To choose a snagging company in Dubai, check that it is a licensed business with named, qualified inspectors, that it works for you and not the developer, and that the written scope says what will be tested, how defects are reported and whether re-inspections are included. Price matters less than scope, because a cheap visual check can miss what a full inspection finds. We do not recommend or rank firms. This is a checklist you can use with any of them. Information is current as of October 2026.
Snagging is the inspection of a new home before you accept the keys, listing every defect for the developer to fix. Our guide to snagging and handover in Dubai explains the process. A snagging company carries it out for you: it visits the unit, tests the fittings and systems, and gives you a written report with photographs that you send to the developer.
It is the last point at which the developer is obliged to fix things at its cost, which is why the report matters as much as the visit.
| Check | What to ask | Concern if the answer is weak |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | Which licence do you hold, and from which authority? Can I see it? | No licence, or an activity that does not match inspection work. The Dubai Land Department lists inspection among its licensed real estate activities, so ask which licence the company relies on |
| Inspector qualifications | Who will attend, and what is their training and experience? | No names, or only a company brochure |
| Professional credentials | Is the inspector a member of a professional body such as RICS? What is the membership number? | Vague wording such as "RICS standard", which is not the same as a member. Check the number with the body |
| Independence | Are you linked to any developer or agent? | A company paid by the party whose work it checks |
| Scope | Is the scope in writing, system by system? | "Full inspection" with no list |
| Equipment | What do you use: moisture meter, thermal camera, socket tester, water pressure test? | A visual check only |
| Report | Can I see a sample report? | No photos, no locations, no severity grading |
| Timing | How soon after booking can you attend, and how quickly is the report delivered? | Cannot meet your handover date |
| Re-inspection | Is a re-check after repairs included, and what does it cost? | Re-inspection excluded or open-ended charges |
| Price | Is the fee fixed for my unit size? Are VAT and extras included? | A low headline price with add-ons |
Ask the company to confirm each of these systems in the written scope, and to show how defects are recorded. The items below follow our handover checklist.
A snagging inspection checks workmanship and finish. It is not a structural survey, and it is not a valuation. Do not treat it as one.
Use this table to judge a company's sample report. It should record findings room by room, with a photograph, a location and a severity, not a general comment.
| Area | What should be tested | Typical defects recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance and living room | Door opens, closes and locks. Sockets and switches. Window seals. Paint and ceiling finish under good light | Misaligned door, loose socket, scratched glass, patchy paint |
| Kitchen | Cabinet doors and drawers. Worktop joins. Taps and drainage. Extractor fan. Appliances if supplied | Uneven cabinet doors, chipped worktop, slow drain, leaking tap |
| Bedrooms | Wardrobe doors, windows, air conditioning vents and thermostat, sockets | Weak airflow, noisy unit, sticking window |
| Bathrooms | Flush every toilet. Run showers and basins. Check drainage speed. Tiles and grout. Extractor fan. Under-sink leaks | Hollow tiles, poor grout, slow drain, low pressure, leak |
| Balcony | Drainage, railing stability, door track, tiles | Pooling water, loose railing, gaps at the threshold |
| Floors and walls | Tap the tiles for hollow sounds. Check level, cracks and skirting | Hollow tiles, cracks, uneven floor |
| Electrics | Test every socket and light. Check the distribution board and labelling | Dead sockets, wrong labelling, loose fittings |
| Plumbing and water | Water pressure at each outlet, hot water, visible pipework | Low pressure, hot water delay, leaks |
| Air conditioning | Run each unit long enough to feel the cooling. Check drainage and noise | Poor cooling, condensate leaks |
| Safety items | Smoke or fire safety fittings where supplied, door locks, balcony railing | Missing or faulty fittings |
This follows the handover checklist in our snagging and handover guide. A company that can tell you how it records each of these is more likely to produce a report the developer will act on.
We do not quote a figure, because published prices come from the firms selling the service and vary with unit size, scope and company. Ask each company for a written quote for the same unit and the same scope. Compare three things: the headline fee, what is excluded, and whether re-inspection is included. Also ask whether the fee depends on the number of bedrooms or the built-up area, and whether VAT is added. Set the fee against the price of the home: the inspection is a small share of the cost, and it gives you a documented list to hold the developer to.
| Step | Who | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Handover notice | Developer | Tells you the unit is ready and gives the inspection and payment deadlines |
| 2. Book the inspection | You | Appoint a company and agree the scope, date and fee in writing |
| 3. Inspect | Snagging company | Tests the unit, photographs defects and records them |
| 4. Report | Snagging company | Delivers a written report with locations and severity |
| 5. Submit to the developer | You | Send the report in writing and keep proof of delivery |
| 6. Repairs | Developer | Fixes the defects within its timetable |
| 7. Re-inspection | Snagging company | Checks that each item has been fixed |
| 8. Accept the unit | You | Sign the handover acceptance and receive the keys |
The developer reviews the list and fixes what it accepts. Expect some items to be disputed, particularly cosmetic ones, so rank the report by severity and push hardest on safety, water and air conditioning. Reply in writing to anything refused and keep the report as evidence. If the developer refuses to fix serious defects, our guide to off-plan handover delays and your rights explains where you stand, and a lawyer may be worth consulting. Ask for each repaired item to be checked again before you sign the acceptance.
If your handover is late, your options are different. See off-plan handover delays and your rights.
No. A developer's own quality checks are carried out for the developer, and you may not see what they found. An independent inspector looks at the unit from your side and reports to you. Treat any developer check as a starting point, not a substitute.
Property snagging is also used for ready properties, where it works as a pre-purchase or pre-tenancy inspection. The scope is similar, but the unit is older, so ask for extra attention to leaks, air conditioning and wiring, and to repairs that were done cheaply. Do the inspection before you commit to the purchase, because a defect found afterwards is your cost, not the seller's. See the buying process for where the inspection fits.
The DLD real estate licensing page lists the activities regulated by the Dubai Land Department. If you are buying new, off-plan projects and the handover timetable are described on our site.
It depends on the unit size, the scope and the company, so there is no standard price. Ask each company for a written quote for the same unit and check whether re-inspection and VAT are included.
It is not compulsory, but it is advised. Snagging is the last point at which the developer must fix defects at its cost, and a professional report with photographs is the document the developer acts on.
Ask for the company's licence, the inspector's name and training, and any professional membership number, then verify the membership with the body itself. Request a sample report to judge the quality.
After the developer issues the completion notice and before you pay the final instalment or sign the handover acceptance. Book early so the inspection fits your deadline.
Defects are normally fixed under the developer's defects liability period, commonly one year for general items according to our snagging guide. Report them in writing, keep copies, and check your sale agreement for the exact terms.
Snagging usually means inspecting a new build against the handover standard, to list defects for the developer. A home inspection on a resale property looks at the condition of an older unit for the buyer.
A snagging inspection mainly covers finish, fittings and systems. It is not a structural survey, so if you suspect structural defects, ask for a specialist assessment.
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TRPE Real Estate is a company registered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Trade License No. 999314 · RERA ORN 28357 · Office 1201, Ascott Park Place, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. Regulated by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA).
