Getting your keys in Nad Al Sheba Gardens: the handover and snagging guide

Who is handing over, and when

Home counts from Property Index; dates from Meraas sheets and press coverage. Meraas confirms the date for each unit in its handover notice.

What snagging is

Snagging is a detailed inspection of a new home before you accept it, to list every defect: cracks, uneven tiles, leaks, poor sealing, doors and windows that do not close properly, faulty electrics, air-conditioning that underperforms, drainage falls and unfinished paint. The list goes to the developer to fix before or soon after handover.

Why do it before you take the keys

• The developer's team is still on site and fixes are part of the handover process.
• Once tenants or furniture are in, defects are harder to prove and to fix.
• A clean, documented home leases faster and sells for more; buyers ask for snagging reports.
• Developers in Dubai generally carry a one-year defects period for fixtures and fittings and long-term liability for structural defects. Check the exact terms in your sale and purchase agreement.

The handover steps in order

1. Handover notice from Meraas with the final amount due.
2. Book an independent snagging inspection for the inspection window.
3. Send the snag list to the developer and agree the fixes.
4. Settle the final payment and any service charges; register utilities.
5. Re-inspect the fixes, then sign the handover and collect keys.
6. Decide: move in, lease (Ejari) or list for sale.

A short checklist to bring

• Walls, ceilings and paint: cracks, patches, damp marks
• Floors and tiles: hollow tiles, chips, grout gaps, levels
• Wet areas: water pressure, leaks under sinks, shower falls and drainage
• Doors, windows and sliders: alignment, locks, seals
• Electrics: every socket, switch and light; the DB board labels
• Air-conditioning: cooling in every room, noise, condensate drains
• Outside: roof terraces, balconies, garden levels, boundary walls, car port
• Kitchen and appliances: fitted as specified, doors and hinges

Our snagging service

We work with a set of independent, specialist snagging inspectors. Every inspection is two visits with two written reports:

1. The inspection report before you accept the home: every defect photographed and located, ready to send to the developer.
2. The re-inspection report after the contractor's repairs, checking that each item was actually fixed before you sign for the keys.

What is checked: moisture and humidity inside walls and ceilings (thermal and moisture readings), air-conditioning performance and drainage, MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing), water pressure and leaks, drainage falls, every socket, switch and light, sanitary ware and fittings, doors, windows, joinery, tiling, paint and the outside areas.

We also attend the handover with you and follow up the developer's fixes. And because we track every resale and rent in Nad Al Sheba Gardens, we can tell you the same day what your home would lease or sell for.