A Dubai transaction is not a handshake followed by paperwork. It is a sequence with named documents, a named registry and a published fee at each stage — Form F, the developer NOC, the trustee appointment, the title deed, Ejari. Below is what each service involves, the order the steps actually run in, and who conventionally pays for what.
Property brokerage in Dubai is regulated by RERA under the Dubai Land Department. A brokerage holds an Office Registration Number (ORN) and every individual broker holds a Broker Registration Number (BRN). You can check a broker and an office through the Dubai Land Department and its Dubai REST channels before signing anything.
Search, negotiation and the full Dubai Land Department transfer, handled end to end.
We shortlist against what you actually need rather than what is easiest to show, negotiate on evidence of recent transacted prices, and then carry the transfer: Form F, deposit cheque, developer NOC, trustee office appointment and title deed.
Registered by the Dubai Land Department. Confirm current fee levels with DLD before you exchange.
The memorandum of understanding between buyer and seller is executed through the Dubai Land Department system as Form F. It fixes the price, the completion date and the allocation of every cost, and it sets out what happens if either side fails to complete.
A deposit — conventionally 10% of the price — is handed over as a cheque and held by the registration trustee rather than banked. It is security for performance, not a part payment released to the seller on signature.
The developer issues a no-objection certificate confirming service charges are settled to date and no community rule is in breach. On a cash purchase this is usually the longest step, and it cannot begin until any arrears are cleared.
Both parties attend a Dubai Land Department registration trustee office. The buyer presents manager cheques for the balance and the fees; the seller brings the original title deed, passport and the NOC. Any mortgage being redeemed is released in the same sitting, and a new mortgage is registered at the same time.
The Dubai Land Department issues the title deed in the buyer’s name. It is the record of ownership, and the document a resale, a mortgage or a property-linked residency application will rest on.
The DEWA account is opened against the title deed with a refundable deposit. Where cooling is supplied by a district provider rather than billed through the service charge, that is a separate account with its own registration fee and standing charge.
Negotiable and sometimes split, but whatever is agreed must be written into the Form F: the transfer will not register until it is paid. Treat it as cash — it is rarely capable of being added to a mortgage.
A modest fixed amount that differs by property type, charged for processing the transfer and issuing the deed.
Charged by the trustee office hosting the appointment, banded by transaction value, with VAT on top.
Contractual rather than fixed. We agree the figure and the payer in writing before viewings begin, not at the trustee office.
Set by each developer and varying widely. Ask for the current figure at the start of the transaction rather than the end.
Split between seller and buyer at the transfer date. There is no annual property tax in Dubai; the service charge, levied per square foot and set per building, is the recurring cost of ownership.
Honest pricing, proper photography and a buyer list, rather than a portal listing and hope.
Most Dubai homes that sit unsold are simply priced to the last cycle. We price against transacted evidence, present the property properly, and qualify buyers on funds before we take your time with a viewing.
Listing and advertising are regulated by RERA under the Dubai Land Department; the transfer is registered by DLD.
Form A is the RERA listing agreement between an owner and a brokerage. It records the asking price, the commission and the marketing permission, and it is what allows the property to be advertised lawfully.
Every Dubai property advert carries a permit number tied to the listing and to the brokerage’s Office Registration Number, issued through the Trakheesi system. A listing without one should tell a seller something about the agent handling it.
We value against what comparable units in the same building or community actually transferred for at the Dubai Land Department, not against what neighbouring listings are asking. Most Dubai homes that sit unsold are priced to the last cycle.
We ask for proof of funds or a written mortgage pre-approval before a viewing takes your Saturday. Once terms are agreed, the Form F records the price, the deposit and who bears the transfer fee, the commission and the NOC fee.
The NOC will not issue while service charges are outstanding. Where the property carries a mortgage, settlement and release are sequenced with the transfer so the buyer’s money and the bank’s discharge meet on the same day.
You attend the trustee office with the original title deed and passport, hand over keys and access cards, and receive the manager cheque for the balance. The Dubai Land Department cancels your deed and issues the buyer’s.
Payable to the developer for the no-objection certificate, after any service charge arrears have been settled.
Cleared before the NOC issues. The balance of the year is apportioned to the buyer at transfer.
