Handover and Snagging Checklist for a New Property

Handover is the point where your completed off-plan unit becomes yours to use. Before you sign the handover form and take the keys, you should check three things: that the money side is right, that the unit matches your agreement, and that every defect is written down with a date to fix it. This guide gives you a checklist for each step.

What happens between completion and handover

Completion and handover are related but not the same.

1. Completion certificate. The authorities issue a completion certificate when the building is finished. Under Law No. 13 of 2008, the developer must then enter the completed project in the land register, including registering sold units in the names of buyers who have met their contractual obligations.
2. Completion notice. The developer writes to you to say the unit is ready, usually with a final statement of what you still owe and the handover steps.
3. Final payment. You pay the remaining balance, or your bank pays it if you are using a mortgage at completion.
4. Title deed. Once you have paid in full, the unit is registered in your name in the land register and the title deed is issued. DLD’s sale registration service lists an AED 250 title deed certificate issuance fee. Check your final statement for any registration fees the developer is passing on.
5. Inspection and keys. You inspect the unit, record any snags, sign the handover documents and receive the keys and access cards.

You can follow your project’s progress and payments due in the Dubai REST app.

Before the inspection: documents, final statement, utilities, service charges

Prepare these before the handover appointment:

• Your SPA and its schedules, including the specification list, floor plan and finishes. You will check the unit against them.
• The final statement. Check every line against your SPA and your payment receipts. Query anything you do not recognise before you pay.
• Proof of payment for every instalment.
• Identification, and a power of attorney if someone attends for you.
• Service charge position. Ask whether any service charges are already due on your unit, and from what date. Rates must be approved by RERA, and you can look them up in the DLD / RERA Service Charge Index.
• Utilities. Ask how electricity, water and cooling are supplied. DLD notes that where air conditioning is not metered per unit, cooling charges are usually collected by the developer or the owners’ association rather than a utility provider.
• Unit area. Compare the area in your title deed or completion documents with the net area in your SPA. Under Dubai’s interim register bylaw, the developer must compensate you if the unit is more than 5% smaller than the net area in the contract.

Snagging checklist by room

A snag is any defect or unfinished item. Bring a torch, a phone charger to test sockets, a spirit level app, painter’s tape to mark snags, and a notepad or camera. Take a photo of every snag with a wide shot for location and a close-up.

Walls and ceilings

• Cracks, uneven plaster, patchy or missed paint
• Stains or damp patches, especially near windows and wet areas
• Straight joints and corners

Floors

• Cracked, chipped, hollow-sounding or uneven tiles
• Grout gaps and uneven skirting
• Scratches on wooden or vinyl flooring

Doors

• Doors open and close smoothly and do not rub
• Locks, handles, hinges and door stops work
• Gaps at the bottom are even

Windows and glazing

• Windows open, close and lock
• Seals are complete and there are no scratches or cracks in the glass
• No light visible around frames when closed

Bathrooms and wet areas

• Water pressure and hot water at every tap and shower
• Drains empty quickly, with no smells
• Silicone seals around baths, basins and shower trays are complete
• Toilets flush and refill properly, with no leaks at the base
• Floor falls towards the drain

Kitchen

• Cabinet doors and drawers align and close fully
• Worktops have no chips, and joints are sealed
• Appliances supplied under your SPA are installed and work
• Sink, tap and waste work with no leaks underneath

Electrical

• Every light and switch works
• Every socket works (test with a charger)
• The distribution board is labelled
• Smoke detectors are fitted where shown on the plans

Air conditioning

• Every unit cools and the thermostat responds
• No dripping from indoor units or ducts
• Grilles are clean and fixed

Plumbing

• No leaks under sinks or around water heaters
• Access panels are present and open

Balcony and terrace

• Railings are firm
• Floor drains work
• Tiles and sealant are complete

Common areas and building services

Your share of the building matters too, because you will pay towards its upkeep.

• Lobby, corridors and lifts are finished and working
• Car park bay allocated to you matches your SPA, with access cards working
• Gym, pool and other amenities promised in your SPA are open or have a stated opening date
• Fire exits are clear and signed
• Waste rooms and chutes work
• Intercom and building access work

Defects in common areas are handled by the building’s management entity. Under Law No. 6 of 2019 on jointly owned property, an owners committee may notify the management entity or RERA of defects in structural parts or common parts that need urgent repair.

Recording and submitting snags; re-inspection

1. Write a numbered list with room, description and photo reference for each snag.
2. Submit it in writing through the developer’s handover process, and keep the acknowledgement.
3. Agree a repair date for each item, or for the list as a whole.
4. Re-inspect after repairs. Close each item only when you are satisfied, and carry anything unresolved onto a new list.
5. Keep copies of every list, photo and email. They are your record if a defect comes back.

If you are not in Dubai, a representative or a professional inspector can attend for you. Make sure they have written authority to sign on your behalf, and agree in advance what they may accept.

Defects after handover: what the developer remains responsible for

Some defects only appear after you move in. Law No. 6 of 2019 (Article 40) keeps the developer liable for two kinds of defect in jointly owned property:

• Structural defects: the developer must remedy defects in the structural parts of the building for a set period counted from the date of the completion certificate.
• Defective installations: the developer must repair or replace defective installations, such as mechanical and electrical works and sanitary and sewerage installations, for a shorter period counted from the date the unit is handed over to you. If an owner does not take possession, that period runs from the completion certificate instead.

The law also says these provisions do not reduce any other rights or warranties owners have against developers under other legislation. Your SPA may add its own defects terms.

Separately, the escrow law requires the escrow agent to retain 5% of the escrow account, held back for one year after the units are registered to buyers. DLD describes this as a way to make the developer address defects promptly. It is held for the project as a whole, not as a fund you can claim from directly.

If a unit proves unfit for use because of material construction defects, the implementing bylaw of the interim register law lets a buyer go to court to seek termination of the contract. That is a last resort and needs legal advice.

After the keys: utilities, Ejari if leasing, service charge account

Once you have the keys:

• Utilities. Open the electricity and water account in your name, and any separate cooling account the building uses.
• Service charges. Approved service charges are billed and paid through DLD’s Mollak system. Law No. 6 of 2019 sets the basis. Owners pay annual service charges pro rata to unit area; charges need RERA approval. Check the approved rate for your project in the DLD / RERA Service Charge Index.
• Owner wallet. Add the unit to the owner wallet in the Dubai REST app to see service charges and other details in one place.
• If you plan to lease. Every lease must be registered through Ejari, DLD's system for registering tenancy contracts. Tenants need it to connect utilities. Our guide on renting out your property covers the steps.

For the full journey from booking to keys, see how to buy off-plan step by step, and our guide to service charges explains how the annual budget is set.

Read more about the off-plan process or our handover and snagging service.