Handover day, prepared well in advance.

The completion notice

Handover begins with a letter. When the building is completed and the required approvals are in place, the developer sends each buyer a completion or handover notice. It sets out what remains to be paid, the documents needed, and the process for inspection and key collection.

For buyers abroad, this is the moment to wake up the file. Check the notice against your SPA: the balance due, any adjustment linked to the final measured area of the unit, and the service charges that start from handover. If anything looks unexpected, ask for the detail in writing before paying.

The notice also gives a window for completing the formalities. If you live abroad, decide straight away who will attend the inspection and collect the keys: you, a relative or a representative under a power of attorney. Preparing the power of attorney early, according to the requirements in force in Dubai, avoids a delay later.

Final payment and costs at handover

The balance due at handover depends on your payment plan. Some buyers pay it in cash, others with a mortgage arranged for that moment, others continue on a post-handover plan with the developer. I cover the options in financing a Dubai property as a non-resident.

At this stage you will also usually settle the first service-charge instalment and the administrative fees linked to registration. Payments continue to follow official channels set out in the developer's notice, never a personal account. Keep every receipt: your bank and your tax adviser at home will appreciate a complete file.

Snagging: the inspection before the keys

Snagging is the final inspection of the unit before you accept it. The goal is to list every defect, small or significant, so the developer can rectify it. Think of paint, tiling, doors, windows, joinery, plumbing, electrical points, air-conditioning, waterproofing in wet areas and the finishes promised in your specifications.

You can inspect yourself, send a trusted relative, or appoint a professional snagging inspector who works with a checklist and photographs. The defects are reported to the developer in writing, and the developer arranges the fixes. Accepting the keys does not end the developer's obligations for defects, but a thorough snagging report makes everything clearer.

Timing matters. Inspecting before you take possession, rather than after furniture and tenants arrive, makes defects easier to identify and easier for the developer to address. If you are renting the property out, factor the time for fixes into your tenant search, so the tenant moves into a finished home.

• Compare the unit with the plans and specifications in your SPA
• Test every switch, socket, tap, drain and air-conditioning unit
• Check doors, windows, balcony and wet areas for finishing and sealing
• Photograph and date every point, then send the list in writing
• Re-inspect after the fixes before signing off

Title deed and registration

During construction, your purchase was recorded in the Oqood interim register. Once the final payment is made and registration is completed, the Dubai Land Department issues the title deed in your name. This is the document that proves your freehold ownership.

If you financed the balance with a mortgage, the registration will reflect it. If several family members are on the purchase, all of them appear on the title deed. Keep a digital copy in a safe place and share it only with the people who need it, such as your property manager or your adviser.

The title deed is also what you will need for later steps: registering a lease through Ejari, opening certain accounts, applying for a residence visa where you meet the official conditions, or eventually selling. Checking that every detail on it is correct, names, passport numbers and unit details, is worth five minutes on the day it is issued.

Utilities, access and practical set-up

Before the property can be lived in or let, it needs active utilities. Electricity and water in Dubai are supplied by DEWA, and the account is opened in the name of the occupant: the owner if you live there, the tenant once a lease is registered. Depending on the building, district cooling and gas may have separate accounts, and internet is arranged with a provider.

You will also collect access cards, parking details and the building's rules. If you are abroad, a power of attorney or a property manager can handle these steps, so the unit is ready without you flying in for each appointment.

Think also about home contents insurance, which is separate from the building insurance covered by service charges, and about a first deep clean after the contractors leave. Small details, but they make the difference between a property that is merely finished and one that is ready to live in or to let.

Next step: let it or live in it

If the property is for rent, the work starts before handover: furnishing decisions, photographs and a tenant search timed to the keys. A long lease is registered through Ejari; a holiday home requires a permit from Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism. I detail both routes in letting your Dubai property.

If the property is for your family, handover is the moment to plan the move, the furniture and, where relevant, residence questions. For a property that meets the official threshold, the UAE Golden Visa for Moroccans explains what to check, according to the official conditions in force.

Preparing your handover with me

I accompany my clients from booking to keys, and beyond: reading the completion notice, organising the snagging, coordinating with the developer and preparing the rental or the move. If your handover is coming up, book a free 30-minute call or message me on WhatsApp at +971 55 772 2710. For the full off-plan journey, see buying off-plan in Dubai.