TRW & Co · Real estate and construction
Property Management and Jointly Owned Property in the UAE
Jointly owned property law UAE owners rely on is set emirate by emirate. Dubai’s Law No. 6 of 2019 and Abu Dhabi’s 2025 decisions decide who manages a building, how service charges are approved and what happens when owners do not pay. Here is how the main regimes work in 2026 and what owners, buyers and developers should check.
Key pointA service charge is only as strong as its approval. In both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, charges must be approved by the regulator before collection, and approved charges attach to the unit, so check the approval and the arrears before you buy or dispute.
At a glance
Dubai strata law
Law No. 6 of 2019 governs towers and communities; RERA approves service charges and supervises developers, management companies and hotel management companies.
Abu Dhabi 2025 rules
Administrative Decisions Nos. 25 and 26 of 2025 set rules for common areas, accredited managers, service fee approval and a unified owners’ committee bylaw.
Owners’ committees
Committees review budgets and monitor managers; in Dubai they form once 10% of units are registered, and in Abu Dhabi developers are excluded.
Unpaid charges
Arrears create a priority right over the unit; in Dubai a unit cannot be sold until charges are paid, and enforcement goes through the RDSC.
No self-help
Managers cannot block units or common services to force payment, and owners cannot withhold approved charges in protest.
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Jointly owned property law UAE owners deal with is set emirate by emirate. Dubai has a dedicated strata law supervised by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency, Abu Dhabi overhauled its rules for common areas, service charges and owners' committees in 2025, and the DIFC and ADGM have their own regimes. The rules decide who manages a building, how service charges are set and what happens when owners do not pay.
This article explains how the main regimes work in 2026, what owners, developers and investors should check, and how disputes over management and service charges are resolved. For our wider advice on buildings and communities, see property management in the UAE.
The short answer
- Each unit owner owns their unit outright and a share of the common parts. The share is usually tied to the unit's area and drives the owner's contribution to service charges.
- Service charges need regulator approval. In Dubai, RERA approves budgets and charges before they are collected. In Abu Dhabi, charges that have not been approved are unlawful and unenforceable.
- Owners have a voice, not control. Owners' committees review budgets and monitor managers, but day-to-day management sits with a developer or a licensed management company.
- Non-payment has real consequences. Unpaid charges create a priority right over the unit, and in Dubai the unit cannot be sold until they are settled.
The legal framework by emirate
Dubai: Law No. 6 of 2019
Dubai Law No. 6 of 2019 on the Ownership of Jointly Owned Real Property governs towers, mixed-use buildings and master communities. RERA, part of the Dubai Land Department, supervises management entities, approves service charges and can replace a manager who fails to perform. Disputes under the law go to the Rental Disputes Settlement Centre.
Key features include:
- A developer must issue building management regulations, and for master projects a master community declaration, before units are sold.
- An owners' committee of up to nine members, appointed by RERA, is formed once at least 10% of the units are registered in owners' names. It meets quarterly, reviews budgets and escalates complaints.
- Owners pay annual service charges in proportion to unit area. Budgets must be audited and approved by RERA before collection.
- A cash reserve funds emergencies and major replacements and is held in a separate account.
- Structural defects are covered for ten years and installation defects for one year; agreements to the contrary are void.
Service charge budgets and payments run through the DLD's Mollak system, which gives owners visibility of approved charges and accounts.
Abu Dhabi: Law No. 3 of 2015 and the 2025 decisions
Abu Dhabi's framework sits in Law No. 3 of 2015 on the regulation of the real estate sector, as amended in 2025. Two administrative decisions issued by the Department of Municipalities and Transport in 2025 set out the detail, with the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) as the operational regulator:
- Administrative Decision No. 25 of 2025 covers common areas, management companies and service fees. Developers must give buyers a disclosure statement before signing, appoint an accredited management company soon after the first unit is delivered, and obtain approval for budgets and fees. Fees are payable in monthly or quarterly instalments, and unpaid fees give a priority right over the unit that survives a sale.
- Administrative Decision No. 26 of 2025 introduces a unified bylaw for owners' committees. Committees are formed once a set proportion of units is owned by different owners, consist of resident owners elected on a one-owner-one-vote basis and exclude the developer.
Common areas cannot be sold or mortgaged, and changes to owners' contribution percentages need regulator approval on the request of a qualified majority of owners.
Other emirates, the DIFC and ADGM
The other emirates have their own rules, which vary in detail. The DIFC and ADGM apply their own strata title regimes, with registration through their own real property registries. Where emirate legislation is silent, the new Civil Transactions Law, in force since 1 June 2026, supplies general co-ownership rules, including express majority thresholds for management decisions and limits on agreements that block partition.
Duties of developers and managers under jointly owned property law UAE regulators apply
Much of the regulation is aimed at the people who run buildings rather than the owners who pay for them. Knowing those duties gives owners leverage and tells developers where their exposure lies.
Developers
In Dubai, a developer must file the jointly owned property documents with the Dubai Land Department within a fixed period after completion; if it does not, the DLD can appoint someone else to do so at the developer's cost. Units and their designated car parks cannot be sold separately. Until a manager is appointed, the developer manages the project and holds the charges collected.
