How to Read a Property Snagging Report

A snagging report records what was observed in the accessible parts of a property on a particular day, within an agreed scope. It is a communication tool: it lets you tell the developer, seller or contractor exactly what needs looking at, where it is and what it looks like. It is not a legal determination of who is responsible, and it is not a structural survey.

At SnagRight, the report is prepared and signed by an appropriately licensed inspection provider, subject to verification and confirmed in your agreement. Its exact format is confirmed before you accept a quote.

Read the front section before any findings. It tells you how to interpret everything that follows.

Property and visit details

• the property address or unit reference, type and size;
• the date and time of the inspection;
• who attended, and the inspection provider's details.

Conditions on the day

• whether water, electricity and cooling were running;
• whether the property was empty, furnished or occupied;
• weather, where relevant to external areas.

Scope and limitations

• the areas and systems included;
• areas not inspected, with reasons;
• general limitations of a visual, non-destructive inspection.

If anything here is wrong, such as the wrong unit number or an area listed as inaccessible that you know was open, query it promptly with the provider before sending the report on.

Most reports present each finding as a short, consistent entry. Here is a fictional example.

Each part has a job:

• Reference number: a stable label you will use in every follow-up message and at any reinspection (sometimes called de-snagging).
• Location: precise enough for someone who has never visited to find it.
• Observation: what was seen or experienced, described factually, without guessing at concealed causes.
• Photographs: evidence of the item, ideally with one close-up and one wider shot for context.
• Priority: the provider's category, explained in the report's definitions.
• Suggested next step: what the provider recommends, such as adjustment, repair, replacement or further investigation.

Providers use different systems. Some use labels such as critical, major, minor and advisory; others use numbered levels or colours. What matters is the provider's own definitions, which should appear in the report.

As a general guide:

• items touching safety, such as a loose balustrade or a damaged socket, deserve attention first;
• items involving water, such as poor drainage or missing sealant in wet areas, can lead to further damage if left;
• items affecting function, such as a door that will not lock or a room that will not cool, affect daily use;
• items of appearance, such as paint marks or uneven grout, matter but may not affect use.

A priority label is not a diagnosis. Two items with the same label can need very different responses.

It means the visible evidence points to a possible issue that cannot be confirmed by looking. A ceiling stain might come from a past leak, a current leak or condensation. A visual inspection can record the stain and any moisture reading; it cannot open the ceiling to find out. The recommendation tells the responsible party that the item needs looking into, rather than simply painting over.

Readings from instruments such as moisture meters, where used, can support an observation. They do not by themselves prove the source or extent of a concealed problem.

Use a decision framework for each item, then track it in a simple log.

Decide for each finding

1. Is it safety-related? If yes, raise it first and say so clearly.
2. Could it cause further damage? Water-related items usually belong here.
3. Does it stop something working? Doors, locks, cooling, drainage.
4. Is it appearance only? Still worth listing, but lower in your sequence.
5. Does it need investigation rather than repair? Ask the responsible party how they will investigate.

Track every item

Keep the original description unchanged even as the status moves. That way the history stays intact.

• Skipping the limitations. An area marked "not inspected" is not an area with no issues.
• Treating every item as equal. A loose balustrade and a paint mark need different urgency.
• Reading a priority as a diagnosis. The label tells you how the provider ranks the item, not what caused it.
• Assuming the developer must fix everything. Each item is assessed under your contract and the applicable law.
• Losing the reference numbers. Without them, follow-up and reinspection become guesswork.

• send the full report, as issued, through the developer's formal defect channel;
• keep a dated copy of what you sent and any acknowledgement;
• avoid informal channels, such as a message to a sales contact, as your only notice;
• remove unrelated personal information before sharing more widely, for example with a tenant or property manager.

When the responsible party says items are complete, a Reinspection checks each one by its reference number. You receive an update showing whether each appears resolved, remains open or could not be checked. Clear references in the original report make this step straightforward.

Our sample report walks through an illustrative report, section by section, including finding cards and a reinspection table. For the follow-up stage, read our guide to following up with the developer.