What Happens If Developer Refuses to Fix Snags in Dubai?

All that you have done is correct. You engaged a qualified inspector, toured the property and gave the developer a thorough list of snags before receiving the keys. Weeks pass. Some are repaired over; some are never even mentioned; and each subsequent email received receives a generic ‘our team is looking into it.’ If you are stuck with what to do when a developer refuses to rectify snags in Dubai, you are by no means helpless, because Dubai’s real estate market is one of the most regulated markets in the region, and the Dubai Land Department (DLD) and RERA have specified rights that are enforceable by the buyer.

This guide outlines each of these rights and explores the step-by-step process of escalation and what really occurs when a developer digs in and refuses to cooperate.

Your Legal Position Under RERA and DLD Regulations

The Dubai Land Department has established the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) to regulate the real estate industry in Dubai. All of the units sold in Dubai, both off-plan and completed, are subject to a framework with a timeframe for the developer to provide an identical unit and to address any defects reported in a specified timeframe after handover.

This is usually included in your Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) and a clause known as Defects Liability Period (DLP), which is a period of time (usually 12 months from handover, depending on the developer and project) where the developer is legally bound to rectify defects at no cost to you.

Or, in other words, a developer that refuses to remove legitimate snags during the DLP is not only a bad customer service, but it’s also a breach of contract for which RERA has a formalized mechanism to hold them accountable.

Developers are legally required to address defects reported within the DLP
The obligation applies regardless of whether the defect is structural, MEP-related, or a finishing flaw
Your SPA and your snagging report together form the evidence base for any formal complaint

Step 1: Make Sure Your Snag List Is Watertight

Before you escalate anywhere, the strength of your case depends almost entirely on the quality of your documentation. A vague complaint like “the bathroom has issues” carries little weight. A snag list that’s dated, numbered, photographed, and location-specific (“Master bathroom, north wall, tile hollow-sounding across a 40cm section”) is far harder for a developer—or a regulator—to dismiss.

This is where a certified, independent snagging report earns its value. A report produced by an RERA-recognized inspector, covering structural, MEP, and finishing checkpoints with severity ratings and photographic evidence, is the kind of documentation developers and DLD case officers take seriously. If your original snag list was informal or self-conducted, it’s worth having a professional re-inspection done before you escalate further—it strengthens every step that follows.

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Step 2: Escalate in Writing to the Developer's Customer Care Team

If your site-level contact isn’t resolving things, move the conversation to the developer’s customer care or after-sales department in writing. Verbal promises don’t hold up later.

Reference your unit number, snag list, and original submission date
Set a clear, reasonable deadline for a response (commonly 14–30 days)
Ask for a written remediation plan with specific dates, not just acknowledgment
Retain all emails—this chronological record will be needed if you have to take things further.

Most big developers in Dubai, such asabu Emaar, DAMAC, Nakheel, Sobha, and others, have customer care staff apart from the site staff. Escalating to this department, beyond the site manager, frequently solves problems that did not get resolved by the site manager.

Step 3: File a Formal Complaint with RERA/DLD

If the developer’s process does not go anywhere, then the Dubai Land Department (DLD) is the next formal complaint. This is the single biggest difference between resolving a snagging dispute in Dubai versus most other markets—you’re not relying on a voluntary ombudsman scheme or a lengthy court process as a first resort. RERA provides a direct regulatory channel specifically because developers operating in Dubai are required to be compliant with its standards.

To file a complaint, you’ll generally need:

Your Sale and Purchase Agreement
Your original snag list and any professional snagging report
Your written correspondence trail with the developer’s customer care team
Photos and dates showing the defects and the developer’s response (or lack of one)

A complaint can typically be lodged through DLD’s official channels, including the Rashid app or in person at a DLD service centre. Once filed, DLD can formally engage the developer, request a resolution timeline, and, in more serious or persistent cases, impose obligations on the developer to comply.

Because a RERA-approved snagging report is already structured to meet regulatory standards, it becomes one of the strongest pieces of evidence you can submit—DLD case officers are far more likely to act decisively on a professionally documented, severity-rated report than on informal photos and notes.

Step 4: Know the Defects Liability Period Timeline

Timing matters. Most Dubai developers’ contractual DLP runs for around 12 months from the handover date, though this can differ depending on the project and developer terms in your SPA—always check your specific contract rather than assuming a standard figure.

Defects reported within the DLP are the developer’s contractual responsibility to fix at no cost
Defects reported after the DLP has expired may fall into a grey area, depending on whether they’re structural (which can carry longer statutory liability under UAE law) or cosmetic
Structural and major safety-related defects can sometimes fall under broader liability protections beyond the standard DLP window, but cosmetic and minor snags generally do not

This is exactly why timing your inspection and snag submission early—ideally before or immediately at handover—matters so much. Waiting too long into or past the DLP weakens your position considerably.

What If the Developer Still Refuses After DLD Involvement?

In the majority of cases, developer engagement with DLD resolves the dispute—regulatory pressure tends to be effective because non-compliance carries real consequences for developers operating in Dubai. But if a developer still refuses to act even after formal RERA involvement, buyers do have further options:

Dubai Courts – For unresolved contractual disputes, civil proceedings remain available, particularly where the amount involved or the severity of the defect justifies legal action
Legal counsel specializing in UAE real estate – A solicitor experienced in Dubai property law can assess whether your case is strong enough for formal legal proceedings and advise on realistic timelines and outcomes
Continued DLD escalation – In some cases, repeated non-compliance can affect a developer’s standing with the regulator, which developers generally want to avoid

Legal action is rarely the first step and is generally reserved for cases where RERA involvement hasn’t produced a result—but knowing it exists as a backstop is part of understanding your full legal position as a buyer.

Mistakes That Weaken Your Case

A few common missteps can seriously undermine a buyer’s position, even when the underlying complaint is entirely valid:

Signing handover documents without written reservations. A clean sign-off can later be read as accepting the property “as is.”
Relying only on verbal conversations. If it isn’t written down, it’s difficult to prove later.
Paying final amounts before defects are addressed, where your contract includes a retention mechanism for this purpose.
Attempting your own repairs and trying to claim costs back later. This can complicate both your DLD complaint and any future claim and may be read as having accepted the work.
Letting the DLP lapse without formally reporting known defects, even minor ones, you plan to “deal with later.”