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Buyer Guides5 min read·

Snagging Your New Home in Dubai: Handover Checklist for Off-Plan Buyers (2026)

Collecting the keys to a new off-plan home? What snagging is, what to check room by room, and how to get the developer to fix defects.

AF
Al Firouz Team
Al Firouz Real Estate · ORN 25623

When an off-plan home is finished, the developer invites you to handover. Before you accept it, you (or a snagging company) inspect it for defects — this is called snagging. It is your best chance to get problems fixed at the developer's cost.

Before the inspection

  • Read the developer's handover letter — what you must pay and bring
  • Check the final payment and any service charges due
  • Bring your SPA, floor plan and the promised specification
  • Bring a torch, a phone charger (to test sockets), a tape measure and masking tape to mark defects

    • What to check

    Walls, ceilings and floors

  • Cracks, uneven paint, damp patches
  • Chipped or hollow-sounding tiles, gaps in grout and skirting

    • Doors and windows

  • Open, close and lock smoothly; seals and glass undamaged

    • Kitchen and bathrooms

  • Taps, drains, showers — run water and check for leaks under sinks
  • Silicone sealing, cabinet doors and drawers

    • Electrical

  • Every switch, socket and light; the distribution board labelled

    • AC and water heater

  • Cooling in every room; thermostat works; water heater heats

    • Measurements and spec

  • Room sizes and finishes match the floor plan and specification you bought

    • Recording defects

    Photograph each defect, mark it with tape, and list it on the developer's snagging form. Keep a copy signed by the developer's representative.

    After handover

  • Agree a timeline for the developer to fix the list, then re-inspect
  • New homes usually come with defects liability cover from the developer for a period after completion — ask what yours is
  • Register for DEWA and cooling — see [DEWA for new tenants](/blog/dewa-connection-new-tenants-dubai) (owners follow similar steps)

    • Planning to rent your new home out? Read our [landlord guide](/blog/landlord-guide-renting-out-property-dubai). Thinking of buying off-plan? Start with [buying off-plan in Dubai](/blog/buying-off-plan-dubai-guide).

    #snagging#off-plan#handover#buyerguide#dubai
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