Q: First of all, I am new to Dubai and I was searching for a villa here. Sometime later I found something I was interested in. I've decided on a villa and many promises were made for it by the seller of the developer. The seller gave me a good price, a payment plan which suits my needs, included landscaping, 1-year free service charge and other charges regarding the inside of the villa. I was asking the seller for a confirmation in writing mentioned with all the promises that were made. He told me I will get it only after paying the reservation of 20% from the purchase price. Unfortunately, I believed him and paid the 20% + 4% DLD to the developer. After asking several times for the confirmation in writing, I still got nothing. We wrote at WhatsApp and I still have the voice memo's and history where we talked about everything. I have a memo of his voice promising me several times that everything will be realized and that I will get my confirmation in writing very soon like it was promised in the first place. I had to fly back to my home country due to work-related reasons that's why I wanted to take the reservation form with me to read and sign it at home, but I got interrupted by the seller. The seller insisted me to sign the form as soon as possible and came to my hotel lobby with the reservation form at 10 pm. I took an exhausted look at the reservation form and noticed some faults like a wrong payment plan, landscape and 1-year free service charge weren't mentioned either. He told me that this is just a temporary booking form and it's only about the reservation, just so that I won't lose the villa to someone else who is interested. He concluded by saying that all the changes that were promised will be written on the purchase contract. Nevertheless, I've made a copy of the booking form from the printer of the hotel. I've asked the seller several times if there is any hitch in the contract, he made an oath in God's name that my wishes regarding the villa will get done and that every thing has its validity. The next day when I was in my home country I took a closer look at the booking form. I ascertained that everything was wrong at the form: wrong price, wrong payment plan, and all my wished changes were not mentioned. In addition, the reservation price wasn't 20% like he told me. It was written at the reservation form that I had to pay 10% of the purchase price. Of course, I complained immediately. After around 1 week I got a call by the seller. He told me that he couldn't change the price since it was already the best, that he can't include the 1 year free service charge and he could not change the payment plan as arranged before. He told me he could only realize some few changes regarding the villa but not every thing that was agreed before. I am really disappointed and I claimed my money back. The only statement I got was that I can't get my money back, because it's not refundable through the booking form. I feel really messed around and I have never thought that this could happen to me here in a city like Dubai, especially by a big developer with a huge project like this. I feel desperate since it's a huge amount that I've paid. What can I do? I have as evidence all the WhatsApp memos and the history between me and the seller. I would appreciate a helpful response or a very good lawyer.

Q: I have purchased a property developed by a developer. They told me verbally that the property is located in Downtown, and in the SPA they used the location Burj Khalifa community developed by another developer. As a first-time property buyer, I trusted them. Now, they are saying that the property is in Business Bay. How can Dubai laws support a customer for the disguised real estate marketing or cheating?

Q: What are the rights and remedies for the investor if the real estate developer has proven to have acted in bad faith? Assuming that there is evidence that the developer has consistently provided false/misleading information, failed to provide material information, and acted dishonestly, does this breach of law create any rights for the investor in addition to the rights arising from breach of contract? Thank you

Q: Learning about the true status of project completion if the information at Dubai Land Department is outdated. How is it possible to learn about the true status of project completion if a developer consistently misleads about imminent completion while the information in Dubai REST is almost two years old? Dubai Municipality refused to provide information and advised to contact the developer. Does an investor have any rights to obtain information from sources other than the developer? Are there any private services such as experts or lawyers with the right to get true project information on behalf of an investor? Thank you!

س: السلام عليكم، اشتريت أرض منحة وقال البائع وقت البيع أنها أرض قديمة ومحذوفة من قائمة المنح، لكن لا يستطيع تعديل الأرض من منحة إلى ملك إلا بعد البناء عليها وقبلت بهذا الشرط وبنيت عليها. عند الانتهاء من البناء لم يستطع البائع التنازل عن الأرض بسبب منع البيع أو التصرُّف في أرض المنحة وأنا أكمله منذ 18 شهرًا ولم أحصل على تنازل ولم أستطع إدخال كهرباء أو الاستفادة من البيت بأي شكل من الأشكال، وسبب التعطيل من البائع. كيف أتصرف؟

Q: Hello, I made an EOI payment for one project with a developer in Dubai. In the agreement, it says if the seller is able to allocate the unit similar to the buyer’s requirements, in this case, it’s not refundable. However, I am not happy with the unit and it doesn’t meet my requirements. For example, the view of the unit and the fact that it is on the last floor, the last floor doesn’t work for me although I requested a high floor. And the unit has a city view although I requested a garden/park view in the EOI. At this point, I canceled the purchase and asked for a refund to which I got a response that according to the terms and conditions of the EOI, it is not refundable which is not correct. My requirements for the unit do not match the unit they allocated. What are my rights? Please advise. Thank you.

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.