Q: Refund from Escrow Account I have purchased a unit from Danube Properties. According to them, the project handover will be in 2024 or 2025. Due to some unexpected financial crisis, I can’t pay the instalments, due to which I have some penalty amount as well. My question is if I cancel the unit, will I get the refund of my monthly payments since the account to which I am transferring the amount is an escrow account, not the direct Danube account? Thanks

Q: I have bought three apartments in a project and the delivery date was in 2018. I have paid 100% and nothing is pending. The builders informed me that the delivery will be in July 2019 but now they are saying the end of Dec for one apartment and the rest in 2020. If I want to withdraw and cancel the contract, can I get the complete refund and will I receive the interest too?

س: السلام عليكم، أنا مقيم من الجنسية السورية منذ 15 سنة. اشتريت عقار من شركة منذ عام 2015 على أساس التسليم في 2017. حتى الآن البناء لم يُنجَز منه شيء، وكل شهر يُخصَم الشيك الشهري المقدَّر بـ 2700. مجموع المبالغ المدفوعة حتى الآن 170000.

Q: Seeking cancellation for the delaying property delivery, as developers are not being reasonable. I purchased an off-plan property in Dubai which was due for handover in June 2018 but still incomplete as of May 2020 (approx. 58%). 80% has been paid from a purchase price of 1.97 million, plus 4% DLD fees. After pleading with developers for assistance, I recently got offered 2 x 999,999 AED, properties from the Developer (not ready till first quarter 2021 apparently), plus DLD fees as they would be classed as new sales. I wish to cancel the purchase. Do I get additional rights for a 2-year delay and being under 60% completion? Can I use force majeure (I'm on 75% wage reduction till September due to COVID-19)? Has a law come into play to have additional compensation whilst renting during the delay? (I was advised on June 2019 by the SLC that there were discussions at DLD but nothing official). Can you claim the 4% DLD fees back? Thanks in advance

Q: I have paid about 15% of installments to an off-plan project. However, due to Covid-19, I am unable to keep up with repayments at the time being. I am also concerned that it has been almost 2 years since I signed the contract and no work has started on the project, it seems no progress. The handover was scheduled to be in 2021 but now delayed to 2022. How could I cancel without losing my 15% paid? And if I continue to pay, but I am not happy with being delayed and never starting work, what should be done?

Q: Urgent termination of SPA and claiming full refund and compensation due to a project delay. I have purchased and paid in full towards 2 off-plan studios in Dubai. The developer, as per the SPA, was supposed to complete in 2019, They failed to deliver even by December 2020 and now keep changing the dates. They recently said quarter 1 2021, now saying quarter 2 2021. They have achieved a ridiculous 2% progress in 6 months and have admitted that to me in writing. I would like to know if I can cancel the SPA and get a full refund as I am facing losses and damages now. I have written to them via email several times and they say that it will not be possible as the units are registered and it is an active project and construction is in progress. I do not find this satisfactory. I would like to act fast on this. Please advise!

Q: I purchased an off-plan property in 2017 in Dubai. Handover per the SPA was early 2018. I served a formal request for handover in 2018, however, the builder used 1-year extension as per the SPA and revised the handover date to early 2019. Then in 2019, I enquired about the handover, but the builder used an additional 1-year extension as a remedy period. Again I enquired in 2020, construction was incomplete but the seller/builder promised mid-2020. Now in 2021, the building is near to completion (but still not certified). However, I have raised a formal request to claim a refund as per the contract due to delay. Can I personally go to the Dubai Courts service center and make a legal notice to the builder. I am a non-Emirati, however, a resident. Please advise

Q: Hello, We bought an off-plan apartment in 2006 in Sports City Dubai. It was supposed to be finished 2 years later. We have paid all monies to date as requested but not the final one as we haven't been asked for it. We have had no notification from the company MED based in the Red Residence in Sports City. Can you please help? We would at this stage now like to have all our money paid into this project refunded to us. It is ridiculous to be still waiting all these years later. We are now in our 70s and obviously like to know what the outcome would be. Yours faithfully,

This Law establishes interim property register in which sale contracts, off-plan sales, and other off-plan legal dispositions of real property are registered prior to inclusion in the property register maintained by Dubai Land Department.

The provisions of this Law supersede articles (2) and (11) of Law No. (13) of 2008 Regulating the Interim Property Register in the Emirate of Dubai.

This Resolution approves the Implementing Bylaw of Law No. (13) of 2008 Regulating the Interim Property Register in the Emirate of Dubai.