Snagging

A snag is a defect or a piece of incomplete or poor-quality work: a cracked tile, a door that does not close, a leaking trap, an air-conditioning unit that does not cool, missing sealant, a faulty socket. Snagging is the inspection that finds them, carried out when the developer invites you to view the finished unit before or at handover.

The result is a snag list, which you submit to the developer. The developer's contractor works through it and invites you back for a second inspection, known as de-snagging.

Most buyers are better served by a professional snagging company than by doing it themselves. Inspectors test what an owner would not: water pressure and drainage, electrical circuits, cooling output, moisture behind walls using thermal imaging, and the fall on balcony floors. Fees depend on the size of the property and are small against its price. Overseas buyers can instruct an inspector to attend with their representative.

Timing matters. Your position is strongest before you sign the handover acceptance, so inspect as early as the developer allows. That said, accepting the keys does not end the developer's responsibility: under Dubai law it must repair or replace defective installations for one year from handover and remains liable for structural defects for ten years. See defects liability period. Keep the dated list and photographs, and report later defects in writing.