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Dubai off-plan handover checklist for owners abroad

Finished Dubai apartment looking toward an off-plan tower, with a completion chart on the glass

Summary

Off-plan handover in Dubai from abroad: final payment, title deed fees, power of attorney, snagging, defect periods, DEWA. Checked 19 Oct 2026.

Short answer. When the developer sends the handover notice, check the project status in Dubai REST and the handover statement against your SPA. Then pay the final amount to the escrow account and plan the inspection. If you will not be in Dubai, prepare a power of attorney that is legalised for the UAE. After handover, activate DEWA yourself (AED 2,000 deposit for an apartment, AED 4,000 for a villa, plus AED 155 in fees) and make sure the developer converts Oqood into a title deed. The developer is liable for defects in installations for 1 year from handover and for structural defects for 10 years from the completion certificate.

Checked 2026-10-19 against official sources: dubailand.gov.ae, dewa.gov.ae, dlp.dubai.gov.ae. Links at the end.

Why handover is easy to get wrong from abroad

  • The dates come by email. The handover notice, the final statement and the inspection slot all arrive from the developer. If they go to an old inbox, the clock runs anyway.
  • Missing a payment has a formal process. If a buyer does not pay, the developer must notify DLD. DLD then serves the buyer a dated 30-day written notice, in person, by registered mail, by email or another way DLD sets. After that, the developer's options depend on how complete the project is (Law 13/2008 Art. 11 as replaced by Law 19/2020).
  • The defect clock starts at handover. The 1-year period for installations runs from handover. If you put off taking the unit, it runs from the project's completion certificate instead (Law 6/2019 Art. 40).

Own a unit? Folio sorts developer, DEWA and Ejari mail → (opens in a new tab)

Step by step

  1. Check the project in Dubai REST. Owners of off-plan units can see the completion percentage, photos, the escrow account number and payments due. Compare this with the handover notice.
  2. Read the handover statement line by line. Compare each amount with your SPA: the final instalment, any fees and the service charges. Ask the developer about anything you don't recognise before you pay.
  3. Pay the final amount to the escrow account. Use the account number shown in Dubai REST or on the developer's statement. Keep the receipt.
  4. Arrange a power of attorney if you can't attend. DLD accepts a POA issued outside the UAE only after notarisation and the foreign ministry in the country of issue, the UAE embassy there, and then the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A POA for sale, mortgage or gift is valid for 2 years. A POA for purchase is valid for 5 years from notarisation. The attorney can act only within the powers the POA lists, so name the tasks: accepting handover, signing the handover documents, collecting keys, applying to DEWA.
  5. Inspect the unit (snagging) before or at handover. No official form or deadline exists for this. Write down every defect with photos and send the list to the developer in writing. After handover the developer still has to repair or replace defective installations (mechanical, electrical, plumbing and similar) for 1 year, and remedy structural defects for 10 years from the completion certificate (Law 6/2019 Art. 40).
  6. Activate DEWA yourself. An owner applies on dewa.gov.ae or in the DEWA app with the title deed or SPA plus passport or Emirates ID. The deposit is AED 2,000 for an apartment or AED 4,000 for a villa. Activation is AED 155 for a standard meter (125 + 10 + 10 + 10). DEWA connects within 15 working hours of payment. An owner's deposit is refunded only when the unit is sold.
  7. Make sure Oqood becomes a title deed. The developer applies to DLD through the Oqood portal. If the registration fee was already paid, DLD charges AED 250 for the title deed, AED 250 for the unit map, AED 10 knowledge fee and AED 10 innovation fee, AED 520 in total for an apartment or villa. Processing takes 6 business days, and the e-title deed and e-map are emailed to the owner. Check whether these fees appear on your handover statement and what the SPA says about who pays them.
  8. Collect the keys and access cards, and register with the building. Get the management company's contact details and confirm the email on file. Service charge invoices will come through Mollak (see the service charge guide below).
  9. If you plan to rent the unit out, register the Ejari: AED 177.75 via Dubai REST or the DLD website, AED 220 at a Trustee centre.

