Property lawyers in Dubai for buyers, sellers, owners and investors, from SPA review, title deed transfers and RERA matters to developer, ownership and rental disputes.
Tell us what is happening in your own words. We will explain where you stand and what the sensible next step is.
If you have a property problem in Dubai, you do not have to work it out alone. MBM's Dubai property lawyers act for buyers, sellers, owners, investors and landlords, with offices in Dubai Media City and Sharjah. We take the legal work off your shoulders, and you will always know where your matter stands.
Your first consultation is free and confidential. You do not need a full file to call. A few facts about the property and what has happened are enough for us to tell you which route fits, what it involves and whether we can help. Pick the situation closest to yours.
Handover is late, a refund is refused, the specification changed or a project has stalled or been cancelled. First we check: what your agreement promised, what you have paid and the status of the project. Talk to us about a delayed handover · off-plan property lawyer
You are about to sign an SPA, or a deposit, a default or a stalled transfer has put a deal at risk. First we check: the SPA terms, the title and what is registered against it. Talk to us about my SPA · property sale and purchase lawyer
A contested title deed, a co-owner deadlock, a commission claim or a service charge bill. First we check: the registered title, the agreement between the parties and the history. Talk to us about an ownership dispute · property ownership dispute lawyer
Deposits, rent increases, arrears, repairs or Rental Disputes Center proceedings. First we check: the tenancy contract, any notice and the payment record. Talk to us about a tenancy dispute · rental dispute lawyer
You have received a notice to vacate, or you need to serve one properly. First we check: the notice itself, how it was served and the tenancy contract. Talk to us about an eviction notice · eviction lawyer
Delay, payment, variation or defect claims between owners, developers and contractors. First we check: the contract, the notices given and the payment and site records. Talk to us about a construction claim · construction dispute lawyer
A suspected forged document, fraudulent transfer or misrepresentation. First we check: what the register shows, which documents were signed and by whom. Talk to us about suspected fraud · property fraud · fraud and financial crime
Describe what happened and we will place it, or tell you honestly if it is not a matter we should take. First we check: what you have signed, what has happened since and what you want. Tell us what happened
Property matters in Dubai sit on two layers of law, and knowing which layer your problem belongs to tells you where it will be decided.
The first layer is real estate regulation. The Dubai Land Department (DLD) and the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) jointly govern registration, brokerage and off-plan sales, and brokerage is separately regulated. Tenancy sits under Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, with the Rental Disputes Center as its tribunal. As we understand it, registration is governed by Law No. 7 of 2006, escrow by Law No. 8 of 2007, the interim register by Law No. 13 of 2008 as amended by Law No. 19 of 2020, and jointly owned property by Law No. 6 of 2019. Laws and requirements change, so we confirm the current position at your first consultation.
The second layer is general civil law, and it changed this year. Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025, the Civil Transactions Law, took effect on 1 June 2026 and replaced the 1985 law that previously underpinned every UAE contract. Reported changes include a codified duty of good faith in pre-contractual negotiations. Because the law is this recent, how it applies to a particular transaction is still developing. Court procedure is governed separately by Federal Decree-Law No. 42 of 2022.
In practice a property matter usually has more than one available route. Choosing between them, before anything is filed, is most of the value a lawyer adds.
Which forum decides your dispute depends on its type and on your contract, so we settle that before anything is filed. The table is a general map, not advice on your facts, and all of it is subject to applicable UAE law.
| Issue | Usually decided or handled by | What that means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Registration, title deeds and transfers | Dubai Land Department | The DLD administers registration and transfer. A stalled transfer usually has an identifiable cause, such as an encumbrance, a missing no-objection certificate or unpaid service charges. |
| Off-plan sales, brokerage and complaints about a developer or broker | DLD and RERA, the regulatory route | A regulatory complaint can run alongside a civil claim. Which one is stronger depends on your agreement and the status of the project. |
| Landlord and tenant disputes | Rental Disputes Center | The RDC is the tribunal for tenancy disputes and, as at September 2026, remains a distinct tribunal rather than part of Dubai Courts. A sale or ownership dispute is a different kind of case. |
| Cancelled or stalled projects | A special tribunal | As we understand it, disputes about cancelled or stalled projects can go to a special tribunal created by Dubai Decree No. 33 of 2020. Whether your case belongs there depends on the project and your agreement, so we confirm it before filing. |
| Contract disputes: sale and purchase, developer, construction, ownership | Dubai Courts | A civil claim under the contract and the civil law, following the court procedure law. |
| Disputes under a contract with an arbitration clause | Arbitration | Where the agreement provides for arbitration, that clause usually decides where the dispute is heard, so check it before filing anywhere. |
MBM handles the property work below, for individuals and for businesses. Each service has its own page where a more specific answer is useful.
