Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers
7 available 7 • View allCan a real estate agency hold a percentage of a property sale until transfer is done?

0
Q: A real estate agency has signed an MOU stating that a 10% security deposit from the buyer and the seller will be kept in the real estate agency and will be released upon transferring the property.
The transfer of the property was blocked due to the court order.
According to my colleagues, the real estate agency is not a trustee and they are not allowed to have taken my security check in the first place, is this correct?


Jun 28, 2021
1262
A client refuses to pay the brokerages fees
1
Q: I am a real estate agent. Recently, one of my clients viewed a floor on my behalf. He came through my advertisement and I arranged his viewing.
After viewing, he took a complete floor directly from management. He denied paying my brokerage fees. I am an agent who makes viewing on the 7th floor in the building and the building security knows very well that no one came before for this floor.
After 4 days, my client closed the deal directly because there is a number mentioned in the management at the building security reception. When I called the management to inform him, he is a key client, one of them replayed: "sorry, we can’t do anything for skipping the agency fees".
I need legal advice on how to take legal action.
Please help!

Jul 27, 2021
1098
When should the agency fee be paid to the broker?
1
Q: Dear sir/madam,
When should the agency fee be paid to the broker?
Or when does any real estate agency deserve to take a commission; as soon as the contract is signed by both parties or something else?

Feb 10, 2022
483
Can the developer agree with the broker for higher fees because of the law caption?

0
Q: Hello,
We are a European (Slovakia) registered LLC company legally structured to do real estate brokerage. We are about to sign a contract with a major Dubai developer as a service provider to help them sell their units.
We agreed on a commission which is more than 5% but in the contract, they provide us only 2% stating that this contract is as per the DLD and that the difference between these two percentages is agreed on an email basis.
Is this really the fact that the Dubai Land Department is limiting developers on how much they can give commission to the (international) brokers?
In the contract "as per the DLD" there are clauses that we cannot advertise units anywhere (not even online), but in reality, we received info that again we can still do that, but it is there just to follow the DLD layout.
To me as a business owner, this practice seems as a total shady activity when we will agree on something via email which I will then deny by signing the main contract.
Thank you


Jun 17, 2022
234
Is it legal for the real estate agent to keep the commission despite cancellation of the project?
2
Q: Hi,
I bought a property off-plan last year. The developer went bankrupt and the project was recently cancelled by RERA. We were refunded the deposit we paid.
The estate agent that we used to purchase the place took commission (brokerage fee) of 40 000 dhs. They are now refusing to refund us, even though the project is cancelled.
We never received an SPA or the house. The contract between us and the agency states end date is until transfer, that never happened. Is this legal?

Jul 12, 2022
655
The landlord's agent is demanding key money. Is it legal?
2
Q: Hi Raluca,
We are trying to secure a shop in Al Satwa area, and the landlord's agent (not sure if RERA registered) is demanding key money. The rent is 65k, and the key money being demanded is 45k.
If we sign the agreement with the key money included, can we then claim it back as an unlawful demand? We have tried to argue not to pay it, but the agent is saying all shops this landlord has are demanding it.
Interestingly, the agent suggested I could pay 5k to him and 40k as key money, so it is clearly not a charge being laid down by the landlord/building owner.
Thanks!

Feb 27, 2024
516
Used director's ID for real estate deal; agency denies payment

1
Q: Dear Sir/Madam,
My broker card/ID, which is used to create contracts, was still being processed when I made my first deal using the director's ID, as he was the only one with an active and ready-to-use ID.
Now, the agency is refusing to pay, claiming that the deal wasn't done by me, and their proof is that it's not under my name.
How can I respond to this?


Feb 24, 2024
62
Legal blog
1 available 1 • View allProtecting Your Real Estate Brokerage Firm 3
Did you know that 225 establishments were fined approximately AED 77 million for flouting AML regulations? About, 50 entities’ operations and licenses were put on suspension in 2023-Q3 for failing to register in the goAML system. That’s alarming! Out of the said numbers, many were real estate brokerage firms.
May 9, 2024
168
Laws & Regulations
3 available 3 • View allBylaw No. (85) of 2006 Regulating the Real Estate Brokers Register in the Emirate of Dubai 4
This Bylaw regulates the Real Estate Brokers Register in the Emirate of Dubai. No person may engage in real estate brokerage activities in Dubai unless he is licensed by the competent entities and entered in the register, which is maintained by Dubai Land Department.
May 30, 2006
4910
Law No. (16) of 2007 Establishing the Real Estate Regulatory Agency 1
By virtue of this Law, a public corporation named the “Real Estate Regulatory Agency” is established in the Emirate of Dubai. It is affiliated to Dubai Land Department. The objective of RERA is to regulate the real estate sector in the Emirate.
Jul 30, 2007
3236
Law No. (14) of 2008 Concerning Mortgages in the Emirate of Dubai 0
The provisions of this Law apply to the mortgage of real roperty as security for debt. It makes no difference whether the debt is secured by a charge over the whole of the property or over an undivided interest therein or by right in rem or personal right over a property marked as sold off-plan.
Aug 14, 2008
1849

Other answers by
453 453 answers •
View allTerminating an employee after sick leave and claiming compensation 0
Hello,
My employer fired me under Article 44 for not showing up for work for 7 days in a row. But that’s not the case at all. I was sick and the management was aware and they let me go.
I went to another country to get treatment because it’s expensive in Dubai. My employer did not pay me my salary for the month I worked and fired me.
I have official sick leave from another country and there is correspondence where my employer sent me to another country for treatment.
The problem is that the employer says that he will take compensation for the training that was specified in the contract, but I did not undergo training at all; I immediately started work from the first day of work and there was no training.
Does my employer have the right to charge me such a fee and not pay my salary?
Feb 29, 2024
449
How to make the seller hand over the tenant's security deposit to the buyer upon completing a sale? 0
Should the seller in Dubai hand over their tenant's security deposit to the buyer upon completing a sale?
Who is responsible for managing this process?
At the time of the exchange, the broker said he would follow up with the seller and collect the deposit.
He hasn’t, and the seller has not handed over the deposit.
Feb 8, 2024
415
How to deal with in-laws provoking and recording reactions? 0
Dear Sir/Madam,
My husband's family constantly provokes me and then records my every exaggerated reaction.
Now I'm worried that they might use those things against me.
Feb 8, 2024
235
How to cancel the MoU to buy an apartment with the broker if the bank did not approve the loan? 0
Hi,
I have a situation where I signed an MoU and gave my security deposit to the seller's agent. However later, the bank valuation of the property is lower than the selling price.
On my MoU, it has a clause that “the buyer has a right to cancel/negotiate if the bank valuation is not the same as MoU.” I tried to negotiate, however, we didn't agree on the price so I asked to cancel.
Now the agent is threatening me that they will not cancel the MoU and that will deposit my cheque. Later I also came to know that the person I am dealing with is not the same person whose name is mentioned as a broker in the MoU.
The agent I am dealing with is constantly messaging me with threats. I decided not to speak to him and instead, I wrote an email to the broker whose name is mentioned on the MoU but received no response.
I am on a very tight timeline as I need to vacate my apartment in 3 weeks, I found another unit but I don't know if I can pursue this while the initial MoU still not canceled.
Please, I need advice.
Feb 8, 2024
611
Employer asking for visa reimbursement after resignation: do I need to pay? 0
Hello Sir/Madam,
I have already finished my first year with my company and resigned.
My employer is asking me to reimburse the cost of my visa because I did not finish my two-year contract.
Do I need to pay? The cost is 7,000 AED.
Oct 20, 2023
796
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