Handover and after
Handover and snagging: checking an off-plan property before you accept it
Handover is the moment the developer's work becomes your problem. Anything you have not recorded by then is harder to get fixed, and in a shell anything you cover with plaster and tiles becomes much more expensive to put right. This guide explains how to snag well. The printable snagging checklist has the full list to take with you.
Before the day
- Read your contract again. Note exactly what the developer had to deliver: the specification, the common parts and any agreed extras. You are checking against that, not against what you hoped for.
- Ask for the drawings. The approved plans and, if available, the services layout, so you can check positions.
- Bring the right kit. A torch, a spirit level or laser level, a tape measure, a socket tester if power is on, masking tape to mark defects, and a phone to photograph each one.
- Choose the time. Go in daylight, and if you can, after rain so leaks show.
What to check in a shell
- Structure. Cracks in slabs, beams and columns; exposed or rusting reinforcement; honeycombed concrete.
- Levels. The slab should be reasonably flat. Big dips mean extra screed, which costs money and adds height.
- Openings. Measure every window and door opening against the plan. A centimetre matters when apertures are made to measure.
- Waterproofing. Roofs, terraces and balconies: look for ponding, staining on the ceiling below and missing upstands.
- Services. Water, electricity and drainage points where the contract says they will be; drainage stacks capped and clear.
- Common parts. Entrance, lift, stairs, lighting, intercom and façade finished as promised.
What to check in a finished unit
Everything above, plus:
- walls and ceilings: cracks, uneven plaster, patchy paint
- tiles: hollow tiles (tap them), chips, uneven joints, poor cuts, falls to drains in showers
- doors and windows: every one opens, closes and locks; seals intact; no draughts
- electrics: every socket and light works; the distribution board is labelled
- plumbing: run every tap and shower; flush every toilet; look for leaks under sinks
- kitchen and bathrooms: units level, doors aligned, worktop joints sealed, silicone complete
Recording defects
- Walk the unit in a fixed order, room by room.
- Mark each defect with tape and photograph it close up and in context.
- Write each one down with the room, the location and a short description.
- Send the list to the developer in writing and keep proof that it was received.
- Agree a date for the repairs, then re-inspect and sign off each item.
Ask your notary or advocate before the final deed how outstanding snags will be dealt with. Some buyers agree a retention or a written undertaking to put them right.
After finishing works
If you finish a shell yourself, snag your own contractor's work the same way before the final payment. Ask for warranties on apertures, waterproofing and appliances, and keep every fiscal receipt: some Housing Authority grants are paid against them.
Questions people ask
What is snagging?
Snagging is inspecting a new property for defects and unfinished items, called snags, and recording them so the developer or contractor puts them right. It is done before or at handover, and again after any finishing works.
Should I snag a shell form unit?
Yes, with a shorter list. In a shell you check what the developer was responsible for: the structure, levels, openings, waterproofing, service connections and the common parts. Faults in those are much cheaper to fix before you plaster and tile over them.
Who should do the snagging inspection?
You can do a first pass yourself with a checklist. For structural items, damp, levels and services, a perit or an experienced contractor will see things a buyer will not.
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Ask your notary, advocate or perit about your own purchase. Provenance: drafted with an AI model (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources listed, and edited for this site.