Early settlement charges are set by the lender. Ask for a written redemption statement before you agree a completion date.
On a Dubai sale the buyer conventionally pays the commission. Where a seller-side fee is agreed instead, it belongs in Form A in writing.
Negotiable. A seller offering to absorb part of it is making a price concession, and it should be recorded as one in the Form F.
Tenancies placed, negotiated and registered on Ejari — for landlords and for tenants.
We agree the rent, the cheque count and the condition of handover in writing, then register the contract on Ejari so that both sides have a contract the authorities will recognise in a dispute.
Registered on Ejari by the Dubai Land Department. Disputes are heard by the Rental Disputes Centre.
Two numbers are negotiated, not one. One cheque attracts the lowest rent; two and four are common; six or more appear in softer markets. Fewer cheques means a lower rent and far more cash on day one.
The contract sets the term, the rent and cheque schedule, the deposit and the maintenance split. Minor maintenance conventionally sits with the tenant and major plant and structure with the landlord, but where that line falls should be written down rather than assumed.
Conventionally 5% of the annual rent for an unfurnished property and more for a furnished one, refundable against damage beyond fair wear and tear. Photograph the condition on the day you take the keys; the move-out conversation is decided by evidence.
Ejari registration records the tenancy with the Dubai Land Department and produces the certificate you will need to open a DEWA account, to sponsor family for residence visas, and to bring or defend a case at the Rental Disputes Centre. We file it rather than leaving it to the tenant.
DEWA requires the Ejari certificate and a refundable deposit set at different levels for apartments and villas. District cooling, where it applies, is a separate account that may carry a standing charge whether or not the unit is occupied.
At renewal the permitted increase is set by the RERA rental index, which measures your rent against comparable property in the same area — the further below market it sits, the larger the increase allowed, and where it is at or above market no increase is permitted. Any change of terms must be notified in advance.
Contractual rather than fixed, and agreed in writing before viewings, whichever side we are acting for.
Refundable, and higher for a furnished property. The return conditions belong in the contract, not in an understanding.
A modest fixed fee. Whoever pays it, make sure it is filed and that you hold a copy of the certificate.
A refundable deposit plus a connection charge, at different levels for apartments and villas.
The owner carries the building service charge and structural and plant maintenance. Minor maintenance conventionally sits with the tenant up to an agreed limit.
Launch access, payment plan analysis and the escrow and Oqood mechanics explained.
Off-plan is a different product from a finished home, and the risk sits in the contract rather than the render. We read the SPA, model the payment plan against your cash flow, and check the escrow and Oqood position before you commit.
Registered on Oqood by the Dubai Land Department; payments protected through the project escrow account.
Before anything is signed we check the project registration and the escrow account independently rather than accepting account details handed over at a sales desk. Payments under an off-plan plan go into the project escrow account, not to the developer directly, and that requirement is the structural protection you have.
The risk in off-plan sits in the contract rather than the render: completion date and grace period, specification substitution, area variance tolerance, penalty and termination clauses. We read the SPA against your cash flow before the booking deposit, not after it.
An off-plan sale is registered on Oqood, the Dubai Land Department system that records an interest in a unit for which no title deed yet exists. Registration is completed at a DLD trustee office and carries a fee.
Instalments are tied to construction progress rather than to calendar dates, so they can arrive earlier than the brochure implied. Some structures defer more to handover, easing cash flow but concentrating a large payment on a date the developer controls.
Selling before completion is possible but governed by the developer: a minimum percentage of the price paid, a developer no-objection certificate, a fee, and the Oqood transfer completed at a trustee office. If an early exit is part of your plan, read those clauses before signing.
Have the unit inspected by a snagging specialist before you accept handover — alignment, sealing, AC balance, tiling and electrical faults are listed for the developer to remedy under the defects liability period. The leverage changes entirely once you have signed the property off. The title deed issues at completion.
Paid at the trustee office when the interest is recorded. Confirm the current rate with the Dubai Land Department.
On primary sales the developer commonly pays the brokerage, which is precisely why you should ask any broker how their incentive runs. We tell you before the first floor plan is opened.
Charged when a contract is assigned before handover, on top of any minimum-paid-percentage condition.
Where it has not already been settled at registration. Confirm with DLD how it applies to your specific project.
