Snagging in Dubai: How to Inspect Your Unit Before Handover

Snagging is the inspection you carry out before signing the handover acceptance and collecting your keys. You're looking for every defect while the developer is still clearly responsible for it, and you want each one in writing. I do snagging for my clients, so I'll walk you through how it goes in practice, what to look at, and what Dubai law gives you.

What snagging is and when it happens

A "snag" is a small fault, like a crack, a chipped tile, a door that sticks, a leak or a dead socket. Snagging means walking through the finished unit and writing all of them down.

The order of events is usually:

1. The developer obtains the completion certificate. You can follow the project on the DLD Real Estate Project Status page ↗.
2. A handover notice arrives with the final payment, fees and required documents.
3. You settle the final payment, from your own funds or with a handover payment mortgage.
4. The developer gives you an inspection slot.
5. You inspect the unit and send a snag list.
6. The developer fixes the items, you go back to re-inspect, and then you sign the handover.

Each developer handles this a little differently. The rules are in your Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) and in the handover letter, and it pays to read both before you walk in.

What the law says about defects

The main provision is Article 40 of Dubai Law No. 6 of 2019 on jointly owned property ↗. It sets out two periods:

There's one detail I always point out. If an owner refrains from taking possession for any reason, the one-year period runs from the completion certificate date instead. So putting off handover won't stretch your cover, and it can actually cut into it.

The developer also has money on the line. Under Article 14 of Law No. 8 of 2007 on escrow accounts ↗, once the completion certificate is issued the escrow agent holds back 5% of the total value of the project's escrow account. That amount goes to the developer one year after the units are registered in the buyers' names, which gives them a reason to close snag lists properly. I explain more in my escrow account guide.

Preparing for the inspection

A good handover starts before you get to the building.

• Pull the floor plan and specification from your SPA. You're checking the unit against what was promised: finishes, appliances, layout, number of sockets. Whether you like the look is a separate question.
• Ask the developer ahead of time whether power and water will be on. Without them, half the unit can't be tested.
• Go in daylight. Paint and glass defects are much easier to see in natural light.
• Decide who's attending. That could be you, a representative under power of attorney, your broker, a paid inspector, or some combination.

What to bring

• a phone with a good camera and torch;
• masking tape or stickers for marking defects;
• a phone charger, which is the easiest way to test sockets;
• a spirit level and tape measure;
• a bottle of water to check drains and the slope of the shower floor;
• a printed floor plan.

The checklist

Work clockwise, one room at a time. For each defect, take a photo, put a piece of tape on it and add a line to your list.

Walls, ceilings, floors

• Cracks, stains or water marks on ceilings.
• Uneven paint, drips, patches.
• Tiles with chips, lippage or hollow spots. Tap them, and a dull sound tells you the adhesive is poor.
• Grout that's complete and one colour.
• Skirting fitted without gaps.

Doors and windows

• Every door opens and closes smoothly, and the locks work.
• Windows and balcony doors seal tightly, with gaskets intact.
• Glass free of scratches and cracks.

Plumbing

• Run every tap and check the pressure, the hot water and whether anything drips under the basin.
• Pour water in the shower. It should run to the drain and not sit in a corner.
• Flush the toilets and look at the silicone around basins and tubs.

Electrical and air conditioning

• Every socket and switch. Yes, all of them.
• Lights in every room.
• The AC in each room switches on, cools, and doesn't rattle or drip.
• The distribution board is labelled.

Kitchen and appliances

• If appliances are built in, switch each one on.
• Cabinet doors hang straight and hinges are adjusted.
• The worktop has no chips and the sink doesn't leak.

Balcony and common areas

• Railings are solid with no rust.
• The balcony drain works.
• Have a look at the corridor, lifts and parking as well, since you co-own them.

DIY or a professional inspector

You don't have to hire a snagging inspector. A good one does bring experience from hundreds of handovers, plus tools most buyers don't own. A thermal camera picks up moisture behind a wall, and a moisture meter finds damp in the screed. Neither shows up to the naked eye.

I'd bring in an inspector when:

• the unit is large, say a penthouse or a villa, with many rooms and systems;
• you're abroad and can't come back for the re-inspection;
• you plan to let it straight away, and a leak in the first month would mean a dispute with your tenant.

Doing it yourself is realistic when:

• it's a studio or 1BR in a building where the neighbours have already taken handover;
• you're ready to spend a few hours and go through the whole checklist.

Whichever you choose, the snag list is your document. If an inspector did the walk-through, still read the report and make sure everything you spotted is in it.

Sending the snag list and re-inspecting

Send the list in writing through the developer's official channel, usually a portal or email. For each line give the room, a description and a photo, and keep the whole thread.

The developer fixes the items and asks you back. Go through every line again. Sign the handover once you're satisfied, or once any remaining items are listed in the acceptance document along with the developer's commitment to fix them.

After you get the keys

There's still a bit to do once you have the keys. Usually it looks like this:

1. Utilities. Electricity and water, district cooling, and gas if the building has it. Each provider sets out its own requirements and fees on its website.
2. Service charges. RERA approves annual service charges, and the management company should not claim them before that approval ↗. You can check your project in the Service Charge Index ↗. Your SPA says when your own payments begin. There's more in my service charges guide.
3. Title deed. Ask the developer how and when the title deed is issued after completion.
4. Renting it out. If that's the plan, get the unit ready and start looking for a tenant while the last items are being closed.

The one-year installations period counts from handover. If something breaks during that year, report it to the developer in writing with photos and hold on to the replies.

From my practice. A client bought a 1BR in Seslia Tower through me. After the deal I handled the payments, and when the time came I did the snagging, connected DEWA, cooling and gas, and bought the appliances and textiles. The client flew into an apartment that was ready to live in, and we then found a tenant.

Where buyers go wrong

• Signing on day one. If someone is rushing you, ask for time to do the full inspection.
• Inspecting without power and water. You'll miss half the problems.
• Agreeing things verbally. Without a written list and photos, following up gets difficult.
• Skipping the SPA. The finishes and appliances you were promised are written in the contract. The brochure doesn't count.
• Putting off handover. As explained above, the one-year clock may start running without you.

If you're not in Dubai

Snagging can be done perfectly well without you there. You need someone you trust and a document the developer will accept, usually a power of attorney, though it's best to confirm the exact requirement with the developer. For my clients I attend the inspection myself, send photos and video of every room, and deal with the developer until the list is closed. If you buy off-plan directly from the developer through me, it costs you nothing, and after-sales support such as snagging, utilities and key collection is included. For the bigger picture, see how to buy Dubai property remotely.

The short version

• Snagging gives you the best chance of having defects fixed at the developer's expense.
• Dubai law gives 10 years on structure and 1 year on installations.
• Prepare in advance with the SPA, floor plan, tools, and power and water on.
• Put everything in writing, with photos.
• Don't delay handover without a reason.

Keys coming up and you're abroad, or you'd simply rather not do the inspection yourself? Message me on WhatsApp and I'll explain how I'd run snagging for your unit. Projects currently on sale are in the off-plan section.