Tenancy

We, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi 

Having reviewed: 

Law No. (1) of 1974 concerning the Reorganisation of the Governmental Body in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, as amended; 

Law No. 3 of 2015 concerning the Regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; 

Law No. (30) of 2019 concerning the Establishment of the Department of Municipalities and Transport; and 

Based on what was presented to and approved by the Executive Council, 

Have issued the following Law: 

Article (1-2)

Article (1)

1. The definitions of (Owners' Association), (Licensees), (Service Fees), and (Articles of Association of the Owners' Association) set forth in Article 1 of the referenced Law No. 3 of 2015 shall be replaced with the following definitions: 

Owners' Committee: The Committee constituted under the provisions of this Law to carry out the functions and powers related to the management and operation of the Common Parts, including their maintenance and ensuring their proper utilization. 

Licensees: Persons who are licensed by the Department to practice any of the Real Estate Activities, including: the Developer, Broker, Broker's Employee, Auctioneer, Appraiser and Surveyor. 

Service Fees: The fees approved by the Department to cover the costs associated with the management, operation, and maintenance of the Common Parts, which are collected from the Real Estate Units' owners by the management company in accordance with the management and operation of the Real Estate and its Common Parts. 

Owners' Committee Bylaws: The rules and provisions that regulate the functioning of the Owner's Committees and issued by a decision of the Chairman. 

2. The following definitions shall be added to the definitions contained in Article 1 of the 

referenced Law No. 3 of 2015: 

Real Estate Activities: Activities related to the development, sale, purchase, survey, registration, organization, evaluation, rental, management and operation of Real Estate, real estate brokerage and other activities related to the real estate sector in the Emirate, in respect of which the Department issues licenses to practice in the Emirate in accordance with the provisions of this Law and its Executive Regulations and the decisions issued thereunder. 

3. The phrase "Articles of Association" contained in Article (72) of the referenced Law No. 

3 of 2015 shall be replaced with the phrase "Bylaws." 

4. The phrase "Owners' Association" shall be replaced with the phrase "Owners' 

Committee" wherever it is mentioned in the referenced Law No. 3 of 2015. 

5. The definition of the "Board of Directors" and the "Director of the Owners' Association" 

contained in Article 1 of the referenced Law No. 3 of 2015 shall be abolished. 

Article (2)

The provisions of Articles (2, paragraph 1, clauses a, c, f), (5 clause 1), (17 clause 3), (19), (32), (54), (64), (65), (77) and (78) of the referenced Law No. 3 of 2015 shall be replaced with the following provisions: 

Article (2), Paragraph (1) Clauses (a), (c), (f): 

a. Issuing the licenses to practice Real Estate Activities in accordance with the provisions 

of this Law.

c. Preparing and organizing the Real Estate Development Register and registering 

Developers therein. 

f. Constituting the Owners' Committees and overseeing their compliance with their 

functions and powers. 

Article (5 Clause 1): 

1. No person may engage in any of the Real Estate Activities without first acquiring a 

license from the Department. 

Article (17 Clause 3): 

3. If the buyer fails to meet its obligations as outlined in the Off-Plan Sale contract, the Developer may terminate the contract without resort to judiciary or arbitration, provided that the following rules and procedures are followed: 

a. The Developer shall notify the buyer and, if applicable, the mortgagee creditor via notary public or registered mail at the address provided in the purchase contract or registered Mortgage contract, as the case may be, to demand the buyer to meet its obligations and make the overdue payment(s) within sixty (60) days from the date of notification. 

b. The Developer shall notify the Department after the expiration of (15) days from the date of its notification to the buyer or the mortgagee creditor, enclosing a proof of notification and a certificate issued by the Account Trustee stating the buyer's breach. 

c. The Department shall, on its own initiative after being notified, or at the request of the Developer, buyer, or mortgagee creditor, and after verifying the service of notification completion, invite the relevant parties for an amicable settlement per the applicable laws within the timeframe set by the Executive Regulations, prior to the expiration of the referenced sixty (60) days' period. 

d. Should the parties arrive at an amicable settlement agreement, that settlement shall be documented as an annex to the contract following the procedures outlined in the Executive Regulations. 

