Dubai Property Handover and Snagging Checklist
Inspect the contracted Dubai home, document defects, confirm completion and payment requirements, and obtain advice on contract-specific remedies.
Prepare before the appointment: Review the SPA, specification, handover notice, contractual payment schedule and registration documents. Ask for applicable completion/occupation approvals and the process for inspection, keys, utilities and title registration. Do not assume title must already be issued or that every final instalment is the same percentage.
Room-by-room inspection: Check walls, floors, windows, doors, locks, cabinetry, appliances, water pressure, drainage, signs of leaks, cooling, accessible sockets, balconies and railings. Use a qualified inspector for safety-critical or specialist tests. Inspect common areas and allocated parking where access is permitted.
Create an evidence-based snag list: Record each defect by room and location, with photographs, date and a description. Compare the delivered fittings and dimensions with the contract. Send the list through an acknowledged developer channel; agree the inspection and rectification process rather than expecting a fixed number of defects or guaranteed saving.
Signing and payments: Read acceptance and waiver wording. Ask for unresolved items and promised work to be recorded in writing. Obtain legal advice before refusing handover, withholding an instalment, signing under protest or accepting a waiver; these choices can have contractual consequences.
Warranty and escalation: Ask for the applicable defect, equipment and structural liability periods, their start dates and how to report issues. Contractual warranties and statutory liability are not identical. Do not assume a blanket one-year all-defects or five-year MEP warranty, or that every structural claim is against the developer alone. Preserve evidence and obtain project-specific legal advice; contact the competent authority for the appropriate dispute route.
Is professional snagging compulsory? Confirm any contractual requirement. A qualified inspection may help, but the price, scope and number of defects found are not fixed.
What if defects are not repaired? Keep dated evidence and acknowledged reports, review contractual remedies, and seek legal advice and the competent authority’s dispute guidance. A complaint does not guarantee compensation or a completion deadline.
Last reviewed 2026-10-19 by PropertyConnect Editorial
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