UAE off-plan glossary

Leasehold

Ownership category granting the buyer use of the property for a fixed term (commonly 99 years) rather than outright ownership.

Leasehold ownership in the UAE gives the buyer the right to use and occupy a property for a fixed term, typically 99 years. The freeholder — often a master-developer or government entity — retains underlying ownership of the land. Leasehold zones exist in parts of Abu Dhabi and Sharjah; in Dubai, leasehold is rarer and usually reserved for specific government-owned plots.