Handover delays, refused refunds, changed specifications, defects and project cancellation, through the regulatory route and the courts. We start from what your agreement promised and what you have paid. See off-plan property lawyer.
Review and negotiation of the sale and purchase agreement before you sign, and action when a deposit is withheld, a buyer or seller defaults or a transfer stalls. See property sale and purchase lawyer.
Contested title, co-owner deadlock, boundary and access questions, service charges, broker commission and inherited property. Every ownership dispute begins with the registered title and the documents. See property ownership dispute lawyer.
We act for landlords and tenants, never both in the same matter. See rental dispute lawyer and eviction lawyer.
Delay and disruption claims, defective works, variations and valuation, and non-payment, for employers and contractors alike. See construction dispute lawyer.
A property investment lawyer is most useful before the money moves. Investors who search for a "real estate investment lawyer Dubai" usually need this same early-stage work. It applies to one unit or to a portfolio acquisition or sale by a company or fund.
When a matter cannot be settled, someone has to run the claim and then enforce the outcome, which is a separate exercise from winning it. MBM handles litigation and arbitration as one team, from first call to enforcement. See court representation.
Forged documents, fraudulent transfers and misrepresentation can raise civil and criminal questions at once. We advise on the civil recovery route and coordinate with MBM's criminal law team where relevant. See fraud and financial crime.
Delayed handover, a disputed deposit or a stalled transfer? Tell us what has happened. Your first consultation is free.
It is not legally required to use a lawyer for a standard purchase of property in Dubai, but the transactions that go wrong are usually the ones where nobody independent read the agreement. A review before you sign costs a fraction of a later dispute.
If you have not signed yet, call before you do. We explain how a deal is structured and what happens if it fails, in plain English. For the full checklist see property sale and purchase lawyer.
A broker, a real estate legal consultant and a lawyer do different jobs, and the difference matters when something goes wrong. Searches for a "real estate attorney Dubai" or a "property legal advisor Dubai" often treat a lawyer and a legal consultant as the same thing. The roles are not the same, so ask each adviser what they do, what licence they hold and what it covers.
Brokerage is a separately regulated activity, and a broker is generally paid on completion. That is a legitimate role, but it is not the same as assessing whether the agreement in front of you protects you if the transaction fails. The two are complementary, not interchangeable.
| Who | What they do | Whose interests | When to use them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker | Markets and matches properties, arranges viewings and negotiates price. Regulated as a separate activity. | The party who engaged them, and generally paid on completion. | To find a property, a buyer or a tenant. |
| Real estate legal consultant | Gives legal advice, reviews and drafts documents and explains your position. Ask what licence they hold and what it covers. | You, as the client who instructed them. | To understand a contract and your risks before you commit. |
| Lawyer | Advises, negotiates and, where the matter is disputed, runs the claim and enforces the outcome. | You, as the client who instructed them. | Before you sign, and when a dispute needs a notice, a complaint or proceedings. |
MBM's team includes lawyers and legal consultants working together, and we tell you which of these roles your matter needs.
Every matter starts with a conversation and a document review, so that you know where you stand before anything is sent or filed.
You tell us what has happened and what you want. We tell you whether there is a matter we can take and which route fits. The consultation is free and confidential.
We read the agreement, the title and the correspondence, and check the registration position where it matters to your question.
We set out your position, the options and the likely cost in writing, with a scope and a fee position before you instruct us.
We act: a demand, a notice, a regulatory complaint or a negotiation. Many matters end here.
Where it is needed, we bring or defend the claim before the Rental Disputes Center, the courts or an arbitral tribunal, depending on the matter.
