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How to do due diligence on a UAE off-plan developer

Spending six figures with a developer you've never met. Here's what to verify before you sign.

·7 min read

Off-plan buying in the UAE is regulated — RERA escrow rules, mandatory DLD project registration, audited financials for tier-1 developers — but that doesn't replace your own due diligence. Here are the 12 checks every buyer should run before signing the SPA.

1. Verify the RERA project registration number

Every Dubai off-plan project has a RERA-issued registration number. Cross-check it on the Dubai REST app or dubailand.gov.ae. If the developer can't produce it, walk.

2. Confirm the escrow account exists

All buyer payments must go into a project-specific escrow account at a RERA-approved bank. Confirm the account number on the SPA and verify with the bank. Never pay a developer's general account.

3. Review the developer's track record

Look up completed projects by the same developer. How many handovers did they deliver on time? Were there quality issues? Use DLD transaction history and resale prices as a proxy for quality.

4. Check construction progress on-site

If construction has started, visit. A serious developer welcomes site visits. If they refuse, that's information.

5. Read the anticipated completion clause

The SPA will specify the handover date and a buffer (usually 6–12 months). Understand what happens if the buffer is exceeded — most clauses give you the right to a refund of paid instalments plus a penalty.

6. Verify amenities and specification

The SPA's specification annex should list every amenity, finish and appliance. Compare it against the brochure. Marketing material is non-binding; the SPA is.

7. Look at the master community status

For projects inside a master plan (Damac Hills 2, MBR City, etc.), check the master plan delivery timeline. A great project in a half-finished community is still a half-finished community.

8. Understand the resale conditions

The SPA will specify when you can resell (typically 30–40% paid). Some developers also require a release fee or NOC charge.

9. Confirm DLD registration fee responsibility

The 4% DLD fee is technically the buyer's responsibility but is often discounted as a launch incentive. Make sure the SPA spells out who pays.

10. Check financial-statement disclosures

Tier-1 developers (Emaar, Aldar, Damac, Sobha) file audited financials. Pull them. Look for cash flow from operations, debt-to-equity, project pipeline diversification.

11. Verify the title-deed handover process

The SPA should specify when the title deed will be issued at handover. If the developer is vague, push for specifics in writing.

12. Get the SPA reviewed by a UAE-licensed lawyer

For purchases over AED 1m, this is non-optional. AED 2,000–5,000 for a review that catches one bad clause pays for itself many times over.

Frequently asked questions

How do I verify a Dubai off-plan project is properly registered?
Every Dubai off-plan project has a RERA-issued registration number that you can cross-check on the Dubai REST app or dubailand.gov.ae. If the developer cannot produce a registration number when you ask for it, walk away — unregistered marketing is a red flag under UAE law.
What is an escrow account in a UAE off-plan purchase?
All buyer payments on a Dubai off-plan project must be paid into a project-specific escrow account at a RERA-approved bank. Confirm the account number on the SPA and verify it directly with the bank; never pay a developer's general operating account, only the project-specific escrow.
What happens if my UAE off-plan developer misses the handover date?
The SPA specifies the anticipated handover date plus a buffer, usually 6–12 months. If the buffer is exceeded most SPAs give the buyer the right to a refund of paid instalments plus a penalty, though escalating enforcement typically goes through RERA. Read the anticipated-completion clause carefully before signing.
Who pays the 4% DLD fee on a Dubai off-plan purchase?
The 4% DLD registration fee is technically the buyer's responsibility but is often absorbed or discounted by the developer as a launch incentive. Make sure the SPA spells out explicitly who pays and, if the developer is covering it, that the incentive is not conditional on later actions like a specific unit selection or payment schedule.
Should I have a lawyer review a UAE off-plan SPA?
For purchases over AED 1m, a legal review by a UAE-licensed lawyer is effectively non-optional. AED 2,000–5,000 for a review that catches one bad clause — an unfavourable delay penalty, a resale-restriction trap, an ambiguous specification annex — pays for itself many times over, and every serious off-plan buyer we know does this as a matter of routine.
How do I check a UAE off-plan developer's track record before signing?
Look up completed projects by the same developer and count how many delivered on time versus late, and any documented quality issues. DLD transaction history and secondary-market resale prices on the developer's earlier projects are a strong proxy for delivery quality. For tier-1 developers (Emaar, Aldar, Damac, Sobha) also pull the audited financials.