Buyer rights
What to Do When a Dubai Developer Won't Fix Your Snags
If your developer is slow to fix snags, the answer is usually organised, written persistence: a clear snag list with photographs, formal submission through the developer's official channel, agreed timelines, and escalation in writing that refers to your sale and purchase agreement. Most snag disputes are resolved long before formal routes are needed.
By the ProSnagging inspection team · · 4 min read
Key takeaways
- Check the defects were reported in writing and within the developer's obligation periods.
- Organise your evidence: a numbered, photographed snag list with locations.
- Escalate in writing, step by step, referring to your sale and purchase agreement.
- Do not carry out your own repairs on a disputed defect before it is documented.
First, check the basics
Before escalating, make sure your position is clear:
- Were the snags reported in writing, through the developer's official channel?
- Were they reported within the relevant periods? Under Dubai Law No. 6 of 2019, developers are liable for installation defects for one year and structural defects for ten years from the completion certificate, and your sale and purchase agreement may add specific terms.
- Are they defects in construction or finishing, rather than wear and tear or damage after handover?
- Do you have a reference number for your submission?
If any of these is missing, fix that first. It is the foundation for everything that follows.
Step 1: Organise your evidence
Developers act faster on snags they can understand quickly. Put every outstanding defect in one numbered list, with a photograph, the room and exact location, and a one-line description of what is wrong. A professional report, such as a ProSnagging snagging report, already does this, with severity ratings and an online link you can share.
Step 2: Submit formally and ask for a timeline
Send the list through the developer's customer-care or handover channel, not just to a site contact by message. Ask for a reference number, a named contact and a date by which the contractor will attend. Keep a log of every call, visit and reply.
Step 3: Follow up in writing
If the date passes, follow up in writing, refer to your reference number and the original submission date, and ask for a new, firm date. Polite, factual and dated messages build a clear record of what was reported and when.
Step 4: Escalate within the developer
If customer care stalls, escalate in writing to a manager or the developer's complaints function. Set out the outstanding snags, the dates you reported them, the replies you have received, and the relevant sections of your sale and purchase agreement. Ask for a written response within a reasonable time.
Step 5: Get an independent re-inspection
Sometimes a developer reports a snag as fixed when it is not, or disputes that something is a defect at all. An independent re-inspection records, item by item, what has been rectified and what is still outstanding, with fresh photographs. It turns a disagreement into a documented record.
Step 6: Consider formal routes
If written escalation fails, take advice on your options. Dubai's real estate market is regulated by the Dubai Land Department and RERA, and a qualified property lawyer can advise on the right route for your situation. For defects in shared parts of a building or community, involve the community's management or owners' association. This article is general information, not legal advice.
What not to do
- Do not carry out your own repairs on a disputed defect before it has been documented and reported; you may lose the evidence.
- Do not rely on verbal promises; confirm every agreement in writing.
- Do not let the developer's obligation periods run out while you wait; report everything in writing well before then.
Prevention is easier
The strongest position is set at handover. A complete, independent snag list recorded before you sign makes every later conversation simpler. See how a handover inspection works, or read about the defects liability period in Dubai.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Dubai developer refuse to fix snags?
Developers are generally responsible for genuine construction and finishing defects reported while their obligations remain in force, as set out in the sale and purchase agreement and Dubai law. They may dispute items that are wear and tear or damage caused after handover, which is why clear evidence from handover matters.
How long should a developer take to fix snags?
There is no single standard time; your sale and purchase agreement may set out response obligations. Ask the developer for a firm date in writing, and follow up in writing if it passes.
Should I fix the snags myself and claim the cost back?
Not before taking advice. Repairing a disputed defect yourself can remove the evidence, and recovering costs depends on your agreement and circumstances. Document and report first.
Can an inspector confirm whether snags were fixed?
Yes. A re-inspection checks each item on the original snag list and records whether it has been properly rectified, with new photographs.