We enforce the outcome, or see the transfer and completion through, so the result is carried out and not only decided.
You do not need any of this to make the call, and you should not delay calling to assemble it. The more of it you have, the more precise our first answer can be.
Most property disputes grow from a handful of avoidable steps. These are the ones we see most often.
We act on property across Dubai, including Downtown Dubai, Business Bay, Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Village Circle, Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Hills. Clients often find us by searching "real estate lawyer near me Dubai", "real estate lawyer Downtown Dubai", "property lawyer Business Bay" or "property lawyer Dubai Marina". The address of the property does not change how we work, and you can speak to us by phone or WhatsApp wherever you are.
MBM's offices are in Dubai Media City and in Al Khalidiya, Sharjah. You can meet us at either office, or speak by phone or WhatsApp. If your property is in another emirate, tell us at the first consultation and we will explain how we can help.
Search for a "property law firm Dubai" and you will find many names. What matters is whether the firm can handle the contract, the regulator and the court, because most property matters involve all three. Here is what that means at MBM.
Rated 4.9 on Google reviews. The firm is led by Mohamed Badr, Founder & Managing Partner, who has 17 years of legal experience. MBM works with group companies in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and the Gulf, which helps when a matter has an international side. That matters for overseas owners and cross-border buyers: you can work with us by phone, WhatsApp and email, and we explain each step in plain language, with a written scope and fee before any paid work starts.
No outcome can be promised in advance, and MBM does not promise one. Our role is careful advice and diligent representation on the facts and the law.
Your first consultation with MBM is free and confidential. If you decide to instruct us, we first give you a written scope and fee position, so you know what is covered before any paid work starts.
What a real estate lawyer costs in Dubai depends on the work. Reviewing a sale and purchase agreement is a defined, limited task. A contested developer dispute with litigation and enforcement is not. Court fees, translation costs and other third-party charges depend on the matter and are separate from legal fees, and we explain which are likely to apply in your case. We do not publish a price list, because quoting without the facts would not help you. Ask at your first consultation and we will answer directly.
Buying, selling or in dispute over a property? Talk to a property lawyer in confidence. Your first consultation is free and confidential.
Your free first consultation is with a member of MBM’s legal team in Dubai or Sharjah. Property matters are handled in confidence from the first call.
Founder & Managing Partner
Mohamed Badr leads MBM and has 17 years of legal experience. His career has included roles at law firms and multinational corporations in the UAE, advising businesses on high-stakes disputes, corporate restructuring and commercial litigation.
Names and titles as published on mbm-co.com. Your first consultation is with a member of MBM’s legal team in Dubai or Sharjah.
General information about property law and property lawyers in Dubai. It is not legal advice. Remedies are not automatic and depend on your contract and your facts, so please contact MBM to discuss yours.
It is not legally required for a standard purchase, but the transactions that go wrong are usually the ones where nobody independent read the agreement. A lawyer checks the seller's title and authority to sell, any registered mortgage or encumbrance, service charge arrears attaching to the unit, and whether the SPA protects you if the transaction fails. That review costs a fraction of a later dispute. See property sale and purchase lawyer.
It depends on the work. Reviewing an SPA is a defined, limited task, while a contested developer dispute with litigation and enforcement is not. We give you a scope and a fee position before you instruct us, and we explain which third-party charges, such as court or translation costs, are likely to apply. We do not publish a price list.
Yes. MBM's first consultation is free and confidential. It is a discussion of your situation and your options. If you then choose to instruct MBM, we give you a written scope and fee position before any paid work starts.
Freehold generally gives full ownership of a unit in designated areas, while leasehold is a long lease. Which one applies to your property depends on the area and the title documents, so we check the title before you commit.
A UAE or foreign company can generally buy property in Dubai, subject to the zone and the licence. Authority to sign and the ownership structure need checking before you commit, and requirements change, so we confirm the current position at your first consultation.
The Dubai Land Department and the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) jointly govern registration, brokerage and off-plan sales, and brokerage is separately regulated. Rental and tenancy matters are dealt with by the Rental Disputes Center, which as at September 2026 remains a distinct tribunal rather than part of Dubai Courts.
