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Dubai real estate glossary

Guillaume Giroux on July 23, 2023

If you've decided to invest in real estate in Dubai, you may have been confronted with new or complicated terms, sometimes in English or even Arabic. At Dubai Immo, we see it as our mission to make it easier for French speakers to invest in Dubai real estate. For this reason, we've decided to publish a large glossary of all the terms specific to Dubai real estate. In this article, you'll discover the main terms you need to know before buying or renting property in Dubai.

DEWA

This is the company that manages electricity and water in Dubai for private individuals. When you purchase a property in Dubai, you must register with DEWA in order to have water and electricity in your apartment or villa. A fee of between AED 2,000 and AED 4,000, depending on the type of property, must be paid at the time of activation. This sum will be returned to you when you leave the property.

Mashrooi

This useful tool enables you to follow the construction progress of any real estate development in Dubai. The tool can also be used to access a wide range of information on a given development:

project registration date
work start date
scheduled completion date
types of apartments and villas planned for the project
escrow account details

Ejari

This is the standardized rental contract introduced by the Dubai authorities in 2010. To obtain an Ejari after renting out a property, the process is extremely simple. The lessor simply fills in the contract details via the Dubai Land Department's mobile application:

contract start and end dates
rent amount
PAYMENT TERMS
any additional clauses

Once validated and electrically signed by the landlord and tenant, a pdf will be automatically generated, together with an Ejari contract number. The Ejari can be used as proof of address, and can also be requested when subscribing to the Internet, or from DEWA for payment of your water and electricity bills.

To register a new EJARI, click here.

Handover

Handover is the process of handing over the keys once construction has been completed. At the time of handover, the developer will ask the owner to carry out an inspection of the property. Once the condominium fees have been paid, as well as the DEWA registration, the owner can finally receive the keys to his or her apartment or villa.

Completion

This is the end of the work. Note that completion does not necessarily mean immediate handover of the keys. It can take several months from the time the developer receives the "Completion Certificate" to the start of the handover procedure. This is because the developer may still have a few minor finishing touches to make to the residence, even though the work has been completed overall. Many payment plans end with the payment of a large instalment on completion, known as "Completion" in Dubai.

Service charge

These are the condominium fees. Whether you're buying an apartment in a residence or a villa in a community, you'll have to pay condominium charges. The amount of these charges varies according to the type of property and its location. The amount of charges is calculated according to the surface area of the property. Condominium fees cover all maintenance costs for the residence or community, including the gym and swimming pool.

Booking Form

This is the booking form. If you're buying an apartment or villa in Dubai, you'll receive a booking form to sign once you've paid the reservation deposit. This document sets out the price of the property, its surface area, payment terms and the identity of the buyers, among other things. This document is between 2 and 15 pages long, depending on the promoter.

DLD Fees

This is the cost of registering your property in your name. In other words, notary fees. DLD stands for Dubai Land Department, which acts as a notary in Dubai, hence the name "DLD fees".

Makani

The Makani number is assigned by DTCM to each residence in Dubai. You'll need this number when you register your apartment with DTCM for short-term rental.

Downpayment

This is the first instalment to be paid on the purchase of an apartment or villa in Dubai. Downpayment is a percentage of the property price, generally between 10% and 20%, plus notary fees (4%) and any administrative charges.

SPA

This is the purchase contract for your apartment or villa in Dubai. SPA stands for Sales Purchase Agreement. This contract, signed by the investor and the developer, will be registered by the Dubai Land Department. It contains a detailed description of the property, payment terms and general conditions of contract. It should be kept in a safe place for as long as you own the property, and may be requested at the time of resale or completion of certain formalities.

Trustee

This is the body you need to contact to register a sale on the secondary market. If you wish to buy or sell an apartment in Dubai on the secondary or resale market, the transaction must be registered with a Trustee. This body will collect the notary's fees (DLD), check the supporting documents and verify the validity of the transaction, just like a notary in France. If you're buying through a real estate agent, he or she will collect the supporting documents and accompany you to the trustee's office. No appointment is necessary; you can go directly to a Trustee Office to register a sale in just a few dozen minutes.