An inspector you instruct works for you rather than for the developer, which is the entire point of instructing one.
For owners who are not in the country: rent collection, maintenance and renewals.
We hold the keys, place the tenant, chase the cheques, handle maintenance within an agreed limit and report to you monthly. Service charge invoices are reconciled rather than simply forwarded.
Tenancies are registered on Ejari by the Dubai Land Department; service charge budgets are approved by RERA.
A written mandate setting the management fee, the maintenance limit we may act within without asking you, and how funds are remitted. Where you are overseas, a power of attorney may be needed for anything that must be signed in person.
Keys, access cards and parking permits are logged and the property photographed room by room before a tenant moves in. On a new build we run snagging first, so the developer remedies faults under the defects liability period rather than you paying for them later.
We market the unit, screen for employment and payment history, agree the rent against the RERA rental index and the cheque count, then register the tenancy on Ejari so both sides hold a contract the authorities will recognise.
Post-dated cheques are presented on their dates and the proceeds remitted with a statement. A bounced cheque is something we start on the day it happens, not at the end of the month.
Repairs within the agreed limit are instructed without waiting on a time difference; anything above it comes to you with a quote. Service charge invoices are reconciled against the approved budget for the building rather than simply forwarded.
The condition record taken at handover is what decides the deposit, which is why it is taken. Renewal notices are served inside the required period so a renegotiation is not lost on a technicality.
Agreed in the management agreement before the mandate starts. It is separate from the leasing commission.
Conventionally 5% of the annual rent plus VAT, as on any Dubai letting.
Levied per square foot and set per building. We check the invoice against the approved budget, including the reserve fund provision.
Plant, structure and anything beyond the tenant’s agreed minor-maintenance limit.
Accounts sit in the tenant’s name for the term and revert to the owner between tenancies.
Short-term letting under a Department of Economy and Tourism permit.
Short-term rental in Dubai is licensed. We handle the permit application, the listing, guest turnover and the tourism fee obligations, and we will tell you honestly when annual letting would net you more.
Permitted and regulated by Dubai Economy and Tourism. Requirements and fees are published by DET.
Short-term letting in Dubai is licensed. A holiday home permit is issued per unit by the Department of Economy and Tourism, and letting without one is not a grey area. Ownership documents, identification and the unit details form the application.
The property is classified and must meet the standards attached to that classification — furnishing, safety equipment, inventory. We prepare the unit for inspection rather than discovering the requirements at it.
Rates are set by season and by event calendar rather than as a single annual figure, and availability is managed across channels so the same night is never sold twice.
Check-in, identification and guest registration are handled to the standard the permit requires, along with housekeeping, linen and the turnaround between stays.
A per-night municipality tourism fee applies to holiday homes as it does to hotels. It is collected from the guest and remitted, and it belongs in the pricing rather than as a surprise at check-out.
The permit is renewed on its cycle. Each year we set the net short-term result against what the same unit would have earned on an annual tenancy, after cleaning, utilities, voids and the permit — and we will tell you when the annual let wins.
Applied for and renewed with Dubai Economy and Tourism. Confirm current fees and classification requirements with DET.
Collected at booking or check-in and remitted by the operator. Confirm the current per-night rate with Dubai Economy and Tourism.
Set in the operating agreement. Housekeeping, linen and consumables are either charged separately or sit inside the fee, and it should be clear which.
Unlike an annual tenancy, utilities stay in the owner’s name and run through the voids. This is the line most short-term projections quietly omit.
Some buildings and communities restrict or prohibit short-term letting. Check the rules before the permit, not after it.
Someone owning the timeline between offer accepted and title deed issued.
A Dubai transfer touches the developer, the bank, the trustee office and sometimes two law firms. We coordinate the sequence, keep the deposit protected and make sure nothing waits on a document nobody chased.
Every registration step in the sequence is completed at a Dubai Land Department trustee office.
A Dubai transfer touches the developer, one or two banks, the trustee office and sometimes two law firms. We work back from the completion date in the Form F so the NOC, the redemption statement and the appointment are ordered rather than raced.
Manager cheques for the balance, the transfer fee and the trustee fee are drawn to the correct payees and dated for the appointment. A cheque made out to the wrong party is a wasted trustee slot and, sometimes, a lost deal.
