Dubai off-plan snagging: what to agree before you accept the keys

Before you accept the keys to an off-plan flat in Dubai, agree four things in writing with the developer named in your sale and purchase agreement, which is registered with the Dubai Land Department (DLD) through Oqood: when and how the snagging inspection will happen, who may attend, how defects will be recorded, and when you can check the repairs. Treat the inspection, the handover paperwork and your move-in date as separate decisions, because a finished snagging report does not show that every repair is done.

This matters most if you bought from the UK and are planning a short trip around completion. The inspection appointment is often only one step in getting the flat ready. Before you book removals or a long stay, ask the developer for the written sequence that applies to your unit.

What should you ask for before the inspection appointment?

Ask for the inspection date, how you will get into the building and which documents you will be asked to sign. Confirm the unit number and whether electricity and water will be connected so they can be tested. Find out which systems can be demonstrated on the day and what happens if one of them cannot be tested.

If you plan to bring an independent inspector, get the attendance rules in advance. Check what identification, authorisation or other paperwork the developer wants, how much time is allowed and who will accompany the visit. Don’t assume an appointment booked in your name automatically covers a third-party inspector.

Ask the inspector exactly what the service includes. A visual inspection, equipment testing, specialist investigations and checks on hard-to-reach areas are different pieces of work. A useful written quote sets out what will be examined, what is excluded and how the findings will be presented.

How do you turn observations into a repair list?

A good report makes every issue easy to find again. It records the room, the exact position, what was seen and a photo reference. Where something was tested, it says what was tested and what the result was. It doesn’t turn a visible symptom into a confident technical diagnosis without the investigation to back it up.

“Water visible under the basin after running the tap” is a far more useful note than “bad plumbing”. The developer or a qualified specialist can then look for the cause. When a revised list comes back, keep the original report so you can see what has changed.

Which defects matter before you move in?

Ask your inspector to sort the findings into four groups: anything that affects safe use, systems that couldn’t be tested, things that don’t work, and cosmetic finishing. That way you can plan the next steps without treating every scuff on a wall as equally urgent.

Then look at what your own household actually needs. If the air conditioning can’t be demonstrated, a main bathroom is unfinished or access is restricted, ask what has to happen before you can realistically live in the flat. Get technical concerns looked at by the right professional rather than relying on an explanation from the sales team.

A report can also flag missing information, such as an appliance manual, equipment details or confirmation that something has been installed. Put these on the follow-up list too, so they don’t get lost between the inspection and key collection.

What does the official defect mechanism cover?

The Dubai Land Department’s official FAQs describe an escrow retention that is held back to help cover the correction of defects around completion and handover. The rule itself is in Article 14 of Dubai’s escrow law (Law No. 8 of 2007): once the developer obtains the completion certificate, the escrow agent keeps back 5% of the project’s escrow account and releases it to the developer one year after the units are registered in the buyers’ names. That mechanism works at project level, so read it separately from your own payment schedule and handover documents.

If you are thinking about holding back a payment, refusing to sign a document or taking possession with work still outstanding, get advice on your own sale contract and circumstances first. A general snagging checklist can’t tell you the legal consequences of those choices. Ask for the relevant clauses and a written explanation before you act.

For the earlier stages of the purchase, our guide to Dubai off-plan fees, Oqood and escrow covers registration and how your money is protected. This article picks up at the unit inspection and the evidence you need to follow outstanding work through to the end.

How should reinspection work?

Ask how the developer will tell you that repairs are ready to be checked. A message saying “completed” should be compared with the original observation. Where work has been covered over or a system repaired, ask your inspector what evidence or repeat test makes sense.

If you can’t fly back to Dubai, agree who can revisit the flat on your behalf and what authority they need. Ask for a photo of every repaired item, but remember that a photo can’t show whether something actually works. Whoever attends should have the original report and a clear list of what is still open.

Keep a note of any disagreements. If you and the developer don’t agree that an item is fixed, record the observation and their response instead of marking it “closed”. Ask your adviser how open items should be reflected in any document you are about to sign.

How do you plan the move-in date?

Confirm the practical side: access, utilities, keys, appliance documents and any further contractor visits. Ask whether work will carry on inside the flat after you take possession and when the contractor expects to come in. Think about how that would affect furniture deliveries, children or a tenant who is due to arrive.

If you are organising everything from the UK, building in a little flexibility stops several bookings from hanging on one uncertain date. Keep the inspection, reinspection, key collection and removals on one simple checklist, with a confirmation attached to each.

When you compare new-build projects in Dubai, ask about this process before the final handover notice arrives. A clear inspection and follow-up plan is much easier to set up while your travel and move-in dates are still flexible. Our checklist for buying a flat in Dubai from the UK covers the earlier steps.

Frequently asked questions

Can I move in while defects are still being fixed?

It depends on what work is outstanding, whether the flat is practically usable and what the documents governing possession say. Ask your inspector about usability and your legal adviser about the effect of the handover arrangements. There is no single answer that fits every unfinished item.

Does an independent inspection replace the developer’s obligations?

No. An inspection produces observations and evidence. Who is responsible for putting things right, and what handover means legally, are separate questions under the documents and rules that apply. Agree who will respond to the report and how progress will be tracked.

Can someone else attend the snagging inspection for me?

Often, yes, but check the developer’s attendance rules first. Find out what authorisation or identification the person needs, how long they will have in the flat and whether they can sign anything on your behalf.

What should a snagging report include?

For each item: the room and exact position, what was seen or tested, a dated photo reference, the action the developer has proposed, a contact and an expected date, and the result of the reinspection.

Sources checked on 5 November 2026. This guide describes a general inspection process; it is not an assessment of any individual contract or flat.