In Abu Dhabi, the 2025 rules make the developer responsible for appointing an accredited management company within 30 days of delivering the first unit, and for service fees on unsold units and pre-handover costs, subject to limited exceptions. Developers cannot renew a manager that has failed in its duties, and may terminate one that does not cure a breach within 30 days of notice, without going to court.
Management companies
Dubai management entities must insure the property, report to RERA every six months and provide bank guarantees. Master developers may collect usage charges for community facilities, which must be held in a separate account, and the management of master community facilities must be outsourced under a RERA-approved agreement.
In Abu Dhabi, managers must use an electronic management and accounting system, report to the authority every six months and hand over all records on termination. Appointments and renewals cannot run for more than three consecutive years without approval. These rules give owners concrete hooks: if a manager is not reporting, not insured or not using approved systems, jointly owned property law UAE authorities enforce gives the committee something specific to escalate.
Jointly owned property law UAE: Dubai and Abu Dhabi compared
| Issue | Dubai | Abu Dhabi |
|---|---|---|
| Main legislation | Law No. 6 of 2019 | Law No. 3 of 2015 (as amended) and Administrative Decisions Nos. 25 and 26 of 2025 |
| Regulator | RERA within the Dubai Land Department | Department of Municipalities and Transport and ADREC |
| Owners' committee | Up to nine members appointed by RERA once 10% of units are registered | Resident owners elected one-owner-one-vote; developer excluded |
| Service charges | Audited budget approved by RERA before collection; paid via Mollak | Budget and fees approved by the regulator; unapproved fees unenforceable; paid in instalments |
| Unpaid charges | Lien on the unit; no sale until paid; enforcement through the RDSC execution judge | Priority right over the unit, enforceable against new owners |
| Management | Developer, management company or hotel management company under RERA supervision | Accredited management company; developers generally cannot manage directly |
How service charges and management work in practice
The annual cycle is similar in both emirates, even though the forms and portals differ.
- Budget preparation. The manager prepares a budget covering operating costs, insurance, utilities for common areas and a reserve contribution.
- Audit and committee review. The budget is audited by a recognised firm and shared with the owners' committee, which can comment and challenge specific items.
- Regulator approval. RERA in Dubai, or the competent Abu Dhabi authority, approves the budget and the charge per unit. Nothing can lawfully be collected before this step.
- Invoicing and collection. Owners are invoiced according to their share. Owners who lease units remain liable if tenants do not pay.
- Reporting. Managers report to the regulator on performance and accounts at set intervals, and records must be handed over when a manager changes.
- Enforcement. Where an owner defaults, the manager serves notice and then uses the statutory enforcement route rather than self-help.
Under jointly owned property law UAE managers may not cut off an owner's access or block common services to force payment. In Dubai the law expressly prohibits blocking units or common parts, and owners in turn cannot withhold charges or waive their interest in the common parts to escape them.
An illustrative scenario
Illustrative only; the parties are generic. An investor owns six apartments in a Dubai tower. The service charge rises sharply after a new chiller contract. Some owners stop paying in protest, and the manager threatens to suspend their access cards.
The investor's first question is whether the increase was approved by RERA. If it was, withholding payment is not a lawful option: unpaid charges attach to the units and block any resale. If the manager blocks access, it is itself in breach. The better route is to raise the chiller contract with the owners' committee, ask for the audited budget and supplier terms, and escalate to RERA if the contract was not approved or appears uncommercial.
Had the building been in Abu Dhabi, the investor would also check whether the supply agreement had the approvals that the 2025 rules require for long-term contracts affecting fees. Under both regimes, jointly owned property law UAE owners rely on works best when they use the committee and the regulator, not protest non-payment.
Risks and common mistakes
Buying without checking the service charge position
Unpaid charges stay with the unit. In Dubai a unit cannot be transferred until charges are cleared, and in Abu Dhabi the priority right is enforceable against a new owner. Before exchange, obtain a statement of account from the manager, confirm the approved charge for the current year and check the reserve balance. Where arrears exist, make clearance a condition of completion or take a specific indemnity from the seller.
Treating the owners' committee as a board
Committees have supervisory powers. They review budgets, monitor the manager and can push the regulator to act, but they do not employ staff or sign contracts in their own name. Owners who expect the committee to replace a manager overnight are often disappointed. Build a documented record of performance failures and use the regulator's complaint and replacement procedures.
Ignoring long-term supply contracts
Chiller, district cooling, facilities and amenity contracts signed by the developer can lock owners into costs for years. Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi require regulator oversight of charges, and Abu Dhabi now limits the length of supply agreements without approval. Ask for copies of all contracts that feed into service charges, and challenge those that were not approved or that pass excessive margins to related parties.
Developers underestimating disclosure duties
Developers must disclose management arrangements and estimated charges to buyers. In Abu Dhabi the disclosure statement must be attached before the sale contract is signed, and the developer remains liable for materially inaccurate disclosures for a period after transfer. Inadequate disclosure can also support a buyer's claim to terminate an off-plan contract. Treat the disclosure pack as a legal document, not marketing.
