A legal document, usually in writing, giving details of a formal legally binding agreement, between two or more different people or groups. To be legally binding it must contain certain elements: it must contain an offer made by one party and accepted in its entirety by the other, it must include some form of consideration whether it be money, goods or services, and it must be properly signed by all parties to it, and dated.

A contract in which all elements of a contract are specifically stated (offer, acceptance and consideration), and the terms are set out, as compared with an implied contract in which the existence of the contract is assumed by the circumstances.

RERA stands for Dubai Real Estate Regulatory Agency, a government agency, the regulatory arm of Dubai Land Department. RERA was founded on July 31, 2007, by virtue of Dubai Law No. (16) of 2007 Establishing the Real Estate Regulatory Agency. The primary objective of the Agency is to regulate the real estate sector in the Emirate of Dubai by contributing to the preparation of strategies related to the industry and to the development and implementation of the required action plans, including setting legislation regulating the relationship between contracting parties in the real estate market. RERA involved in planning, organising and evaluating operations related to real estate licenses, organisation and development of real estate activities, monitoring property development projects financially and technically, to protect investors.

The process whereby a party is made aware of the commencement of legal proceedings affecting their rights, obligations or duties. Although the format may vary, there are strict requirements regarding service of a legal notice which must be adhered to if the legal notice to be effective.

An attempt to settle a dispute with the help of a neutral third party where all parties are actively involved in the decision-making process. The individual who intervenes in order to help the other parties settle their dispute is called a mediator.

The removal a tenant from possession of a premises in which he or she resides or has a property interest carried by a landlord either by re-entry on the premises or by court action.

Any matter of fact that a party to a claim or action offers to provide to prove or disprove an issue in the case. The strongest type of evidence is that which provides direct proof of the truth of an assertion. At the other extreme is evidence that is merely consistent with an assertion but does not rule out other, contradictory assertions, and may be viewed as circumstantial evidence.

Refers to the terms of a contract or a judgment or a rule of law which it is possible, where necessary, to make people obey.

A decision of a court regarding the rights and liabilities of the parties to legal proceedings. Judgments generally provide the court’s explanation as to why it has chosen to make a particular decision.

DLD stands for Dubai Land Department, a government entity established on January 24, 1960, to handle all matters related to the legalization of real estate transactions in the Emirate of Dubai. On September 18, 2013, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, issued the Law No. (7) of 2013 Concerning the Land Department which defines objectives of DLD as the government entity responsible for regulation and registration of real estate property and promotion of real estate investment. The department also actively develops the necessary legislation to propel the real estate sector in Dubai and distributes knowledge in real estate. Today, DLD provides more than 160 services going beyond just registration and titling. Organisational structure of Dubai Land Department includes: Real Estate Registration which documents and retains real estate rights in the land registry system (the registration arm); Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) which regulates the real estate sector in the emirate (the regulatory arm); Real Estate Investment Management & Promotion Center  supports national and international real estate investors, develops the real estate investment environment and promotes direct and long-term investments (the investment arm); Rental Disputes Settlement Center (also known as Rental Committee) which deals with rent disputes arising between those involved in the real property rental sector and other related sectors (the judicial arm); Dubai Real Estate Institute (DREI) which aims to create, spread and sustain real estate knowledge in the market (the educational arm).