Off-Plan Property Dispute Dubai
Dubai has strict regulations governing off-plan property sales under Law No. 13 of 2008 and the Escrow Law (Law 8/2007). If your developer has delayed delivery or cancelled your project, you have significant legal protections.
Developers must: register all off-plan projects with RERA before selling, hold buyer payments in an escrow account (cannot be used for other projects), deliver the property by the date stated in the Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA), and obtain an occupancy permit before handing over units.
If your developer delays delivery beyond the agreed date, you may be entitled to: penalty clauses as stated in your SPA, compensation under UAE Civil Code, or cancellation of the contract with full refund if the delay is significant (typically more than 12 months).
RERA maintains a list of cancelled projects. If your project is on this list, you are entitled to a full refund of all payments made, processed through the escrow account.
All off-plan projects in Dubai must have an escrow account. You can verify the status of your project's escrow on the Dubai REST app or by contacting DLD directly.
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