Handover emails and what to do

EmailFromWhat to doSource
Handover noticedevelopercheck status in Dubai REST, read the statement, book the inspectiondeveloper, Dubai REST
Final statement / SOAdevelopercompare with the SPA, pay to escrow, keep the receiptSPA, Dubai REST
Payment default notice (30 days)DLD, after the developer reports a breachpay or settle within 30 days; DLD may mediateLaw 13/2008 Art. 11 (Law 19/2020)
Snagging / inspection appointmentdeveloperattend or send the attorney; send the defect list in writingLaw 6/2019 Art. 40
DEWA acknowledgement with reference numberDEWApay the deposit and fees if you chose to pay laterDEWA Move-in
E-title deed and e-mapDLDcheck names, unit number and area; store with the unit's documentsDLD, title deed service
First service charge invoicemanagement company via Mollakcheck against the Service Charge Index and payMollak, Law 6/2019 Art. 25

FAQ

Can I take handover without travelling to Dubai? Yes, through an attorney. DLD accepts a POA issued abroad once it has been notarised and attested by the foreign ministry of the country of issue, then by the UAE embassy there and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The attorney acts only within the powers listed in the POA.

How much does it cost to turn Oqood into a title deed? If the registration fee was already paid, DLD's fees are AED 250 for the title deed, AED 250 for the unit map and AED 10 + AED 10. That is AED 520 for an apartment or villa. The developer submits the request through the Oqood portal. It takes 6 business days.

How much is DEWA for a new owner? A refundable deposit of AED 2,000 for an apartment or AED 4,000 for a villa, plus AED 155 activation for a standard meter. An owner's deposit is refunded only when the unit is sold.

How long is the developer liable for defects? For installations (electrical, mechanical, plumbing and similar), 1 year from handover. For structural defects, 10 years from the project's completion certificate (Law 6/2019 Art. 40).

What happens if I can't make the final payment on time? The developer must first report the breach to DLD. DLD then gives you a written 30-day notice and may try to mediate a settlement. What the developer can do next depends on the project's completion percentage (Law 13/2008 Art. 11, as replaced by Law 19/2020).

Do I pay service charges before handover? Check your SPA. By law the developer pays for unsold units and for sold units where the sale contract says it will pay (Law 6/2019 Art. 25).

Next

Sources (checked 2026-10-19)

  1. DLD, Dubai REST (completion %, escrow account, payments due): https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/dubai-rest/
  2. DLD, Request to complete the initial procedures data (Oqood → title deed, fees, 6 business days): https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/request-to-complete-the-initial-procedures-data/
  3. DLD, Frequently Asked Questions (POA issued abroad, POA validity): https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/frequently-asked-questions/
  4. DEWA, Activation of Electricity/Water (Move-in): https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/consumer/supply-management/activation-of-electricity-water-move-in
  5. Law No. (6) of 2019 (jointly owned property), Art. 25 and 40: https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2019/Law%20No.%20(6)%20of%202019%20Concerning%20Ownership%20of%20Jointly%20Owned%20Real%20Property%20in%20the%20Emirate%20of%20Dubai.html
  6. Law No. (19) of 2020 amending Law No. (13) of 2008 (Interim Real Property Register), Art. 11: https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2020/Law%20No.%20%2819%29%20of%202020%20Amending%20Law%20No.%20%2813%29%20of%202008%20Regulating%20the%20Interim%20Real%20Property%20Register%20in%20the%20Emirate%20of%20Dubai.html
  7. DLD, Register / Renew Tenancy Contract (Ejari fees): https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/register-renew-ejari-contract/
  8. Mollak, Service Charge Payment: https://mollak.dubailand.gov.ae/publicpages/service-charge-payment.html?dir=ltr