It depends on the type of dispute and on your contract. Tenancy disputes go to the Rental Disputes Center. Sale, developer, construction and ownership disputes are generally civil claims, or arbitration where the contract has an arbitration clause. Choosing the forum before anything is filed is part of what we advise on.
No. Brokerage is a separately regulated activity and a broker is generally paid on completion. That is a legitimate role, but a different one from assessing whether the agreement in front of you protects you if the transaction fails. The two are complementary, not interchangeable.
The seller's title and authority to sell, any registered mortgage or encumbrance, service charge arrears, whether the unit is tenanted, and whether area, condition and permitted use match what is documented. We also read the payment schedule, completion date, deposit handling and the default and termination clauses.
It may affect them. Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025, the Civil Transactions Law, took effect on 1 June 2026 and replaced the 1985 law. Reported changes include a codified duty of good faith in pre-contractual negotiations, which can be relevant where a seller did not disclose something material. Because the law is so recent, its application is still developing.
Yes. MBM acts for off-plan buyers and investors against developers on delayed handover, refused refunds, changed specifications, defects and project cancellation, through both the regulatory route and the courts. What you can recover depends on your agreement and the status of the project. See off-plan property lawyer.
Often, yes. A stalled transfer usually has an identifiable cause, such as an outstanding encumbrance, a missing no-objection certificate, unpaid service charges or a party who is not performing. Finding out which it is tells you whether the answer is administrative or a contractual claim. See property sale and purchase lawyer.
Keep every document and message as it is, do not sign anything further and speak to a lawyer promptly. Property fraud can raise civil and criminal questions, and MBM can advise on the civil recovery route and coordinate with its criminal law team. See property fraud and fraud and financial crime.
Yes, we can advise investors who are abroad by phone, WhatsApp or email. If someone needs to sign or act for you in the UAE, a power of attorney is often used. We prepare and check the documents and arrange notarisation and certified translation. MBM does not provide MOFA attestation or embassy legalisation, so we tell you at the outset if your document needs either. See power of attorney notarisation in Dubai.
MBM has an office in Al Khalidiya, Sharjah, alongside our Dubai office, and our property work is centred on Dubai. If your property is in Sharjah or another emirate, tell us at the first consultation so we can explain how we can help and which authorities are involved.
Yes. MBM handles litigation and arbitration as one team, including enforcement of a judgment or award once obtained. Which forum applies depends on your contract and the type of dispute. See court representation.
Yes. For investors, we review the agreement, the title and any encumbrances, the service charge and occupation position, and what happens if the deal fails or the developer does not deliver. It is a less costly conversation to have before the first payment than after.
Searches for a "top property lawyer Dubai" or an "experienced real estate lawyer Dubai" return rankings and lists, but none of them tells you who suits your matter. Compare on practical points instead: who will actually do the work, which kinds of matter like yours they have handled, what the scope and fee will be in writing before you instruct them, and whether they tell you plainly where your case is weak. Any lawyer you consider should be able to explain this without promising an outcome, and MBM does not promise one.
For a property matter, it usually helps to use a lawyer who handles property work regularly, because the documents, the registration process and the forums are specific to property. That lawyer should know how the DLD, RERA, the Rental Disputes Center and the courts fit together, and which one your problem belongs to. For a simple matter outside property, a general lawyer may be enough, and we say so if we think that is the case.
Call +971 4 570 0204 or send a message and your documents on WhatsApp. Your first consultation is free. If a completion date, a notice period or a hearing is close, say so when you call.
Your first consultation with MBM is free and confidential. Tell us briefly what has happened. A member of MBM’s legal team will review your enquiry and come back to you with the appropriate next step.
If a deadline is running, such as a completion date, a notice period or a hearing, please call rather than waiting for a reply.
Dubai · Office 3204, Level 32, Business Central Towers – Tower B, Dubai Media City
Sharjah · Office 2001, Level 20, Al Hind Tower, Al Khalidiya District
Tell us what is happening in your own words. We will explain where you stand and what the sensible next step is.
Your first consultation is free and confidential. Whether you are about to sign or already in a dispute, you do not have to work it out alone. Tell us where the matter stands and we will explain your position and the sensible next step.
