Checklist · Property Snagging Guide
Snagging Checklist for Dubai Handovers
Everything to Check Before You Accept Your New Home
A room-by-room snagging checklist for Dubai handovers, covering every finish, fitting, and system to check before you accept your new home. Work through it slowly and photograph every fault, however small.
Direct advisor access. Every question answered personally, never by a call center.
How to Use It
How to Use This Checklist, and What to Bring
This checklist is the practical side of property snagging in Dubai. Work through the property room by room, slowly, and photograph every fault so it is on record. These few items make the inspection far more thorough.
A phone or camera for photos of every fault
This checklist, printed or on your phone
A phone charger to test power sockets
A small spirit level or a level app for floors and surfaces
Masking tape to mark defects without damaging finishes
Your floor plan and sale agreement, to check the home matches what you bought
Nothing is too minor to list. A scratched panel and a leaking pipe belong on the same record, because the developer is responsible for putting both right. If you are unsure whether something is a fault, write it down anyway.
Surfaces and Openings
Walls, Floors, Doors and Windows
Look across surfaces in good light, because many finish faults only show when light hits them at an angle. Then open, close, and lock everything: doors and windows are where alignment and sealing faults appear fastest.
Walls, Ceilings and Floors
Walls and ceilings free of cracks, dents, and uneven patches
Paint even, with no marks, drips, or missed areas
Skirting boards fitted neatly with no gaps
Tiles level, with no chips, cracks, or lifting
Tap tiles gently and listen for hollow sounds, a sign of poor fixing
Grout and sealant clean, even, and complete
Flooring level, with no bounce or movement underfoot
Doors, Windows and Glazing
Every door opens, closes, and latches smoothly
Door handles and locks work and are fitted securely
Windows open, close, and lock properly
Glass free of scratches, chips, and cracks
Window and door seals complete, with no gaps or daylight
No draughts around frames when closed
Kitchen and Bathrooms
Kitchen and Bathroom Checks
In the kitchen, check the joinery, the surfaces, and every connected appliance and fitting.
In bathrooms, water, drainage, and sealing matter most. Run everything and watch where the water goes.
Kitchen
Cabinet doors and drawers open, close, and align correctly
Worktops free of chips, scratches, and stains
Sink drains quickly with no leaks underneath
Tap runs hot and cold at good pressure
All provided appliances power on and run
Sealant around the sink and worktops complete and clean
Bathrooms
Taps and shower run hot and cold at good pressure
Toilet flushes fully and refills correctly
Basins, bath, and shower drain quickly with no standing water
No leaks under the basin or around the bath and shower
Sealant around all wet areas complete and clean
Extractor fan works
Tiles and grout even, with no hollow or cracked tiles
Electrics and Cooling
Electrics, Air-Conditioning and Plumbing
Bring a charger so you can test every socket properly. Give the air-conditioning time to perform, because cooling is one of the most expensive systems to repair.
Beyond the kitchen and bathrooms, confirm that water moves freely everywhere and that nothing leaks.
Electrics
Every socket holds a plug firmly and delivers power
All light switches work and control the right lights
Light fittings secure and complete
Distribution board labelled and the cover fitted
No exposed wiring anywhere
Air-Conditioning
Each unit powers on and cools within a few minutes
Airflow is strong from every vent
No unusual noise, rattling, or water dripping from units
The thermostat or control responds correctly
No damp patches near units or ducting
Plumbing and Drainage
All drains clear quickly with no gurgling or backup
No leaks at any visible pipe or connection
Water heater works and delivers hot water
No damp smells or water stains on walls or ceilings
Outdoor and Contract
Balcony, Outdoor Areas and Your Sale Agreement
Outdoor areas carry their own faults, especially around drainage and safety guarding.
The final check is the one most buyers skip: confirming the home you are accepting matches the one you agreed to buy.
Balcony and Outdoor
Balcony or terrace drains away from the building, with no pooling
Railings and glass guarding secure and at full height
Outdoor tiles level, with no cracks or lifting
Outdoor sockets and lighting work
Doors to outdoor areas seal and lock properly
Against Your Sale Agreement
Layout matches your floor plan
Room sizes look correct
Finishes and materials match what was promised
All included fittings and appliances are present
No specifications quietly downgraded from the brochure
The faults that come up most often are explained in common property defects in Dubai. New to the subject? Start with what property snagging is.
After the Checklist
What to Do Once the Checklist Is Complete
Hand the documented list to the developer for rectification before you sign off. Every fault on record, with photos, is what makes it the developer's responsibility to fix. If you prefer an independent inspector with professional testing equipment to run it for you, see snagging services in Dubai; the rest of the ownership journey is in my Dubai real estate guide library.
Want a printable copy of this checklist and a sample snagging report before your handover? Ask me about the checklist on WhatsApp
FAQs
Snagging Checklist Frequently Asked Questions
A good checklist covers finishes, doors and windows, the kitchen and bathrooms, electrics, air-conditioning, plumbing and drainage, outdoor areas, and a check that the home matches your sale agreement.
Yes, this checklist lets you do a thorough first pass. A professional adds tools such as moisture meters and thermal imaging that find faults you cannot see, like hidden leaks and weak cooling.
Allow a couple of hours for an apartment and longer for a villa. Rushing is the main reason faults get missed, so give yourself time.
Bring a phone or camera for photos, the checklist, a phone charger to test sockets, a small spirit level or level app, masking tape to mark defects, and your floor plan and sale agreement.
Yes. Cooling faults are among the most expensive to repair, so run each unit, check the airflow, and confirm it cools properly.
Hand the documented list to the developer for rectification before you sign off. Keeping every fault on record, with photos, is what makes it the developer's responsibility to fix.
Your Advisor
Tohid Fetrat
For any questions about your real estate investment, message or call me directly. You will always reach me personally, never a call center or sales team.