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The first task is settling which dispute clause actually governs, because arbitration and court litigation are mutually exclusive paths and a contract pointing both ways needs interpretation before anything is filed. Broadly, a clear arbitration agreement will usually be respected, but contradictory clauses can be argued either way — and for a villa renovation, arbitration is often disproportionately expensive, which matters to your strategy. While that is being assessed, protect your position: photograph and document the site as it stands, gather the contract, payment proofs and correspondence, and send the contractor a formal written notice demanding resumption or remedy within a stated deadline. That notice is both a settlement lever and a foundation for any claim. If the matter goes to the Dubai courts, construction cases of this kind typically turn on a court-appointed engineering expert who inspects the works and reports on what was done, what it was worth, and who is at fault — so your documentation now feeds directly into that. Many half-finished-site disputes settle once the contractor receives a serious notice. Have a construction lawyer read both clauses and the state of accounts before you spend anything more.

Responsibility depends on the type of defect, and the law is firmly on your side for the serious ones. Under the UAE Civil Code, the contractor and the supervising architect carry liability for ten years from handover for structural defects and anything threatening the stability or safety of the building — wall cracking and roof leaks of the kind you describe often fall within or close to that category, and in practice the developer who sold you the unit is the party you pursue. Non-structural snags are usually covered by a shorter defect-liability period in your purchase contract, so check what it promises. Logging tickets is not enough: send the developer a formal written notice listing every defect with photos and a deadline to repair, and keep the full ticket history as evidence of delay. If nothing moves, escalate with a complaint to the Dubai Land Department and RERA, and consider an independent engineer's report — in court, cases like this are usually decided by an expert's findings, so a credible report early carries real weight. An experienced property or construction lawyer can frame the claim and manage the expert stage for you.