Defect Liability Period

The defect liability period is the window after handover during which the developer must repair defects in a new property at its own cost. In UAE practice it operates on two levels. Contractually, sale agreements commonly provide a one-year period covering general defects in the unit — mechanical, electrical, plumbing and finishing issues. On top of that sits the Civil Code's decennial liability: developers and contractors remain liable for ten years for structural defects that threaten the building's stability or safety, and this statutory protection cannot be contracted away. The period matters because timing is everything: defects reported with evidence inside the window must be fixed free of charge, while late reports become arguments about wear, misuse and proof. Owners should snag thoroughly at handover, report defects in writing with photos, chase rectification before the period expires, and keep the entire correspondence trail — it is the evidence base for any regulator complaint or court claim.