Find the right snagging company before you get the keys

Property snagging is an independent inspection of a newly built or newly handed-over home before you accept the keys. A qualified inspector documents every defect — uneven tiling, failing MEP fittings, door and window alignment, water ingress, AC performance, paint and joinery finish — in a photographic snag list you submit to the developer for rectification while the unit is still under warranty.

Book before you sign the handover acceptance form and collect your keys. Once you have signed off on the unit, defects become harder to push back to the developer. If you have already taken handover, book well inside the defect liability period so the developer is still contractually obliged to rectify.

UAE developers typically provide a one-year warranty covering fixtures, fittings and MEP systems from the handover date, alongside a ten-year decennial liability for major structural defects under the UAE Civil Transactions Law. Check the exact terms in your sale and purchase agreement, as they vary by developer and emirate.

De-snagging is the follow-up visit after the developer has worked through your snag list. The inspector verifies each item was actually fixed and flags anything still outstanding. 1 of the 2 companies listed here include the re-inspection in their base fee — the rest charge a second visit separately, so factor that into the total cost rather than comparing headline prices alone.

Any company operating in the UAE needs a valid trade licence from the relevant economic department. Beyond that, credentials vary: some firms hold municipality registrations or international memberships such as RICS. Accreditation is not a legal requirement for snagging, so treat it as a quality signal rather than a guarantee, and verify any claimed credential directly with the issuing body.

Report turnaround across the companies compared here ranges from 24 to 24 hours after the site visit. Faster is not automatically better — what matters is whether the report gives each defect a photo, a location and a severity rating, because that is the format developers act on fastest.

Yes, though the purpose shifts. On a new handover, snagging recovers defects the developer must fix for free. On a resale or ready property there is no developer warranty to claim against, so the inspection becomes a condition report you use to renegotiate the price or budget for repairs before you commit.