Hurghada Apartment Handover: What to Check

Who this guide is for. Buyers in Hurghada who are about to take delivery of a new apartment from a developer, or the keys to a ready resale unit. It is about the handover visit itself. If you are still choosing between a ready unit and one under construction, start with ready-to-move or off-plan in Hurghada; for furnishing, see furnished or unfurnished.

"Ready" on a listing is a claim to check

Words such as "ready to move", "immediate delivery" and "fully finished" describe what a seller says about a unit. They are not a record that the unit has been handed over, that utilities are connected, or that the finishing matches a specification. "Fully finished" says nothing about whether the apartment can be lived in today.

The same goes for listing data. On As-home, a sale listing can carry a delivery month entered by the seller, and search groups any date in the current year or earlier as ready. On 20 October 2026, of the 176 properties for sale in Hurghada on As-home, 162 gave no delivery date at all. Listings record whether a unit is furnished; they do not record its finishing level, service charges or handover terms. Treat all of these as questions for the seller or developer, and the handover visit as the moment you check the answers.

Before the visit

• Get the documents you will check against: the finishing specification attached to your contract, the floor plan with the contract area, and any list of included fittings or appliances.
• Ask what "handover" includes in your contract: keys only, or keys with water and electricity connected and the common areas finished.
• Ask what you will be asked to sign, and send it to your lawyer in advance. Ask in particular whether you can record defects on it and whether signing affects your ability to claim them later.
• Ask about money due at handover: any remaining instalment, a maintenance deposit, the date service charges start, and utility connection or meter fees.
• Arrange the visit in daylight, with enough time, and bring someone to help if you can.

Bring a phone charger or small lamp to test sockets, a torch, a tape measure, a notebook, and your phone for dated photos.

At the visit: what to inspect

Walls, ceilings, floors

Look for cracks, damp patches, staining and uneven paint, especially under windows, around the bathroom and kitchen, and on ceilings below balconies or bathrooms above. Walk every floor: tiles that sound hollow when tapped, cracked or lifted tiles, and uneven joints are easier to raise now than later.

Doors, windows and the balcony

Open, close and lock every door and window, including sliding doors and shutters. Check seals and that windows close fully. On the balcony, check the railing is firm and that rainwater has somewhere to drain.

Plumbing

Run every tap, hot and cold, and every shower for a few minutes. Flush every toilet. Watch the drains and look under sinks and around the toilet base for leaks. Check water pressure on an upper floor. If a water heater is included, confirm it is installed and works.

Electrics

Test every socket and switch. Find the distribution board and check the breakers are labelled. Check that the air-conditioning points, kitchen appliance points and light fittings are where the specification says.

Kitchen, bathrooms and fittings

Compare what is installed with the specification: the brand or grade of fittings if stated, cabinets, worktops, sanitary ware and any appliances. Note anything missing, different or damaged.

Measurements

Measure the main rooms and compare them with the floor plan. If the area looks smaller than the contract area, ask how the contract area is calculated (for example, whether it includes a share of common areas) and raise any difference with your lawyer.

Utilities and meters

Ask which services are actually connected today: electricity, water, gas if any, and internet. For each one, find out whether a meter is installed for your unit, in whose name it is or will be, and how bills are paid. Photograph every meter reading on the day, with the date visible. If something is not yet connected, get a written answer on who arranges it, what it costs and when.

Common areas and facilities

Check what you can use now: the entrance, lift, stairs, parking and the route to the pool or beach. If facilities in your contract or brochure are in a later phase, ask in writing when each is due. Ask who manages the building, how to report a fault, and when your service charge starts.

Recording what you find

Write every defect down as you go, room by room, with a photo of each. Put the list in writing to the developer or seller and ask for a written answer on who will fix each item and by when. If you are asked to sign a handover report, ask your lawyer before you sign whether and how your defects list should be attached to it or noted on it.

• Keys counted, including mailbox, gate, storage and access cards
• Meter readings photographed and dated
• Warranties and manuals for any appliances or systems
• Receipts for every payment made at handover
• A copy of anything you sign

Avoid starting your own fit-out work over areas with recorded defects before they are fixed or re-inspected; it can make it harder to show what was there at handover.

If you are buying a ready resale unit

The same inspection applies before the final payment: test everything, photograph meter readings, and count keys. Ask the seller for the latest utility bills and for written confirmation from the building's management that service charges are paid up to date. Have your lawyer confirm the documents before you pay. Our ready-or-off-plan guide has a viewing checklist for ready units.

Questions to put in writing

• What exactly does handover include under my contract?
• What will I sign, and can I record defects on it?
• Who fixes the defects on my list, and by when?
• Which utilities are connected, and who arranges the rest, at what cost?
• When do service charges start, and what is the maintenance deposit for?
• Which facilities are finished, and when are the others due?

Frequently asked questions

Does "fully finished" mean I can move in?

No. It describes the finishing, not whether the unit has been handed over or its utilities connected. Ask what handover includes and check it at the visit.

Should I sign the handover report if I find defects?

Ask your lawyer before signing. Make sure your defects are recorded in writing and that you understand what signing means under your contract.

What should I photograph at handover?

Every defect, every meter reading, the condition of each room, and anything that differs from the specification, with the date visible.

Does As-home inspect apartments or manage handovers?

No. As-home lists properties for sale and passes on enquiries. The inspection is yours, ideally with your lawyer's advice on the contract.

Method: listing figures come from As-home's public real-estate search for properties for sale in Hurghada on 20 October 2026 (176 listings); delivery dates are as entered by sellers, and search counts a date in the current year or earlier as ready. These figures describe listings on As-home, not the wider market. This guide is general information, not legal advice; contract questions belong with a qualified lawyer.