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Snagging checklist for new-build apartments

Snagging is the walk-through of a new apartment before handover, where the buyer and the developer's handover team note every defect, big or small. The snag list that comes out of it is what the contractor then fixes. In some markets the same job is called a handover inspection or a punch list.

This checklist is universal: it makes no legal claim for any country. Use it as the form your team fills in with each buyer, and ask your lawyer to approve the wording for your contract. Print it or save it as a PDF.

How Unitify does it

Opens your browser's print dialog: choose a printer or "Save as PDF". Only the form is printed.

Snagging inspection

New-build apartment, before handover

Development
Block or building
Apartment no. and floor
Parking bay and storage no., if any
Date and time of the inspection
Contract or reservation reference
Developer's representative (name, role)
Buyer (name)
Buyer's snagger or representative, if any (name)
Date of re-inspection

Meter readings and keys received

ItemSerial no. or quantityReading or note
Electricity
Water
Gas, if any
Heating or cooling meter, if any
Front door keys
Fobs, cards or remotes
Other

Room-by-room checks

No.What to checkOKSnag, list no.
Entrance door and locks
1Door and frame undamaged, door closes properly
2Locks work and every key opens them
3Hinges, handles and seals in place
Walls and ceilings
4No cracks, chips or flaking
5Paint even, with no stains or signs of damp
6Corners and edges neat and undamaged
Floors and skirting
7No cracked, loose or hollow-sounding tiles or boards
8Grout or joints complete and level
9Skirting and thresholds fitted and undamaged
Windows, doors and balcony
10Glass and frames undamaged and clean
11Windows open, close and lock; handles and seals work
12No draughts or water ingress; sills intact
13Balcony door, balustrade and floor finish secure
Kitchen
14Units, worktops and doors aligned and undamaged
15Sink and taps work, waste drains freely, no leaks under the sink
16Fitted appliances work, where supplied
17Extractor or ventilation works
Bathrooms
18Bath or shower, basin and WC undamaged and firmly fixed
19Taps, shower and flush work; hot and cold water at every outlet
20No leaks at joints and traps; waste drains freely
21Tiles, grout and sealant complete; extractor works
Electrics
22Consumer unit / distribution board labelled; switches and breakers work
23Sockets and switches work (check with a socket tester)
24Lights, doorbell and intercom work
25Smoke or heat alarms, where provided, sound on test
Heating, cooling and ventilation
26Radiators, underfloor heating or air conditioning work
27Vents and extractors clear and working
Decoration and joinery
28Internal doors open, close and latch
29Wardrobes and fitted joinery, where in the contract, undamaged
30Finishes match the specification in your contract

Snag list

No.RoomDescription of the snagPhoto ref.Who fixes itTarget dateFixed (date, initials)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Outcome

  • No snags found
  • Snags found, listed above with target dates agreed
  • Apartment not ready for handover yet, reason:

Notes

Developer's representative

Name, signature and date

Buyer (or buyer's representative)

Name, signature and date

This form is a reference template prepared by Unitify. It is not a legal document: wording, annexes and signing arrangements should be approved by your lawyer for your project and contract.

How to use the checklist

  1. 1

    Print one sheet per apartment

    Save the form as a PDF if you prefer to fill it in on a tablet. One sheet per apartment keeps each snag list separate.

  2. 2

    Start with the meters and keys

    Record the readings and the keys given before the walk-through begins, so the starting state is on paper.

  3. 3

    Walk the same route in every apartment

    Go room by room in a fixed order. A snag in apartment 12 and one in apartment 412 are then described the same way.

  4. 4

    Test, do not just look

    Open and close windows, run taps and showers, flush, test the sockets and the intercom. Many snags only show when something is used.

  5. 5

    One snag, one line, one photo

    Write the room, what is wrong and where, and note the photo number. A snag without a photo becomes an argument later.

  6. 6

    Agree who fixes it and by when, then re-inspect

    Give each snag an owner and a target date. When it is reported fixed, check the same apartment against the same list.

What to agree with your lawyer

The checklist makes no legal claim for any country. The legal weight of the document depends on your contract and the law that applies to it. Before using it at scale, agree these points with your lawyer:

  • what the document is called and how it relates to the other handover papers
  • who signs for the developer and for the buyer, and on what authority
  • how long snags can be reported and fixed, and what happens when the parties disagree
  • how the snag list connects to the defects or warranty period in your contract
  • whether a signature on a screen is accepted, and how many copies are kept
Ready to use

How Unitify does it

The same walk-through without paper: the checklist is filled in on a phone, every snag carries a photo, and the report is produced as a PDF in about 10 seconds.

  • A checklist template for apartment acceptance

    Entrance door, finishing, engineering and meter readings, room by room. We adapt it to your apartment types on a demo.

  • Inspections created in bulk

    Create the inspections for many apartments at once instead of one by one.

  • Two signers, photos on every snag

    Your inspector and the buyer sign on the screen. Photos are taken on the phone and attached to the point.

  • Snags become warranty claims

    While the developer's warranty runs on the building, snags from the inspection are created as warranty requests. The resident sees them and their status in the app.

A demo site of your residential complex in 1 hour

Tell us about your development. We build a demo site of it in 1 hour, and show snagging on that building at a call.

Send us your company website and your country. We build a demo site of your complex on unitify.homes with your logo and colors, your buildings and the pages residents see, and send you the link within 1 hour on working days.

  • Free, no card and no obligation
  • Your logo, colors and complexes, taken from your website
  • If your website blocks automated access, we assemble the demo by hand and tell you how long it takes

Optional. We take your logo and colors from it.

An email, a Telegram or WhatsApp handle, or a phone number.

Optional. For example: number of apartments, handover date, what you use now.

We use these details only to answer you and prepare your demo. They reach the Unitify team through a private channel and are not shared with anyone else. To correct or delete them, write to [email protected].

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Snagging checklist: questions

What is the difference between snagging and a handover inspection?

In practice they describe the same walk-through: the buyer and the developer's team check the apartment before handover and list what needs fixing. The names vary by market, such as snagging, handover inspection or punch list. What the document must contain is set by your contract and local law, so agree it with your lawyer.

Who should do the snagging?

The buyer, or a snagger the buyer hires, notes what they find. The developer's handover team uses the same list to see the apartment as the buyer will. The technical judgement on each item stays with your people.

What happens to the snags after the form is signed?

Each snag has an owner and a target date, and when the contractor reports it fixed, the same apartment is checked against the same list. In Unitify the snags become requests, and while the developer's warranty runs on the building they are created as warranty requests the resident can follow in the app.

Can the form be filled in on a tablet?

Yes. Save the PDF and fill it in on a tablet, or use Unitify, where the checklist is filled in on a phone and both sides sign on the screen. Whether an on-screen signature is accepted depends on your contract and the law that applies, so ask your lawyer.

Does this checklist cover the law of my country?

No. It is a universal working form with no legal claims for any country. Use it with the wording your lawyer approves.

How long does the report take in Unitify?

About 10 seconds per document. The report is generated from the inspection you have already filled in.

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