Snagging and handover checklist for a Dubai property

Timing

Snag before you accept the property and before your own contractor starts work. Once works begin, it can be harder to distinguish a developer defect from damage caused by your contractor.

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Climate-related defects

These take months to appear and are expensive once they do. None of them show in a photograph.

Condensation on cold surfaces — window reveals, stone sills, ceiling soffits, walls behind fitted wardrobes; look for damp, tide marks or staining
Mould on the internal face of external walls, especially at corners, lintels and slab edges, and behind built-in furniture
Cold bridges — feel wall temperature at junctions; a noticeably colder patch in a conditioned room will condense in humid weather
Timber movement — gaps in flooring, doors that have swollen or no longer close cleanly, joinery pulled away from a wall
Corrosion on external metalwork — balustrade fixings, external light fittings, terrace door hardware, balcony screens
Sealant failure — perimeter seals at windows and doors, and any external joint that has cracked or debonded
Waterproofing — balcony and terrace falls, drain outlets, staining on ceilings below wet areas

Services — open things and look

The cheapest moment you will ever have to see inside this building.

Extraction actually ducts outside — inspect accessible bathroom and kitchen ceiling panels where permitted; a fan discharging into a void moves moisture somewhere it will condense
Condensate drains are clear and graded — run the air conditioning and watch the drain; ceiling staining below a unit means a blocked or badly graded line
Air conditioning balance — every room should reach temperature; a room that never cools has a capacity or distribution problem, not a settings problem
Return air path — with a door closed and the extract running, air must be able to get in; check for undercut doors or transfer grilles
Electrical distribution — ask a qualified electrician to check board capacity, RCD protection and circuit labelling; do not open or test the board yourself
Water pressure and drainage — test every outlet and every drain simultaneously, and check hot water recovery
Photograph everything inside the ceiling voids before anyone closes them up

Build quality

Worth checking, but these are the defects that are cheap to fix and do not recur.

Floor flatness — a straight edge across large-format tile shows lippage your feet will find within a week
Tile hollows — tap for voids behind tiles, especially at edges and corners; a hollow tile cracks under point load
Grout consistency — colour variation and cracking both indicate a rushed installation or substrate movement
Joinery alignment and edge banding — doors square, gaps even, no lifting edge band
Paint and plaster — rake a torch across every wall in the evening; flat daylight hides undulations
Doors and windows — operation, seals, closers, and whether they stay put when left open
Silicone and sealants — even beads, correct product for the substrate, no gaps at junctions

Handover documents

Check which documents your contract requires before handover and final payment.

Building completion certificate or equivalent final approval
As-built drawings including MEP — these differ from the design drawings in almost every project
Warranties and guarantees, with start dates and the claim process written down
Operation and maintenance manuals for plant, appliances and systems
Finishes schedule confirming what was actually installed, with product names
Serial numbers and model details for air conditioning, appliances and smart-home equipment
A closed defects list signed by both parties, with dates for any outstanding items
Confirmation of the defects liability period and what it covers

Raking light across a plastered wall reveals undulations that flat daylight hides — inspect in the evening with a torch, or on an overcast day.

How to run the inspection

Go in the evening with a torch, or on an overcast day. Raking light reveals surface defects that bright daylight hides.
Work room by room and wall by wall, in the same order every time, so nothing is skipped.
Mark defects on the property itself with tape, and photograph each mark in context.
Run every tap, flush every WC, switch every light, operate every door and window.
Run the air conditioning for at least an hour, then check condensate drains and room temperatures.
Inspect accessible non-electrical panels where permitted; leave electrical equipment to a qualified electrician.
Produce one numbered list with a photograph per item, and require a signed response with dates.

Documents to collect at handover

Ask Trakhees which completion inspection or certificate applies to the permit issued for your work. Ask for as-built drawings specifically — in almost every project they differ from the design drawings, and they are the only record of where services actually run once the ceilings are closed.

Full reasoning for each item is in the snagging and handover guide. If you are buying a resale rather than taking a new handover, read what to inspect on a resale villa first — the priority order is different.

Retention

If your contract includes retention, check its release conditions and dates before final payment. Record outstanding defects and missing as-built drawings in writing, and agree who will close each item.