Dubai off-plan property · from London
Dubai off-plan, explained properly.
A free call with our London team, before any property is put in front of you.
Book your free call
No property to pick first. Only your email is required.
We use your details to arrange the call, as set out in our privacy policy.
Educational information, not advice. Property puts your capital at risk; prices, rents and the pound-to-dirham rate can all move against you.
Investor seminars and evenings in London. 20+ years in the property market.
Why Dubai
The case for it, and the case against
Freehold for overseas buyers
In Dubai’s designated freehold areas, non-UAE nationals can own property outright, registered with the Dubai Land Department.
Escrow on off-plan payments
Off-plan instalments go into a project escrow account regulated by the Dubai Land Department, released as construction progresses.
No UAE income tax on rent
The UAE doesn’t tax personal rental income. If you’re UK resident, UK tax still applies; take advice on your own position.
Golden Visa eligibility from AED 2m
Property of AED 2 million or more can make the owner eligible to apply. The UAE authorities decide who gets one, not the purchase.
What can go wrong
- Many new homes complete in 2026 and 2027, which can soften prices and rents.
- Prices fall as well as rise; Dubai has had sharp corrections before.
- The dirham is pegged to the US dollar, so what you get back in sterling moves with the exchange rate.
- Selling before handover depends on the developer’s rules.
- Service charges, letting fees and empty periods cut what you take home.
Golden Visa rules: u.ae. Land Department fee: dubailand.gov.ae. Checked November 2026.
Educational information, not advice. Property puts your capital at risk; prices, rents and the pound-to-dirham rate can all move against you.
Buying from the UK
Five steps, start to keys
- 01
A call with us
What you want the property to do, and whether Dubai fits at all.
- 02
Reservation and checks
A deposit, plus identity and source-of-funds checks done remotely from the UK.
- 03
Contract and registration
The sale agreement, then registration (Oqood) with the Dubai Land Department.
- 04
Escrow instalments
Paid on the developer’s schedule into the project escrow account.
- 05
Handover and letting
Snagging, keys and title deed, then a long or short let.
Who you’ll speak to
A real team, in Southwark
Keith Gyasi
Director
Daniel Sinclair
Director
Adrian Larratt
Investment Manager
Daniel Knight
Investment Manager
Katy Reed
Head of Client Care
Questions
Before you book
What happens after I send the form?
Someone from our London team calls you at the time you chose. It’s a conversation, not a sales pitch, and there’s no obligation.
Is this financial advice?
No. We explain how Dubai off-plan works so you can decide for yourself. For tax, take independent advice on your own position.
Is my money protected?
Off-plan instalments are paid into a project escrow account regulated by the Dubai Land Department. Escrow doesn’t protect you from price falls, delays or exchange-rate moves.
What does buying cost on top of the price?
The Land Department registration fee, currently 4% of the price, plus administration and service charges. You get the full list in writing before you reserve anything.
Who actually sells the property?
Purchases go through a broker licensed by Dubai’s Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA). We name that broker, with its licence numbers, before showing you any property.
Does buying get me a Golden Visa?
Not automatically. Property of AED 2 million or more can make the owner eligible to apply; the UAE authorities decide.
Educational information, not advice. Property puts your capital at risk; prices, rents and the pound-to-dirham rate can all move against you.
Before we show you any property
What you’ll see on every Dubai listing
- The RERA-licensed brokerage we work with, with its office (ORN) and broker (BRN) numbers
- The Dubai Land Department advertising permit (Trakheesi) number and QR code
- The developer, the escrow account number and the expected completion date
- Every figure sourced and dated, in dirhams with the sterling rate and its date
Twenty honest minutes about Dubai
Free, no pressure, and no property pushed at you.
Educational information, not advice. Property puts your capital at risk; prices, rents and the pound-to-dirham rate can all move against you.