Picture a One Stanley owner this weekend. You paid for the flat. Now the news says there is an investigation into suspected steel reinforcement problems in the building.

Then the developer rings with good news. Six-year structural warranty. Free independent inspections. Lovely.

Let me walk you through what that actually is. A warranty is a promise to fix something later. The developer is offering that promise before anyone has said publicly what, if anything, needs fixing. It is like a restaurant handing you a voucher for the stomach pills while the kitchen is still being checked.

The free inspection is the better part. Someone independent looks at your flat. Fine, good, do it. But think about who is paying for it. The developer. Hong Kong buyers have heard "independent" before, and they will want to know who picked the inspector.

Here is the number to repeat at lunch: six years. That is how long the promise runs. A flat is the biggest thing most families here will ever buy, and it comes with a mortgage that runs a lot longer than that.

The timing matters too. The CK Asset building fiasco has people calling for a tougher inspection regime. So the city is asking who was checking the steel in the first place. The developer's answer is to offer more checking, afterwards.

Honestly, I would take it. If the developer wants to pay for a stranger with a torch to look at my walls, I say yes and I keep the paperwork. If you live there, put the offer in writing and keep every page.

The probe is still open. The warranty clock and the investigation are now running at the same time.