bind.
Area and height need a pre-agreed measurement method
The annex should state the area basis, measurement boundary, treatment of walls, columns, balcony and service recesses, final measurer, acceptable record and issue date. For ceiling height, identify the measurement from finished floor to finished ceiling and treatment of beams, suspended zones and service bulkheads.
RICS says the selected measurement basis should be documented, while IPMS promotes consistent level-by-level measurement and reporting. These are international methods rather than Cambodian law. The SPA should state the effect of a discrepancy: price adjustment, permitted variance, remeasurement right and remedy for a material difference.
Give every observed item one of five states
Mark each element as included in the base contractual delivery, a paid upgrade, showroom staging only, retained property of the seller or operator, or unconfirmed. Apply this to furniture, appliances, lights, curtains, mirrors, built-ins, decoration, storage systems and balcony equipment.
The state needs a reference to a specific SPA or signed-annex clause. An absent item should not be assumed included, while optional does not state the price, ordering deadline or compatibility with the selected unit. A changed package needs a new specification version, with the earlier one retained as superseded.
Equivalent substitution needs a controlled change process
The seller should provide a written comparison of the original and proposed item, reason, manufacturer, model, key performance, appearance, warranty, price and schedule effect, and compatibility with the other systems. The buyer or appointed adviser needs a review period where the change is material.
Create one substitution record containing a photograph or sample of the original item, both technical data sheets, dimensions, performance, material grade, maintenance, warranty, compatibility and impact on other promised features. The approval and updated specification should be signed before a material substitute is installed; the seller’s procurement price does not by itself establish equivalence for the buyer.
Material samples need an identity
Where a photograph, sample board or physical sample is intended to define delivery, give it a number, date, manufacturer, model or technical description and identify the relevant room and surface. Keep an overall image and close-up beside a neutral reference, but do not make a photograph the only colour standard because camera, screen and lighting alter appearance.
For stone, timber and other naturally variable materials, define the grade, dimensions, finish, minimum performance and acceptable visual range rather than colour alone. A sample without an identifier and annex reference remains illustrative even if the buyer saw it in the sales office.
Equivalent Substitution
A developer may want the right to replace a brand, model or material with an equivalent. The buyer needs to know who decides equivalence, whether refusal is possible, whether the price changes and what remedy applies if the delivered item does not match. This pass found no universal Cambodia-wide rule; it depends on the SPA.
At Handover
Compare the delivered unit against the signed annex, not memory of the showroom. If there are differences, record them in a defect list with photos, deadlines and responsible party before clean acceptance.
Handover has four different outcomes
For every item, distinguish: conforms to the signed specification; has a visible defect; is the wrong promised material, dimension or model; or could not be inspected because access, connection or safe conditions were unavailable. An uninspected area is not marked clear.
Cambodia's Civil Code requires the seller to deliver property conforming to the contract and expressly addresses a difference from a sample or model held out by the seller. The specific remedy still depends on the SPA, evidence and legal review. Record the location, photographs, required outcome, responsible party, deadline and effect on acceptance or final payment.
A visual handover does not confirm concealed systems
A light, tap or air conditioner working during the visit proves only momentary operation. It does not establish design capacity, wiring safety, concealed leakage, waterproofing, internal connections, fire-system integrity or structural quality. Do not open secured panels or apply force without permission and the relevant specialist.
RICS describes a home survey as visual, requires inaccessible areas and limitations to be identified, and observes services under normal operation without testing them. The standard is used here to define inspection limits. Refer a concern to the relevant engineer rather than closing it through an informal buyer test or a short video.
Close discrepancies through a separate evidence file
For every item, retain the contractual basis, original sample or claim, image of delivered work, notice date, seller response, agreed remedy, reinspection and closure evidence. Where the buyer accepts money or retains the difference, document that outcome without treating it as automatic acceptance of every other issue.
A clean handover, qualified handover, warranty claim and later rectification are different records. A concealed defect that appears later should not be treated as closed merely because it was not visible at handover; the applicable notice, time limits and remedies require review under the SPA and current law.
Seen a showroom? Send the brochure and SPA annex. We will help identify what is actually included and what remains a sales presentation.
Contact usTelegramTake the quizFAQ
Does a show unit automatically become the contractual specification?
No. We could not confirm a rule that a show unit automatically becomes the contractual specification for every purchase. Important items should be moved into the SPA annex, signed specification or handover document.
Can a brand or material be substituted with an equivalent?
Equivalent substitution is a contract issue. Check who decides equivalence, whether the buyer can refuse, whether price changes and what remedy applies if the delivered item does not match.
What should the unit be compared against at handover?
Compare the delivered unit against the signed annex, specification and handover records, not against memory of the showroom or a marketing render.
Sources
Brochure and price-list materials · the contract-clause library · defects and warranty materials · NovAsia comparison of the show unit and delivered property · checked July 7, 2026. A universal show-unit binding rule and a universal equivalent-substitution rule were not verified. This information is for general orientation and is not legal advice.