Who handles maintenance after handover in Dubai?

Maintenance after handover splits between two parties: the building's management company handles common areas such as lobbies, lifts, pools and shared systems, funded by service charges, while you as owner are responsible for the interior of your own unit. Any warranty period covering construction defects is set by the developer and precised in your contract, not by a general market rule.

Common areas versus your unit

The owners' association appoints a management company that maintains everything shared: structural elements, shared plumbing and electrical systems up to your unit's entry point, common facilities, security and landscaping. Inside your own walls, fixtures, fittings, appliances and finishes are your responsibility once handover is complete, the same split that applies in most freehold markets. Our guide on service charges in Dubai: who pays and what they cover explains exactly what your service charge funds on the common side.

The developer's warranty period

Most developers offer a defects liability period after handover, during which they remain responsible for fixing genuine construction defects identified through snagging, rather than normal wear from use. The length of this period and exactly what it covers are precised in your sale and purchase agreement, so read that clause rather than assuming a standard duration applies across every project. Our explainer on what is handover and snagging in Dubai covers how to document defects before the warranty clock matters.

What happens once the warranty period ends

After the developer's warranty period closes, day to day maintenance inside your unit becomes entirely your responsibility, whether you handle it directly or through a property manager. For anything structural or related to shared building systems, you continue to rely on the owners' association and its appointed management company, funded through your ongoing service charges rather than a one-off repair bill to you.

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If you live outside the UAE

Since most Orven buyers manage their unit from abroad, coordinating maintenance without being on site is a real practical question, not a minor detail. A local property manager can act as your point of contact for both categories, reporting building-wide issues to the owners' association and handling interior repairs directly. Our guide on who manages the property when I am abroad walks through how this arrangement typically works.

Working with Orven on this

If you want to understand the exact warranty terms for a project you are considering, or need help setting up remote maintenance once you own a unit, your Orven adviser can walk you through it before and after you reserve. Reach us on WhatsApp at +971 52 776 1939 or write to sales@orvenproperties.com with your project or unit details.

FAQ

Who fixes a genuine construction defect after handover? The developer, within the warranty period precised in your sale and purchase agreement; this differs from normal wear, which is the owner's responsibility.

Do service charges cover maintenance inside my own unit? No. Service charges fund common areas and shared systems; interior maintenance and repairs are your responsibility as owner.

How long does the developer's warranty last? It is precised in your contract and varies by project, so confirm it with your adviser before you reserve.

Can a property manager handle both categories if I live abroad? Yes, a manager can report building-wide issues to the owners' association and handle interior repairs directly on your behalf.

Frequently asked questions

Who fixes a genuine construction defect after handover?

The developer, within the warranty period precised in your sale and purchase agreement; this differs from normal wear, which is the owner's responsibility.

Do service charges cover maintenance inside my own unit?

No. Service charges fund common areas and shared systems; interior maintenance and repairs are your responsibility as owner.

How long does the developer's warranty last?

It is precised in your contract and varies by project, so confirm it with your adviser before you reserve.

Can a property manager handle both categories if I live abroad?

Yes, a manager can report building-wide issues to the owners' association and handle interior repairs directly on your behalf.