Q: Hi, I am going to buy an apartment in Dubai. If I am going directly from the seller's broker, shall we both (seller and buyer) pay 2% each to this broker? And also it asks for a convenience fee of 5000 Dhs, what is it? Thanks

Q: I bought an off-plan apartment a long time ago and paid almost 80% of the property value per my contract. Unfortunately, the developer couldn't manage to deliver it on time and transferred it to another developer 4 years ago. The apartment is not ready by the second developer yet and they say that it might be ready by 2024 (Per our contract it should have been completed by 2009). I called the second company and asked them to terminate my contract but they told me that they are not responsible for it and I need to contact the first company. I also sent a couple of emails to this company (the second one) but they didn't reply to my email. How can I get my money back? What is the legal process in the UAE for such a case? Thank you!

Q: I was working for a real estate company in Dubai. I was part of a big deal for selling a villa for 18.5M. The deal was signed while I was with the company, and I was still in the company a few months later until the owner terminated me under the reason “services no longer required”. The MOU was signed while I was with the company and the deal was meant to go through in September, I got terminated in August. I have a voice recording of the whole conversation on the day I was terminated in which the owner clearly states I was part of the deal and as I'm no longer part of the company he will need to consult with his partner whether I'm owed my commision. I have spoken to the buyer who has confirmed that the deal has gone through and they are the new owners of the villa. I have contacted the owner of the real estate company who is reading my messages and ignoring me. I am owed 50k commision. Where do I stand?

Q: Hi, I have a concern. We have signed a contract with a seller, but it's not an F contract. We signed an MOU, which is an A contract, and the seller has signed the same, which is a B (this comes from the real estate agency). The seller has specified the date of transfer and confirmed his availability to the agent, but the agent didn't inform us as a buyer. The seller raised a complaint in RERA mentioning that the buyer didn't show up to sign the NOC, knowing we, as a buyer, had sent many emails to the agent as follow-ups. However, it was ending up with the same answer from the agent that the seller was not answering his calls and he did not confirm the date to sign the NOC. We went to RERA, and they asked us to solve the issue between us. Now we are waiting for the seller to see if he would like to proceed with the sale. My question is, as a buyer, how to protect ourselves as we have given a deposit cheque to the agent and paid for the conveyance fees and valuation? What is the next step from our side?

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?

Q: Hi. I am in the process of buying a property in Dubai. The real estate broker is insisting on a security cheque issued in the name of the seller which is to be kept by the broker until the day of title deed transfer and to be returned back on the same day. I understand this is "standard practice" but is it a law?

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.

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.

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.