Applied for as early as the arrears position allows, and followed up in writing. This is the step that most often quietly consumes a fortnight of a completion timeline.
Where the seller has a loan, the redemption statement, the settlement funds and the release of the bank’s interest are sequenced so the discharge and the transfer happen in the same sitting.
The slot is booked, the document set is checked against the trustee’s list before anyone travels, and one of us is in the room with you.
DEWA, district cooling and building access are transferred on the transfer date, so you are not paying for a previous owner’s consumption or waiting a week for an access card.
Charged by the Dubai Land Department where the purchase is financed. Confirm the current rate and administrative charge with DLD.
Set by the seller’s lender, including any early settlement charge. Get them in writing before agreeing a completion date.
Where the buyer’s bank requires the property blocked pending settlement. Set by the lender rather than by regulation.
We coordinate the sequence; we are not a law firm and do not give legal advice. Where a firm is instructed, its fee is a matter between you and it.
DEWA and, where cooling is billed separately, the district provider both take a deposit on a new account.
Introductions to UAE mortgage brokers and lenders. We do not lend or advise on credit.
We introduce you to independent, regulated mortgage brokers and to bank relationship managers who deal with non-resident applications. Loan-to-value caps, eligibility and rates are set by the lender and the Central Bank of the UAE, and are confirmed by them rather than by us.
Loan-to-value caps are set by the Central Bank of the UAE and applied by each lender; the mortgage itself is registered by the Dubai Land Department.
We introduce you to independent mortgage brokers and to bank relationship managers who handle resident and non-resident applications. We are a property brokerage, not a lender or a credit adviser, and we do not arrange the loan.
A written pre-approval tells you what you can borrow and makes a Form F completion date realistic. Offering without one is how a deposit ends up at risk on a deadline nobody could have met.
The bank instructs its own valuer. A valuation below the agreed price reduces the loan rather than the price, and the shortfall becomes cash — a conversation to have before the Form F, not after it.
Read the rate structure, the fixed period, what it reverts to, and the early settlement terms. A purchase with finance simply takes longer than a cash one, and the Form F date should say so.
The loan is registered against the title with the Dubai Land Department at the same appointment as the transfer, at 0.25% of the loan amount plus a fixed administrative charge.
The deposit is only part of it. The 4% transfer fee, the commission, the trustee and administrative fees and the mortgage registration charge sit on top and generally cannot be financed.
Usually a percentage of the loan, set by the individual lender rather than by regulation.
Charged for the survey the lender instructs, and generally payable whether or not the application proceeds.
Paid to the Dubai Land Department at registration. Confirm the current rate with DLD.
Lenders generally require cover in place at drawdown. Premiums are set by the insurer.
Some brokers are paid by the lender, some by the borrower, some by both. Ask the broker directly, in writing, at the first meeting.
Off-plan is a different product from a finished home. These are the five mechanics that decide how an off-plan purchase behaves, none of which appear on a render.
An off-plan sale is registered on Oqood, the Dubai Land Department system that records an interest in a unit for which no title deed yet exists. The title deed itself is issued at handover, once the property is complete. Oqood registration carries a fee and is completed at a DLD registration trustee office.
Confirm the current Oqood registration fee with the Dubai Land Department.
Payments under an off-plan payment plan are made into the project escrow account rather than to the developer directly. That requirement is the structural protection an off-plan buyer has, which is why the account details should be confirmed independently rather than accepted from a sales desk.
Verify the escrow account for your specific project with the Dubai Land Department.
A common shape is a deposit on signing the sale and purchase agreement, instalments tied to construction milestones, and a balance at handover. Structures differ by developer and project: some defer more to completion, easing cash flow but concentrating a large payment on a date the developer controls; others front-load. Milestone-linked instalments arrive when construction progresses, which can be earlier than the brochure dates suggested.
Assigning an off-plan contract to another buyer before completion is possible but is governed by the developer. It typically requires a minimum percentage of the price to have been paid, a developer no-objection certificate, and a fee, with the Oqood transfer completed at a trustee office. If an early exit is part of your plan, read those clauses before signing.
Minimum paid percentages and NOC fees for assignment are set by each developer.