If no amicable settlement is reached or the buyer fails to meet its obligations within the designated time for amicable settlement, the Developer may terminate the contract. In this case, the Department may, upon the Developer's request and after verifying its adherence to the approved schedule for project completion, remove the buyer's name from the Real Estate Unit register in the Initial Register, and permit the Developer to resell the unit after a 30-day period from the date of removal, and deposit the sale proceeds into the Project Escrow Account, while notifying the buyer accordingly. 

f. The Developer may request a deduction of a portion from the amounts deposited by the buyer into the Project Escrow Account, proportionate to the breach and the percentage of completion and construction work in the project. A decision shall be issued by the Chairman defining these percentages, procedures, and timelines for refunding any remaining amounts to the buyer. 

g. the referenced rules and procedures shall not prejudice the right of the buyer to 

pursue recourse through judiciary or arbitration, should it consider this necessary. 

Article (19): 

Disposition of the Funds Deposited in the Project Escrow Account 

1. No amounts may be disbursed from the Project Escrow Account except for the purposes of establishing and completing the project, as well as making finance payments exclusively, and in a manner not contrary to the terms and conditions outlined in the Project Escrow Account agreement. 

2. It shall be prohibited to utilize the Project Escrow Account to pay for the land price of the Real Estate Development Project or the commissions of real estate Brokers, or any portion thereof, nor from any funds received from unit buyers outside the Project Escrow Account contrary to the provisions of this Law. 

3. No amounts deposited in the Project Escrow Account shall be disbursed unless the Developer has completed at least (20%) of the construction works of the Real Estate Development Project. The Executive Regulations shall determine the method for estimating the completion rate. The Chairman shall issue a decision to establish the mechanism and controls for disbursement from the Project Escrow Account prior to reaching the specified percentage, provided that the Developer submits alternative bank guarantees valued as determined by the Department at its discretion, on the condition that their value is not less than (20%) of the total value of the project construction works. 

General Provisions 

1. The application of the provisions contained in this Title shall be limited to Mortgages related to Real Estate Development Projects in the Emirate. The provisions of the Civil Transactions Law shall apply where this Title makes no specific provision. 

2. If the mortgagee creditor is a bank, company or finance institution, it must be duly licensed and registered with the Central Bank to practice real estate finance activity in the State. 

Article (54) 

Default by the Mortgagor 

1. 

2. 

Subject to the provisions of Clause (2), Article (53) of this Law, in the event that the mortgagor, its guarantor, or any of their universal or specific successors fail to pay the debt, the judge of summary matters, upon the request of the mortgagee creditor, shall issue a decision to sell the Mortgaged Property through public auction, following the legally prescribed procedures. 

If the Mortgage pertains to land associated with a Real Estate Development Project that is under construction, the competent enforcement judge may opt to restrict the sale procedures exclusively to Developers registered with the Department, provided that the mortgagee's debt is settled from the sale proceeds and any remaining proceeds from the sale, if applicable are deposited in the Project Escrow Account. The new Developer shall replace the previous Developer in all rights and obligations of the project, including the obligation to complete the construction work and deliver the sold units to their respective buyers. 

1. The Chairman shall issue the Owners' Committee Bylaws, which shall include establishment of the mechanism for their formation, the procedural rules for selecting members, the conditions for the expiration and termination of membership, as well as the guidelines for conducting their meetings and voting on decisions. 

2. The Owner's Committee shall have the following functions and powers

a. To propose or advise the Developer on selecting candidate companies to assume the management of the Joint Property and its Common Parts from among the management companies approved by the Department. 

b. To access and review the annual budgets prepared by the Developer for the maintenance of the Joint Property, and to this effect request financial reports related to the Joint Property, and make the necessary recommendations on them to the Department, without direct intervention by it in their preparation, approval or audit. 

To monitor the performance of the management company concerning the management, operation, maintenance, and repair of Common Parts, discuss any obstacles and challenges related to the management, operation, maintenance, and repair of Common Parts, and make necessary recommendations to the management company, the Developer, and the Department. 

d. To represent the Owners and Occupants of Real Estate Units in addressing complaints and suggestions related to the management, operation, maintenance, and repair of Common Parts with the management company; the committee may escalate these complaints and suggestions to the Department if the company or the Developer has not addressed them within a maximum period of sixty (60) days from the date of notification. 

e. To submit requests to the Department regarding the Developer's obligation to change the management company, based on valid reasons and justifications arising from the company's default, negligence or substandard service quality that could harm the Joint Property or Common Parts. 

f. To notify the management company, Developer, or Department of any defects in the structural components of the Joint Property, or any damage or defects in the Common Parts that necessitate urgent remedy. 

g. To coordinate with the management company regarding all matters pertaining to safety, environment, security, and other issues related to the Joint Property and its Common Parts. 

h. Any other functions assigned by the Department, provided they do not conflict with the powers and functions prescribed for the company entrusted with managing the Joint Property in accordance with Article (65) of this Law. 

