Dubai off-plan checks before you pay a deposit

Start with three things that must match

Before sending money for a Dubai off-plan home, match the official project record, the property in your paperwork and the account receiving your payment. Use Dubai Land Department’s own project-status service, then resolve any differences with the developer and, where needed, DLD. An account number in a sales message is not enough to complete that check.

This guide is for a proposed purchase from a developer in Dubai. It does not cover buying an existing buyer’s contract or Abu Dhabi’s separate system. If you’re still choosing between a new development and a completed home, start with our off-plan versus ready property comparison.

Find the exact project in Dubai REST

Start at DLD’s Project Status Enquiry page. It links to Project Status, also called Mashrooi, in the Dubai REST app and offers a search by project name or number. DLD’s Mashrooi user guide says the service provides project status, developer and escrow details, with access to inspection information.

Ask the sales team for the registered project name and number before searching. Match the result to the tower or phase in your proposed purchase. A familiar community name on a brochure is too broad to identify the account for one project.

Save the record with the date you checked it. Note the developer, status and date of the latest available inspection information. If the name differs from the marketing name, ask for a written explanation linking the two. If you cannot find a matching record, clarify it with DLD before making the first payment; a missing search result alone does not explain why it is missing.

Understand what the escrow account tells you

A project escrow account holds payments for an off-plan development. Articles 7 and 9 of Dubai’s Law No. 8 of 2007 provide for buyers’ payments to enter an account in the project’s name, dedicated to that project. A developer with several projects must have a separate escrow account for each.

The practical point is to verify the project’s account, even if you recognise the developer’s name. Treat a request to send purchase money to a personal account, an intermediary or an unexplained general company account as a reason to stop and seek clarification before paying.

DLD’s escrow FAQs describe limited exceptions granted by RERA, Dubai’s real estate regulator. If someone says an exception applies, get it confirmed through DLD; do not rely on a salesperson’s assurance.

An escrow check does not establish the quality of the finished home, a future resale price or the date you will receive the keys. Keep those questions separate. It is also not evidence that you can cancel on demand and receive an immediate refund.

Put the payment instruction beside the documents

Before setting up a beneficiary with your UK bank or currency provider, put the official record, reservation paperwork and written payment instruction side by side. Use the checklist below to spot gaps. It is a practical comparison sheet, not a substitute for reviewing the contract.

Confirm payment details through contact information you have obtained independently, rather than relying only on the number or link in the payment message. If the account changes later, repeat the check. A previous successful transfer does not verify a new account.

Read the booking terms before paying

Find out what the first payment actually buys you: a reservation, a payment towards an identified unit or something else. Ask whether it counts towards the purchase price, when the sale agreement will be issued and what happens if either side does not proceed. Do not infer a refund right from the words “booking fee” or “expression of interest”.

Have the reservation terms and sale agreement reviewed before you commit. Ask for separate amounts and recipients for purchase instalments, registration charges and any agent or administration fees. A single payment request labelled “deposit and fees” leaves too much unexplained.

The payment check sits alongside ownership, contract and practical checks in our Dubai buying guide for UK residents. Verifying where money goes does not settle whether the purchase terms suit you.

A worked example: the right name, the wrong phase

Imagine your reservation identifies Phase Two of a development. The sales email attaches escrow details for Phase One, with a different registered project number, and says both belong to the same developer. This is a hypothetical example, not a report about a real project.

The developer’s name matches, but the project does not. Ask for the registered project number attached to your unit and compare it with the DLD record and payment instructions. Request corrected documents or an explanation you can verify through DLD. Do not treat the shared brand name as permission to pay into another project’s account.

If the mismatch remains unresolved, pause before making that first transfer. It may be an administrative mistake, but you need the correction in writing. If you have already signed or paid and a contractual deadline is approaching, get prompt advice on your obligations rather than simply withholding later instalments.

Keep a clear record from the UK

Once the checks are complete, confirm the payment reference, currency and amount that must arrive. Ask your bank or currency provider about charges, processing times and any documents it needs. Leave time for those checks before the contractual due date. Keep both the pound amount debited and the dirham amount credited in your records.

For planning the later instalments and costs around them, use our UAE property budget guide. The rate you use to compare homes is not necessarily the rate available when a payment falls due.

Save the verified account details, dated DLD record, signed documents, transfer confirmation and receipt together. Ask for written confirmation that the payment has been allocated to your unit, and agree who will provide the purchase-registration evidence and when. A bank transfer receipt records a payment; it does not, by itself, confirm registration of your purchase.

Still deciding which type of home fits your plans? Speak with Marcell about your search. My Dubai Residence helps you compare options and arrange introductions. The professionals handling your purchase should confirm the transaction documents and payment arrangements.