Before accepting handover, have the unit inspected by a snagging specialist: alignment, sealing, AC balance, tiling, paint and electrical faults are listed for the developer to remedy under the defects liability period that follows completion. Do it before you sign off rather than after, because the leverage changes entirely once you have accepted the property.
The two processes we run for every client, set out in full. Timings are indicative rather than contractual.
Form F is the contract of sale. It records the price, the deposit, the completion date and — critically — who bears the transfer fee, the agency commission and the developer NOC fee. Read those clauses rather than assuming the convention applies. It also sets out what happens if either side fails to complete, which is the clause that matters most if the deal goes wrong.
The deposit cheque is normally made out to the seller but held by the registration trustee rather than banked, so that it is available to whichever party the Form F entitles to it if completion fails. It is security for performance, not a part payment released to the seller on signing.
The deposit percentage is a matter of negotiation and convention rather than a fixed rule. Confirm the amount and who holds it in the Form F.
The developer will not issue the NOC until service charges are settled to date and any breach of the community rules is remedied. This is normally the longest step in a cash purchase, and it is the obligation of the seller to clear the arrears. A developer fee is payable, and who pays it should already be written into the Form F.
NOC fees and processing times are set by each developer. Ask the developer directly at the start rather than at the end.
The appointment is booked at a Dubai Land Department registration trustee office. The buyer brings manager cheques for the balance of the price and for the fees; the seller brings the original title deed, passport and the NOC. Where a mortgage is being redeemed, the lender attends or the settlement is coordinated so that the release and the transfer happen together. Where the buyer is borrowing, the new mortgage is registered against the title at the same time.
The title deed is the record of ownership. For an off-plan unit there is no title deed until handover; the interest is recorded on Oqood instead and the deed is issued once the property is complete. Store the deed carefully — you will need it for a resale, for a mortgage and for any residency application that relies on the property.
A DEWA account requires the title deed or Ejari certificate and carries a refundable deposit. Where cooling is supplied by a district provider rather than billed through the service charge, that account is separate and may carry its own registration fee and a standing capacity charge that runs whether or not the unit is occupied.
Annual rent in Dubai is conventionally paid by post-dated cheques handed over at the start of the tenancy. One cheque attracts the lowest rent; two and four are common; six or more appear in softer markets. Fewer cheques means a lower rent but far more cash on day one. Bank transfer arrangements are increasingly accepted, but the cheque count remains the language of the negotiation.
The contract records the term, the rent and cheque schedule, the security deposit and its return conditions, and the split of maintenance responsibility. Read the maintenance clause: minor maintenance conventionally sits with the tenant and major structural and plant maintenance with the landlord, but where that line falls should be written down rather than assumed.
The deposit is security against damage beyond fair wear and tear and against unpaid utility bills at the end of the term. Furnished properties usually attract a higher percentage. Photograph the condition of the property on the day you take the keys, because the deposit conversation at move-out is decided by evidence.
The deposit percentage is convention rather than a fixed statutory rate. Agree the amount and the return conditions in the contract.
Ejari registration is required for tenancy contracts in Dubai. Practically, you will need the certificate to open a DEWA account, to sponsor family members for residence visas, and to bring or defend a case at the Rental Disputes Centre. Make sure it is done and that you hold a copy, whoever files it.
Ejari registration fees and the accepted channels are published by the Dubai Land Department.
DEWA requires the Ejari certificate and a refundable deposit that differs between apartments and villas. Where cooling is supplied by a district provider it is a separate account, sometimes with its own registration fee and a standing charge. Confirm which of these are borne by the landlord before you sign, not after.
At renewal a landlord may only increase the rent within the bands set by the RERA rental index, which compares your current rent against market rates for comparable property in the same area — the further below market the rent sits, the larger the permitted increase, and where the rent is already at or above market no increase is permitted. Any change of terms must be notified in advance of renewal. Disagreements go to the Rental Disputes Centre.
Use the rental index calculator published by the Dubai Land Department for your area, property type and current rent, and confirm the required notice period before relying on it.
Conventions, not rules. Every line below is negotiable, and every line belongs in writing — in the Form F on a sale, in the tenancy contract on a let.
The Dubai Land Department transfer fee on a sale is 4% of the purchase price. Convention is that the buyer pays it, though it is negotiable and is sometimes split. Whatever is agreed belongs in the Form F, because the transfer will not register until it is paid. Treat it as cash: it is rarely capable of being added to a mortgage.
