12 Common Defects in a New Apartment in Dubai

The common defects in a new apartment in Dubai fall into four groups: wet areas, floors and walls, cooling and electrics, and doors, windows and balconies. Most can be spotted with water, your phone and some patience. The ones that leak, short or overheat matter most.

Below are the 12 defects our engineers check for in every new unit, grouped by building system. Each one shows where it hides, a quick test, why it matters and which developer duty covers it. If you'd rather walk the unit room by room, use our room-by-room checklist alongside this guide. Buying for the first time? Start with our guide for first-time buyers.

How to read the duty tags: under Dubai Law No. 6 of 2019, the developer must fix defective installations, such as electrical, mechanical and plumbing works, for one year from handover, and structural defects for ten years. For finishes such as tiles, paint and sealant, the cover depends on your Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA), so check its defects clause.

Wet areas: bathrooms and kitchen

Water damage spreads quietly and costs the most to put right, so start here. Do these tests first, then leave the water to settle while you check the rest of the unit; a damp patch or a slow puddle can take a while to show.

1. Bathroom floors that slope the wrong way

• Where it hides: shower areas and bathroom floors, especially near the door.
• Quick test: pour a little water on the floor. It should run to the drain, not sit in a puddle or head for the door.
• Why it matters: standing water soaks grout and joints and can reach the next room or the unit below.
• Developer duty: Check your SPA (floor finish)

2. Slow or blocked drains

• Where it hides: shower drains, basins, the kitchen sink and floor traps.
• Quick test: run each tap for two minutes. Water should clear steadily, with no gurgling or backing up.
• Why it matters: construction debris left in pipes causes repeat blockages and overflows.
• Developer duty: 1 year: plumbing

3. Hidden leaks under sinks and behind walls

• Where it hides: pipe joints under basins and the kitchen sink, behind toilets, and inside walls next to wet areas.
• Quick test: after running the taps, put a dry tissue under each pipe joint. It should stay dry. Look for stains or bubbling paint on the walls next to bathrooms.
• Why it matters: a slow leak inside a wall shows up months later as damp, mould or damaged finishes.
• Developer duty: 1 year: plumbing

A tissue only catches leaks you can reach. Property Snagging DXB inspections use a thermal camera and moisture meter to check the walls you can't see behind.

4. Gaps in sealant around wet areas

• Where it hides: where the bath, shower tray, basin and kitchen worktop meet the wall.
• Quick test: look along every sealant line in good light. It should be continuous, with no gaps, lifting edges or dark patches.
• Why it matters: a small gap lets water behind tiles and cabinets on every use.
• Developer duty: Check your SPA (finish)

Floors and walls

These are the defects you'll see first. Some are cosmetic; some point to a problem underneath. Check floors with the unit empty and in daylight, before furniture and rugs hide the evidence. Photograph each defect with something in the frame that shows the room, so the developer can find it again.

5. Hollow tiles

• Where it hides: floor tiles in living areas, corridors and bathrooms.
• Quick test: tap each tile with a knuckle or a coin. A dull, hollow sound, unlike its neighbours, means the tile isn't fully bonded.
• Why it matters: hollow tiles can crack or come loose once furniture and daily use put weight on them.
• Developer duty: Check your SPA (finish)

6. Cracked, chipped or uneven tiles and grout

• Where it hides: doorways, kitchen floors and wall tiles behind sinks.
• Quick test: run your hand across tile edges and look along the floor at a low angle. Raised edges, cracks and missing grout stand out.
• Why it matters: raised edges are a trip hazard, and missing grout lets water under the tiles.
• Developer duty: Check your SPA (finish)

7. Paint and plaster defects, including cracks

• Where it hides: ceilings, wall corners, around windows and above doors.
• Quick test: walk each room in daylight and shine your phone torch along the walls. Note patchy paint, rough plaster and any cracks, with a photo and location.
• Why it matters: most fine cracks in new plaster are cosmetic, but a crack in a structural element is serious. An engineer should assess any crack you're unsure about.
• Developer duty: Check your SPA (finish) or 10 years: structural

Cooling and electrics

In Dubai, a weak AC or a faulty socket shows up within days of moving in. Test both while the unit is empty. Make sure power is connected before inspection day; without it, none of the tests in this section can be done properly.

8. Weak or uneven cooling

• Where it hides: bedrooms furthest from the AC unit and rooms with large windows.
• Quick test: switch the AC on in every room for ten minutes. Each room should cool clearly, and the airflow should be steady.
• Why it matters: poor cooling in summer makes a room hard to use and is harder to prove once you've moved in.
• Developer duty: 1 year: mechanical

9. AC water drips and condensation

• Where it hides: ceiling grilles, the area around indoor AC units and false ceilings.
• Quick test: after the AC has run for a while, check the grilles and ceiling for drips, damp patches or stains.
• Why it matters: a blocked or badly fitted drain line drips onto floors and furniture and can stain or damage the ceiling.
• Developer duty: 1 year: mechanical

10. Socket and wiring faults

• Where it hides: sockets, switches and light fittings in every room.
• Quick test: charge your phone from every socket and try every switch and light. A dead socket or a flickering light goes on the list.
• Why it matters: faults such as reversed wiring or missing earthing can't be seen and are a safety risk. They need a socket tester.
• Developer duty: 1 year: electrical

Doors, windows and balcony

11. Misaligned doors and windows, gaps in seals

• Where it hides: the main door, bedroom doors, wardrobes, sliding balcony doors and windows.
• Quick test: open, close and lock every door and window. Each should move smoothly, close fully and lock without force. Look for daylight around closed frames.
• Why it matters: gaps let in dust, heat and noise, and make the AC work harder.
• Developer duty: Check your SPA

12. Balcony drainage problems

• Where it hides: the balcony floor and its drain outlet.
• Quick test: pour water on the balcony floor. It should flow to the drain, not towards the sliding door.
• Why it matters: water pooling against the door can find its way inside.
• Developer duty: 1 year: plumbing for the drain; check your SPA for the floor finish

Which defects should be fixed before you sign?

Hold the handover for anything that leaks, sparks, fails to cool or doesn't drain. Cosmetic items can go on your written snag list and be fixed afterwards, as long as the developer acknowledges them in writing. Number every item, add a photo and its location, and keep a copy of the list you send. When the developer says the work is done, re-check each number before you close it.

Not sure where the inspection sits in the timeline? See how the handover works, step by step.

What can a visual check not find?

A careful walk-through with water and your phone catches many of these 12 defects. It can't see inside walls, behind tiles or into the wiring.

Professional apartment snagging brings those tools and a numbered photo report you can send to the developer. What we can't do: make the developer repair faster, or give legal advice in a dispute. A crack that may be structural needs a structural engineer's assessment.

Common defects in a new apartment in Dubai: buyer questions