Snagging a new property: what to check before you accept

Why the timing is everything

Snagging is not really an inspection — it is a negotiation with a deadline. Before you accept handover, defects are the developer's contractual obligation to fix. After acceptance, most of them quietly become yours. The value of a snagging exercise is therefore proportional to how completely it is done before that line is crossed.

It also has to be documented in a form the developer's team will engage with. Vague complaints get deflected; a numbered list with photographs, locations and clear descriptions gets actioned, because it can be assigned to a subcontractor and ticked off.

Systems: the expensive category

Run every air-conditioning unit and confirm each one actually cools, not merely blows. Check for condensate drainage by running the system for an extended period and looking for drips. Test every socket in the property with a plug-in tester and every light switch. Check that the distribution board is labelled and that RCD protection trips when tested.

Run hot water at every outlet and time how long it takes to arrive. Check water pressure at the furthest fixture from the supply. Fill and drain every sink, bath and shower, watching for slow drainage. These are the faults that cost the most and that a visual walkthrough never finds.

Finishes: the visible category

Open and close every door and window, checking alignment, latching and that nothing catches. Check tiles by tapping — a hollow sound means poor adhesion and eventual failure. Look along walls at a shallow angle in natural light, which reveals undulation and patching invisible face-on.

Check silicone seals in wet areas, grout consistency, skirting gaps, and the alignment of kitchen cabinet doors and drawers. Photograph everything, including a wide shot showing where each defect is, because a close-up of a scratch with no context is easy for a contractor to dispute.

The things people forget

Look inside the water tank if it is accessible. Check the roof or terrace waterproofing for pooling and cracks. Verify that external drainage actually falls away from the building. Test the intercom and any smart-home components. Confirm the AC ducts are clean — construction dust in ductwork is extremely common at handover, and it is far easier to have the developer address it now.

Finally, ask for and keep the manufacturer documentation and warranties for every installed appliance and system. These are routinely handed over incompletely, and reconstructing them later is tedious at best.

Doing it yourself versus commissioning it

An owner with time, a plug tester and this list will find most of the visible defects. What a professional snagging inspection adds is the system testing — thermal imaging for concealed leaks, electrical testing beyond socket function, drainage assessment, and the experience of knowing which faults matter and which are cosmetic noise.

Either way, the report format is what determines whether the work gets done. Numbered, located, photographed, and delivered before you accept handover.