The Inspection That Protects Your Capital
Snagging is the pre-handover inspection of a newly built unit: you walk the property, document every defect, and submit the list to the developer before you sign the handover certificate, release the final payment and take the keys. It is the last moment your leverage is at its highest.
A 'snag' is a workmanship or finishing defect. A paint run, a misaligned door, a chipped tile, a leaking tap, an air-conditioning unit that never reaches its setpoint. That is a different category from a structural defect, which is covered by the warranty law in Chapter 05. Snagging catches the finishing faults that a developer will fix for free before you accept, and charge you to fix after.
Here is the point that costs buyers the most money. Snagging is not a statutory requirement, so no one forces you to do it. But signing the handover certificate without inspecting means accepting the unit as-is. Once you have signed and paid, the developer's incentive to fix quickly collapses, and you are chasing a defect list from the weakest possible position. The inspection is cheap. Skipping it is not.
From Completion Certificate to Keys
The handover of a Dubai off-plan unit follows a defined sequence. Knowing the order tells you where your snagging inspection sits, which is between the handover notice and the final payment, and why the timing matters so much. Once you have paid and signed, several of these steps become irreversible.
Walls, Doors, Windows and Floors
Work room by room and system by system. This is compiled best-practice guidance corroborated by professional snagging firms, not a legal standard, so treat it as a thorough checklist rather than a code. Start with the fabric of the unit: the surfaces you see and the openings you use every day.
| Area | What to check |
|---|---|
| Walls, paint, ceilings | Even coverage, no runs, roller marks, patchiness or colour mismatch; no cracks, dents, bubbling or damp staining; skirting flush; no gaps at wall-to-ceiling junctions; ceiling free of sagging or stains around fittings |
| Doors and windows | Doors open, close and latch smoothly, aligned in the frame, no scraping; handles, locks and hinges work; keys provided and working; windows seal; no cracked glass; rubber seals intact; no drafts or daylight gaps |
| Flooring | Tiles level, no lippage, cracks or chips; consistent grout lines; no hollow or drummy tiles; no loose, scratched or stained tiles, laminate or marble; skirting continuous; room-to-room transitions flush |
These three areas produce the majority of a typical snag list, because they are the finishes most exposed to rushed work at the end of a build. A hollow-sounding tile or a door that will not latch is quick to record now and slow to argue about later.
Kitchen, Bathrooms, Electrical and HVAC
Now the systems, where a missed defect costs the most to put right after you have accepted. Run the water, test every socket, and hold the air-conditioning to its setpoint before you sign anything.
| System | What to check |
|---|---|
| Kitchen | Cabinets aligned, doors and drawers open and close, soft-close works; countertops sealed, no chips; splashback intact; sink drains freely, no leaks under the unit; tap pressure adequate; any supplied appliances powered and working; extractor runs |
| Bathrooms, plumbing, water pressure | Taps and showers run hot and cold with consistent pressure; all drains clear quickly with no backflow; WCs flush and refill; no running cistern; no leaks under basins or behind the WC; sealant clean and continuous; water heater works; floor falls to the drain, no pooling |
| Electrical, sockets, DB board | Every socket and switch tested and live with a socket tester; lights and dimmers work; distribution board correctly labelled; RCD trip test works; no exposed wiring; outlet count matches the plan; intercom, video doorbell and smart panel operational |
| AC, HVAC, cooling | Each zone cools to setpoint, thermostat responds; no unusual noise; no water leaks or condensation drips from units or grilles; filters clean and installed; even airflow across all vents; fan coil units or ducted splits working per zone |
| Joinery and wardrobes | Built-in wardrobes aligned, doors close, shelves and rails secure; no chips, scratches or veneer lifting; handles fitted; mirrors mounted level and secure |
| Balcony and external | Balustrades secure and to height; glass panels intact; balcony floor drains, no pooling; waterproofing sound; sliding-door track clean and running; external glazing uncracked; drainage outlets clear |
| MEP and snag report | Cross-check mechanical, electrical, plumbing and drainage as one integrated system; professional firms add thermal imaging, moisture detection and water-pressure testing; compile a written, photo-documented list, then re-inspect (de-snag) to confirm each fix before final acceptance |
Your Warranty Does Not End at Handover
A snag list handles the finishing faults you can see. This is what handles the serious defects you cannot, and it is the part of the process that most protects your capital. Two separate legal regimes run in parallel.