Resolving disputes
In Dubai, the Rental Disputes Settlement Centre has jurisdiction over disputes under Law No. 6 of 2019, and its execution judge enforces claims for unpaid charges, including by public auction of the unit after notice. Grievances against Dubai Land Department decisions follow an internal review route, with the RDSC still available. In Abu Dhabi, the regulator can issue enforceable instruments for unpaid fees after a prescribed notice and audit procedure, and can restrict dealings in the unit.
Disputes between developers and managers, or between owners and developers over defects, may also involve the courts or arbitration under the relevant contracts. Our page on real estate disputes in the UAE explains the options, and our article on property disputes and enforcement in Dubai covers execution in more detail. Where representation before the RDSC or the courts is required, we work alongside locally licensed advocates.
For overseas owners and investors
Many owners of UAE apartments live abroad. Three practical steps help: appoint a local representative under a properly notarised power of attorney, register for the Mollak or equivalent owner portal to see charges directly, and keep a reserve for charges so that arrears do not accumulate while you are away. Institutional investors buying several units, or an entire floor, should review the building management regulations and master community declaration as part of due diligence, alongside the title and escrow position. Our pages on real estate acquisition in the UAE and buying property in Dubai as a foreigner cover the wider process.
The approval stamp is the key document. Whether you are an owner disputing a charge, a buyer checking arrears or a developer setting up a building, start by confirming what the regulator actually approved. Under jointly owned property law UAE regulators enforce, a charge that was never approved is a weak claim, and an approved one is hard to resist.
Checklist for owners, buyers and developers
- Identify which regime applies: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, another emirate, the DIFC or ADGM.
- Obtain the building management regulations and, for communities, the master community declaration.
- Check the approved budget, the charge per square foot and the reserve balance.
- Request copies of supply and amenity contracts that feed into service charges.
- Confirm the manager's licence or accreditation and the term of its appointment.
- For purchases, obtain a clearance statement and deal with arrears before completion.
- For developers, prepare disclosure packs that match the regulator's requirements.
- Use the owners' committee and regulator complaint routes before litigation.
Jointly owned property law UAE practitioners apply has become more detailed, especially in Abu Dhabi. To review a building's governance or a service charge dispute, contact TRW & Co at info@trw.co or +971 58 942 1012.
Frequently asked questions
01Who approves service charges in Dubai?
RERA, part of the Dubai Land Department, approves service charges under Law No. 6 of 2019. The management entity prepares a budget, has it audited by a recognised firm and submits it for approval before any charge is collected. Approved charges are published through the Mollak system, where owners can see their share and payment history. A charge that has not been approved should not be collected and is open to challenge.
02What happens if I do not pay service charges in Dubai?
The management entity has a lien over the unit, and the unit cannot be sold until the charges are paid. After written notice, the manager can apply to the Rental Disputes Settlement Centre execution judge, who may order enforcement, including a public auction of the unit, and award costs. Managers may not block your unit or common services to force payment, and you cannot withhold charges because you are unhappy with the service.
03What changed for jointly owned property in Abu Dhabi in 2025?
Law No. 3 of 2015 was amended, and the Department of Municipalities and Transport issued Administrative Decisions Nos. 25 and 26 of 2025. They require developers to give buyers a disclosure statement, appoint an accredited management company, obtain approval for budgets and service fees, and allow instalment payments. Unapproved fees are unenforceable. A unified bylaw now governs owners’ committees, which are elected by resident owners and exclude the developer.
04Can an owners’ committee replace the building manager?
Not directly. Committees supervise and report, but replacement goes through the regulator. In Dubai, RERA can replace a management entity that fails to perform after notice and a warning period. In Abu Dhabi, a committee can ask the authority to compel a change of manager where there is evidence of negligence. A documented record of failures, budgets and complaints makes the request far more effective.
05Do DIFC and ADGM buildings follow the same rules?
No. The DIFC and ADGM apply their own strata title regimes and register property interests through their own real property registries. The principles are similar, with owners’ bodies, budgets and shared common property, but the procedures and dispute forums differ from onshore Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Check which regime applies before relying on onshore guidance.
06Should I check service charges before buying an apartment?
Yes. Obtain a statement of account from the manager, the approved budget for the current year, the reserve fund balance and any notice of planned major works. Arrears attach to the unit, so a buyer can inherit them. Make clearance a condition of completion or take a specific indemnity, and review long-term supply contracts that may drive future increases.
Sources and official materials
- Dubai Law No. 6 of 2019 on Jointly Owned Real Property — Strata ownership, owners’ committees and service charges in Dubai
- Dubai Land Department — Property registration and RERA
- Mollak service charge system — Approved budgets and owner accounts in Dubai
- Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre: Property Ownership — Abu Dhabi real estate rules and regulations
- Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport — Issuer of the 2025 jointly owned property decisions
General information only, current as at 27 October 2026. It is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer–client relationship. UAE law differs between the onshore jurisdiction, the DIFC, ADGM and the free zones, and changes frequently; check current official sources and take advice on the facts of your matter.
