What is Defect Liability Period?
A contractual warranty period after property handover, typically 12 months in Dubai, during which the developer is obligated to repair any construction.
Description
The Defect Liability Period (DLP) is a post-handover window during which the contractor or developer must rectify any construction defects that emerge. In Dubai, the standard DLP is 12 months from handover. During this period, the developer retains a percentage of the contractor's payment (retention money) as security.
Structural defects such as cracks and settlement issues
MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) failures
Waterproofing failures and leaks
Finishing defects covering paint, tiling, and fixtures
Note that the DLP does not cover damage caused by the owner's misuse or unauthorized modifications. For structural defects, UAE law provides longer protection, up to 10 years under Federal Law No. 5 (Civil Code), Article 880.
How to interpret
Never accept handover of a new property without conducting a professional snagging inspection first. Defects discovered and reported within the DLP are the developer's responsibility to fix at no cost. Defects discovered after the DLP expires become your problem and your expense. A one-off AED 1,500 snagging inspection is one of the highest-return expenditures you can make on a new property purchase.
Document eparticularly defect in writing and send formal notice to the developer within the DLP period, even for minor items. A defect you report in writing but the developer fails to fix gives you a stronger RERA complaint than one you only mentioned verbally.
Dubai market context
Savvy Dubai investors conduct a thorough snagging inspection immediately after handover and submit all defect reports to the developer within the DLP window. Professional snagging companies charge AED 1,000 to 3,000 per unit and typically identify 50 to 200 or more items in a new apartment.
Frequently asked questions
A contractual warranty period after property handover, typically 12 months in Dubai, during which the developer is obligated to repair any construction defects at no cost to the buyer.
The Defect Liability Period (DLP) is a post-handover window during which the contractor or developer must rectify any construction defects that emerge. In Dubai, the standard DLP is 12 months from handover.
Never accept handover of a new property without conducting a professional snagging inspection first. Defects discovered and reported within the DLP are the developer's responsibility to fix at no cost.
Savvy Dubai investors conduct a thorough snagging inspection immediately after handover and submit all defect reports to the developer within the DLP window. Professional snagging companies charge AED 1,000 to 3,000 per unit and typically identify 50 to 200 or more items in a new apartment.
Oliva feeds Defect Liability Period into a proprietary 6-dimension score that rates eparticularly Dubai project on Financial Value, Market Dynamics, Location, Developer Trust, Risk, Macro Context, and Liquidity. This keeps comparisons consistent across hundreds of listings.
For structural defects, UAE law provides longer protection, up to 10 years under Federal Law No. 5 (Civil Code), Article 880.
Stop reading theory. See defect liability period on real Dubai projects.
Oliva shows this metric live on 1,000+ Dubai projects, alongside 7 other data points that actually predict returns. DLD and RERA licensed, free to browse.
This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, financial, legal, or tax advice. Yields, returns, and market data referenced are historical or estimated and are not guaranteed. Capital is at risk. Seek independent professional advice before making investment decisions. Oliva is a licensed Dubai real estate advisor (DLD Broker Card: 92025, RERA BRN: 1573501). Read our Key Risks Disclosure and Disclaimer.