Dubai Real Estate Rules and Regulations

1. Regulatory Authorities
   Dubai Land Department (DLD): Oversees property registration and ownership in Dubai.

Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA): The regulatory arm of DLD that governs real estate professionals, developers, and transactions.

Trakheesi System: Manages real estate permits for advertising and brokerage activities.

2. Property Ownership Laws
   Freehold Areas: Foreigners can own property with full ownership rights (e.g., Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah).

Leasehold Areas: Ownership rights are limited to long-term leases (e.g., 10–99 years).

Joint Ownership: Multiple individuals can jointly own a property with equal or defined shares.

3. Off-Plan Property Rules
   Developers must:

Register with DLD.

Register the project in the Oqood system.

Open an escrow account to protect buyer payments.

Buyers must pay through the escrow account.

Penalties for non-completion or project delays apply under Law No. 8 of 2007.

4. Tenancy Law (Law No. 26 of 2007 and Law No. 33 of 2008)
   Rental Increases: Regulated by the RERA Rental Index.

Eviction Rules: Landlords must give 12 months’ written notice for eviction for reasons like self-use or selling.

Renewals: Both landlord and tenant must agree on renewal terms 90 days before contract expiry.

5. Broker Regulations
   Brokers must:

Be licensed by RERA.

Be listed in the Broker Register.

Follow the RERA Code of Ethics (honesty, transparency, client protection).

Brokers must issue a Form A before listing a property for sale.

Form F is the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between buyer and seller.

6. Escrow Law (Law No. 8 of 2007)
   All buyer payments for off-plan properties must go into a project-specific escrow account.

Funds are released to the developer in stages after DLD verifies construction progress.

7. Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Compliance
   Real estate brokers and developers must follow UAE AML laws.

Suspicious transactions must be reported to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

Client Due Diligence (CDD) is mandatory for high-value deals.

8. Advertising Rules
   Brokers must get a Trakheesi permit before advertising a property.

False or misleading advertising can result in fines or license suspension.

9. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
   Regulated investment vehicles that pool investor capital to buy income-generating properties.

Governed by the SCA (Securities and Commodities Authority) and DLD.

10. Dispute Resolution
    Real estate disputes are resolved through:

RDC (Rental Dispute Center) for tenancy cases.

Dubai Courts for contractual or ownership disputes.

Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) for arbitration-based cases.