Article (65): 

First: Management and Operation of Common Parts and Common Facilities 

1. The Master Development Plan shall determine the Common Facilities of the Master Community. Determination of the Common Parts of the Joint Property shall be based on the Strata Plan or the Community Plan. 

2. The Chairman shall issue a decision to regulate all matters pertaining to the Common Parts and Common Facilities and ownership of shares therein, define the relationships that arise from them, along with the controls for their management, operation, maintenance, repair and utilization, and the procedures for the finalization and termination of the Strata Plan or the Community Plan and the liquidation of the associated rights, and determine the controls for calculation of Service Fees and Community Fees, the requirements for their approval, and the procedures for their collection and disposal. 

3. For the purposes of organization of Common Facilities and Common Parts, the Department shall approve specialized companies to enable the Developer to select one of these companies to manage, operate, maintain, and repair the Common Parts and Service Facilities within these projects under an agreement with the Developer. The Owners' Committees in these projects shall exercise all the powers granted to them under the provisions of this Law. 

4. The Department may grant exceptions for certain Real Estate Development Projects, which are determined by a decision from the Chairman, and where the Developer shall take on the responsibility for managing, operating, maintaining, and repairing the Joint Property, Common Parts, and Service Facilities through a specialized company approved by the Department for provision of administrative supervision services over the Joint Properties under an agreement approved through the Department. The powers of the Owners' Committee in these projects shall be determined by the Department. 

1. The management company shall collect the Service Fees from Owners after their approval by the Department in order to cover the costs and expenses related to the management, operation, maintenance, and repair of Common Parts. The management company may not claim, impose, or collect any other fees or amounts regardless of their type from the Owners. 

2. An Owner may not relinquish its share in the Common Parts to evade the payment of 

Service Fees due. 

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3. The Strata or Community Management Scheme shall establish - in a manner that does not contradict the provisions of this Law the method for collecting Service Fees, their due dates, and the records that the management company must retain for this purpose. 

4. To recover the overdue Service Fees from Real Estate Units, the following procedures 

shall be taken: 

a. The overdue Service Fees shall be endorsed by an auditor certified by the 

Department. 

b. The Owner of the Real Estate Unit shall be notified to pay the overdue Service Fees within thirty (30) days from the date of his notification, pursuant to a written notification by the notary public. 

Should the Owner of the Real Estate Unit fail to make payment within the specified period without providing an acceptable justification, the Department shall issue, at the request of the Developer, a document affirming the company's entitlement to the overdue Service Fees. This document shall have the force of an executive deed. 

d. The Department may, based on the aforementioned document and at the request of the Developer, record an entry in the Real Estate Unit Register indicating non- disposal until payment of the amounts due. 

5. Without prejudice to the right of the mortgagee creditor concerning the mortgaged Real Estate Units, the management company shall have a pledge over the Real Estate Unit and its appurtenances for the purpose of collecting Service Fees. 

Article (77): 

Without prejudice to any more severe penalty provided by any other law, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding six (6) months and a fine not less than AED 50,000 (Dirhams fifty thousand) and not more than AED 200,000 (Dirhams two hundred thousand), or one of these penalties, whoever engages in Real Estate Activities without a license. 

Article (78): 

Administrative Violations and Fines 

1. without prejudice to the provisions of Article (77) of this Law, an administrative fine not exceeding AED 2,000,000 (Dirhams two million) shall be imposed on whomever violates the provisions of this Law, its Executive Regulations, and the decisions issued thereunder. 

2. The administrative fines shall be collected by the Department, and the Chairman of the Department shall, after the approval of the Executive Council, issue a schedule specifying the administrative violations and fines prescribed for each of them, not exceeding the fine provided for in this Article. 

3. The Department may offer conciliation to the violator, provided that it is documented in the record of proceedings. A violator who accepts the conciliation must pay a fine amounting to (75%) of the total administrative fine designated for the violation within a period not exceeding sixty (60) days from the date the conciliation offer is made. 

