Q: I have booked a unit under construction with a developer 3 years ago. I paid 30% during construction and 70% was due since Jan this year. When I booked the unit, my plan was to get financing from a bank to cover 70% payment because I was working with a semi-government company. But I lost my job and my credit score went low due to defaulting on financing payments and I could not get financing from the bank. I have contacted the developer asking them for refund or change of payment plan but they give me instalment plan for 5 years and increased the price which I cannot go for. I am not in a stable situation with my current job and the company gave me 3 months unpaid leave because of Coronavirus situation. The developer completed 100% construction and they sent me a building completion certificate in Jan this year and now they are calculating 3% late payment fee every month as per SPA. Now I do not have any source of income. Can I get refund from developer so I can cover my expenses?

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 bought a one-bedroom apartment in 2015 for AED 1.04 m with a completion date of June 2017. I had paid 40% of the price, and 60% (AED 625,000) was to have been paid on completion in two years (2017). The project has been delayed significantly, and when I visited the apartment at the end of Feb 2020, it was not ready. The developer now claims to have received the BCC from the Dubai Land authorities and hence wants full payment of the balance AED 625,000. They claimed the property is ready for handover, but it needs work to be habitable. I am a British citizen, and my own situation has changed in the five years since. I kept the 60%, but since then, my financial situation is such I no longer have the 60% of the fund AED 625,000 to pay them. I can't get the remaining as a mortgage for as an expatriate, I can get a maximum of 50% of the value which is now only AED 750000 max. How can I get compensation and my money back from the developer?

Q: Dear Sirs, Ramadan Mubarak to you. I am writing to inquire about the following. I bought an apartment in Dubai in 2016. The handover was to be in 2020 but the project is still not completed. I paid the first 5 installments but then I had a financial problem so I could not pay in 2018 and 2019 installments totaling AED 140,000. Finally, I just paid it and now got up to date, however, they have now sent me a bill for AED 700,000 late payment fees. The property itself is valued at 1.2M. What can be done about this? I am getting ill from the stress. Thank you

Q: I have purchased a studio in Dubai, 30% was paid already (AED 171,000). The handover is getting delayed already 4 months, the developer is already in his grace period for handover but the apartment is also not registered in DLD. I have paid almost all that I have but I am not able to pay anymore because of some financial issues. Will I get my money back? Would it be possible to pay a lawyer after execution not in advance? Thanks in advance for your answers.

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.