First, the developer owes you a direct statutory warranty under Article 40 of Dubai Law No. 6 of 2019 on jointly owned real property. It has two periods with two different start dates. The developer is liable for 10 years for structural defects, foundations, load-bearing walls, columns and slabs, and that clock starts from the date of the completion certificate. Separately, the developer is liable for 1 year for defective installations, the mechanical, electrical, sanitary and sewerage works, and that clock starts from the handover of your unit. If you refrain from taking possession, the 1-year installations clock runs from the completion certificate instead. This warranty cannot be contracted away; any agreement to waive it is void.
Second, and separately, the contractor and the supervising engineer carry decennial liability under the UAE Civil Code: 10 years of strict liability for total or partial collapse or any defect that threatens the building's structural safety. It runs from delivery of the works, attempts to exclude it are void, and a claim must be brought within 3 years of collapse or discovery. This currently sits at Articles 880 to 883 of Federal Law No. 5 of 1985, re-enacted at Articles 821 to 824 of Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025, which comes into force on 1 June 2026.
Who Is Liable, For What, and For How Long
The two regimes overlap but reach different parties. For a buyer, Article 40 against the developer is the first and simplest lever. The Civil Code decennial route is the additional path that reaches the contractor and engineer directly when a structural safety defect appears. Here they are side by side.
| Developer (Art 40, Law 6/2019) | Contractor & engineer (Civil Code decennial) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who is liable | The developer, directly to the unit owner | The contractor and the supervising engineer, jointly |
| What it covers | 10-yr structural; 1-yr installations (MEP, sanitary, sewerage) | Total or partial collapse, or any defect threatening structural safety |
| How long | 10 years structural; 1 year installations | 10 years from delivery of the works |
| When the clock starts | Structural: completion certificate. Installations: handover | Delivery of the works (typically the taking-over certificate) |
| Fault needed | Statutory duty to repair or replace defects | Strict liability, no need to prove fault |
| Can it be waived | No. Any waiver is void | No. Any exclusion or limitation is void |
| Claim window | Within the relevant liability period | Within 3 years of collapse or discovery of the defect |
Activating Utilities and Closing the File
With the certificate signed and keys in hand, two small pieces of admin remain: energising the unit and finishing the title-deed transfer. As an owner you activate the electricity and water account with DEWA under the Activation of Electricity and Water (Move-in) service, using your title deed and Emirates ID. Ejari is for tenants, not owners, so you do not need it.
Budget a refundable security deposit of roughly 2,000 dirhams for an apartment or 4,000 for a villa, plus a small supply activation fee, and expect power within about 15 working hours of payment. Treat these figures as the widely published standard and confirm the current amounts on the DEWA portal, since they are set by the authority and can change.
On the title-deed side, if the 4 percent DLD registration fee was paid back at the Oqood stage, there is no second 4 percent at handover. Only a title-deed issuance fee of about 250 dirhams, a map fee of about 250, and minor admin apply, and conversion typically takes 4 to 8 weeks. Confirm the current fee schedule on the DLD or Dubai REST platform at the point of transfer.
From Withholding Acceptance to the Courts
If the developer drags on defects, you have a clear, escalating path, and it starts with the leverage you hold before you sign. Work it in order. Each rung is cheaper and faster than the next, and most disputes resolve well before the top.
- Withhold acceptance. Do not sign the handover certificate blind. Your strongest position is before signing and before final payment. Record every snag in writing first. Signing without recording defects means accepting the unit as-is.
- Send a formal written complaint to the developer. Attach the dated, photo-documented snag report and reference the developer's Article 40 warranty obligation. Put the duty in writing.
- File a RERA or DLD complaint via Dubai REST. RERA is the regulatory arm of the DLD. There is generally no filing fee; an initial response typically comes within about 5 business days, with mediation aiming at resolution inside roughly 60 days.
- Escalate to the DLD Real Estate Disputes Center. If mediation fails, take it to the DLD's dispute-resolution body. Contractual disputes there commonly resolve within about 3 to 6 months.
- Litigate in the Dubai Courts, or arbitrate if the SPA provides for it. The final route, for compensation, enforcement or rescission. For structural defects you can also pursue the Civil Code decennial claim against the contractor and engineer.