4. In all cases, if the violator fails to remove the effects of the violation within the designated timeframe, the Department shall undertake the removal at the violator's 

expense. 

5. The Executive Regulations shall specify the procedures for the aforementioned 

conciliation, including its time period. 

6. A grievance may be filed against administrative sanctions before the Department within sixty (60) days from the date the grievant is notified. If the grievance is not determined within sixty (60) days from its filing, it shall be deemed rejected. The grievance shall result in the interruption of the limitation period for the appeal specified in Clause (4) of Article (79) of this Law, provided that this period is calculated from the date on which the grievance is decided upon, whether explicitly or implicitly. 

Article (3)

Articles (66-67-68-69-70-75-76-82) of the referenced Law No. (3) of 2015 shall be repealed. 

Article (4)

Any text or provision contrary to, or in conflict with the provisions of this Law shall be repealed. 

Article (5)

This Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall take effect ninety (90) days after the date of its publication. 

We Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi, having considered:

• Law No.1 of 1974 concerning the Reorganisation of the Government Apparatus in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, as amended;
• Law No.2 of 1971 concerning the National Consultative Council, as amended;
• Law No.11 of 1979 concerning Land Registration as amended by LawNo.5 of 1980; and
• The proposal made by the Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the approval of the said Council thereof,
  HAVE PROMULGATED THE FOLLOWING LAW:

Article (1-4)

Article (1)

In application of the provisions of this Law, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned thereto, unless the context requires otherwise:

The Emirate: means the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The Relevant Department: means the Municipalities and Agriculture Department or any municipality which may be established in the future in the Emirate.

The Registrar: means the director of the Lands Registration Section of the Relevant Department.

The Property: means the various types of property, including the lands, buildings, installations and allocated property.

The Low Cost House: means the house designated for nationals -without consideration - in accordance with the applicable regulations of the Emirate.

The Transaction: means any transaction affecting the existing rights on the Property or which might create new rights thereon.

The Register: means the Property Register created accordance with the provisions of this Law.

The Document: means any conclusive judgement, order, contract or document which must or may be registered in accordance with the provisions of this Law.

Article (2)

There shall be established in each Relevant Department a section to be called "The Property Registration Section".

Article (3)

For each section of the Property Registration Sections there shall be appointed a "Registrar" who shall, in respect of his duties, report directly to the head of the Relevant Department or his deputy. The Registrar shall be assisted by an adequate number of employees.

Article (4)

The Property Registration Section shall have the following competences:

• To create and maintain a property register.
• To register any transaction relating to Properties.
• To attest the signatures of the persons signing Documents required to be registered.
• To keep the original copies of the Documents following completion of registration and to issue copies thereof to whom it may concern.
• To issue search certificates with respect to a specific Property in accordance with the particulars recorded in the Register.

In the exercise of the aforesaid powers, the Registrar may refer to the Documents kept with the relevant bodies.

Article (5-8)

Article (5)

 It shall not be permitted to remove the original of any Document or any Register kept with the Registrar except by an order of a competent court to that effect.

Article (6)

The registration of all Transactions effected on the Properties described in Article 10 of this Law which would create an original or subordinate real right or the transfer or the removal thereof, and also the conclusive judgements confirming such matter, in the Register kept for this purpose at the Relevant Department within whose jurisdiction the property is located; non-registration shall result in all the above rights being considered as having not been created, transferred or removed as between the relevant parties or with respect to others.

This provision shall apply to lease contracts with a term of more than four years. Unregistered Transactions shall not be relied upon nor shall they have any effect save for the personal obligations between the parties involved.

Article (7)

Article (8)

Each Transaction evidenced by a Document ordered by a competent court to be registered shall be entered in the Register.

Article (9-12)

Article (9)

The Property or the usufruct shall be registered in the names of the heirs following production by them of a legal notice and a confirmation evidencing the title deed or the usufruct.

Article (10)

• Save for industrial lands and lands leased out by the Relevant Department, nationals may sell or purchase residential, commercial, investment or agricultural lands and buildings constructed for specific purposes and allocated to each of them as well as other Transactions, provided they do not alter the purpose for which the aforesaid Properties are designated.
• The ownership of Low Cost Houses shall be registered and transferred to nationals from persons to whom they were or are allocated and they shall not be allowed to dispose thereof without permission from the Executive Council. A national shall undertake in writing in respect of the aforesaid Property not to claim for any compensation in respect of any matter disposed by him.