Fee levels are set by the Dubai Land Department and can be revised. Confirm the current rate with DLD before you exchange.
A separate administrative charge for processing the transfer and issuing the title deed. It is a modest fixed amount rather than a percentage, and it differs between property types.
Confirm the current administration and title deed issuance fees with the Dubai Land Department.
The fee charged by the registration trustee office that hosts the transfer appointment. It is banded by the value of the transaction and VAT is charged on top.
Trustee office fees are published by the Dubai Land Department and are banded by transaction value.
Brokerage commission on a Dubai sale is conventionally 2% of the purchase price, plus 5% VAT on the commission. It is a matter of contract rather than a fixed rate, and the figure and the payer should be agreed in writing before viewings begin.
Charged by the developer for issuing the no-objection certificate confirming service charges are clear. The amount varies significantly between developers, and the NOC will not issue until arrears are settled.
Ask the developer for its current NOC fee at the start of the transaction.
Service charges already paid for the year are apportioned between seller and buyer at the transfer date. There is no annual property tax in Dubai; the service charge, levied per square foot and set per building, is the recurring cost of ownership.
Ask for the approved service charge budget for the specific building, including the reserve fund provision.
Where the purchase is financed, the mortgage is registered against the title with the Dubai Land Department at 0.25% of the loan amount, plus a fixed administrative charge.
Confirm the current mortgage registration rate and administrative charge with the Dubai Land Department.
Lenders charge an arrangement fee, usually a percentage of the loan, and a valuation fee for the survey they instruct. Both are set by the individual bank rather than by regulation.
Ask your lender or a regulated mortgage broker to quote arrangement, valuation and early settlement charges in writing.
A refundable deposit to open a DEWA account, at a different level for apartments and villas, plus a connection charge. Where cooling is supplied by a district provider, that account is separate and may carry its own registration fee.
Current deposit and connection charges are published by DEWA.
On a straightforward ready purchase, transaction costs commonly land in the region of six to seven percent of the price once the DLD transfer fee, agency commission, trustee and administrative fees are added together — more where a mortgage brings registration, arrangement and valuation charges with it. Model it as cash you must have on the day, because the transfer fee in particular cannot usually be financed.
Paid by post-dated cheques, conventionally one to four across the year, sometimes more. Fewer cheques attracts a lower rent; more cheques eases cash flow at a higher total.
Refundable, conventionally 5% of the annual rent for an unfurnished property and higher for a furnished one, held against damage beyond fair wear and tear.
The percentage is convention rather than a statutory rate. Agree the amount and the return conditions in the tenancy contract.
Brokerage commission on a residential letting is conventionally 5% of the annual rent plus VAT, usually paid by the tenant. It is contractual rather than fixed, so agree it before viewings.
A modest fixed fee to register the tenancy contract with the Dubai Land Department through Ejari and receive the certificate.
Current Ejari fees and accepted channels are published by the Dubai Land Department.
A refundable deposit plus a connection charge, at different levels for apartments and villas. District cooling, where it applies, is a separate account.
Current deposit and connection charges are published by DEWA.
Brokerage commission carries 5% VAT in the UAE. Our tax registration number is 100482915600003, and every invoice we issue shows the VAT as a separate line.
This guide explains how property transactions work in Dubai. It is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice, and fees and thresholds set by regulation are revised from time to time. Confirm any figure that matters to your decision with the Dubai Land Department, RERA or the relevant federal authority before you commit.
Where a rule can change with policy, we point you at the body that sets it rather than guessing on your behalf.
Registers transfers and title deeds, operates Ejari and Oqood, and publishes the rental index.
The regulatory arm of the Dubai Land Department: licenses brokerages and brokers, and approves service charge budgets.
The Dubai Land Department digital service used to verify brokers, offices and projects.
Hears disputes between landlords and tenants in Dubai.
Sets mortgage lending regulation, including loan-to-value caps.
Federal and Dubai residency authorities; decide long-term residence visas including those linked to property.
Issues holiday home permits for short-term letting.
Electricity and water connection, deposits and account transfer.
Each desk is run by the broker named against it above, so you can reach the right person directly. If you are not sure which desk you need, the main line will place you with one.
