Yamalova & Plewka FZCO
Fourteen legal checks for real estate agents to complete before marketing, presenting or concluding an off-plan sale in Dubai. Progress is saved on this device.
Verify that the developer is properly licensed and registered with the DLD.
How developers are regulated in the UAE
Confirm that the specific off-plan project is approved and registered before marketing or facilitating sales.
What a developer must register before selling
Confirm that the required permits and authorisations are in place before advertising or promoting the property.
Advertising and cold-calling rules for real estate
Verify the project's official DLD-approved escrow account before sharing payment instructions with buyers.
Escrow account rules for off-plan projects
Direct booking fees, deposits and instalments to the project's official escrow account only.
Why payments outside escrow put buyers at risk
Know whether payments correspond with construction milestones before you explain the plan to a buyer.
How payment schedules should track construction milestones
Check the project's official construction status and anticipated completion date against DLD records.
Listen: buying an off-plan property in Dubai
Handover, views, layouts, specifications, amenities and permitted use must be consistent with the official and contractual documents.
When promised amenities never materialise
Avoid making promises, guarantees or representations that cannot be supported by the documentation.
Common legal mistakes in Dubai real estate transactions
Do not dismiss them as "just paperwork". Encourage buyers to review them carefully before signing.
What a buyer risks by signing and then exiting
Unsure whether a representation is supported by the documents? Book a consultation before the buyer signs.
Understand them well enough to present them, and refer buyers for independent legal advice on legal rights or contractual interpretation.
Arrange an SPA review for your client
Material differences between sales representations, booking documents and the SPA are exactly what buyers later dispute.
Investor rights and legal protections in the UAE
Keep clear records of communications, brochures, payment instructions, representations and transaction documents.
Which records matter if a dispute arises
If something does not match the official records or contractual documents, do not assume.
For agents
Before your client commits, LYLAW's real estate lawyers conduct due diligence on the transaction: verifying the developer's registration, the escrow arrangement, the booking form and the sale and purchase agreement. Your client receives independent legal advice, and the transaction proceeds on a sound legal footing.
“Well prepared, practical and straight to the point. Clear, no-nonsense advice and guidance when I needed it most.”
P. L., Google review
This checklist is provided by HPL Yamalova & Plewka FZCO (LYLAW) as general information for licensed real estate brokers and agents in Dubai. It is not legal advice, does not create a lawyer-client relationship, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for advice on a specific transaction. It is not exhaustive: requirements vary by project, developer, jurisdiction and transaction, and laws and regulatory practice change. Agents remain responsible for their own obligations under Dubai Land Department and RERA regulations, including licensing, advertising and anti-money-laundering requirements. LYLAW accepts no liability for any loss arising from use of or reliance on this checklist. Last reviewed September 2026.