Article (11)

Article (12)

In implementation of the provisions of this Law, the Relevant Department shall deal with the particulars recorded in the Registers in coordination with the bodies concerned.

Article (13-16)

Article (13)

All Registers and Documents created or maintained in accordance with Law No.11 of 1979 as amended by Law No.5 of 1980 shall pass to the Registrar of the Relevant Department.

Article (14)

• Any Transaction carried out in contravention of the provisions of this Law and the regulations and decisions issued in implementation thereof shall be deemed null and void.

• The Chairman of the Relevant Department shall issue the necessary decisions for the implementation of the provisions of this Law.

Article (15)

Article (16)

This Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force from the date of its publication.

Department of Municipal Affairs Chairman:

• Upon perusal of Law no. (1) of 1974 regarding Reorganization of Governmental Bodies in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, as amended,
• Law no. (3) of 2005 regarding Organization of Real Estate Registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi,
• Law no. (19) of 2005 on Real Estate Ownership, as amended,
• Law no. (10) of 2006 regarding Municipality and Municipal Council of the Western Region in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi,
• Law no. (9) of 2007 regarding the establishment of Department of Municipal Affairs,
• Law no. (10) of 2007 regarding Municipality and Municipal Council of Abu Dhabi City in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi,
• Law no. (11) of 2007 regarding Municipality and Municipal Council of Al-Ain City in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi,
• Law no. (23) of 2007 establishing Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council,
• Federal Law no. (5) of 1985 issuing the UAE Civil Transactions Code, as amended,
• Law no. (10) of 1992 issuing the Evidencing Law in Civil & Commercial Transactions Code, as amended, and
• Federal Law no. (1) of 2006 regarding Transactions & E-Commerce.
• We decided the following:

Article (1-9)



Article (1)

 Chapter 1 - General Provisions

In application of the provisions of this Regulation, the following words and phrases shall bear the meanings assigned to each, unless the context requires otherwise:-
Emirate: Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Executive Council: Executive Council of the Emirate.

Competent Authority: (Department of Municipal Affairs -Municipality of Abu Dhabi City- Municipality of Al-Ain City- Municipality of Western Region – or any municipality to be establish in the future in the Emirate).

Department: Real Estate Registration Department in the Competent Authority.

Competent Technical Authorities: City Planning Sector and Land Registry Office in the Competent Authority.

Registrar: Department's Director.

Law: Law no. (3) of 2005 regarding Organization of Real Estate Registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Land Map: means the cadastral engineering drawing issued by the Technical Competent Authority in which the land location, borders, marks, number, dimensions, area and coordinates.
Property: All different kinds of property including lands, buildings, establishments, properties by allocation and all apartments and floors constituting a single property.

Popular Housing: Housing assigned to the citizen free of charge pursuant to the regulations applicable in the Emirate.

Title Deed: Certificate issued by Real Estate Registration Department based on the facts of property cadastre specifying the property’s location, borders, area, owner and any dispositions made to the property and any modifications made thereto.

Register: Real Estate Register created pursuant to the provisions of Law.

1st Record: Registration of property in Real Estate Register for the first time as it is and allocating a statement therefor in the Register pursuant to provisions of Law, and this Regulation.

Instrument: Any conclusive judgment, order, contract or document, which must or may be registered pursuant to provisions of Law and this Regulation.

Original Real Right: Title.

Rights Branching from Title: Rights of usufruct, utilization, housing and Musataha (settlement).

Ancillary Real Right: Right imposed on the property ensuring another right, such as pledge or mortgage or liens.

Easement: Right limiting the use of a property in favor of another property owned by another person.

Disposition: Any transaction affecting the existing rights to the property, or resulting in new rights thereupon, including – without limitation – sale and purchase of properties, transactions of pledge, utilization, Musataha, lease contracts for more than four years, contracts of transfer, assignment and donation and contracts relating to any disposition of property pursuant to the provisions of laws effective in the Emirate.

Notary: an employee authorized by the Competent Authority's chairman to notarize the signatures of concerned parties in contracts and dispositions to be registered with the Real Estate Registration Department pursuant to the provisions of this Regulation.

Investment Areas: areas to be specified by a decision from the Executive Council pursuant to the provisions of Law no. (19) of 2005 on Real Estate Ownership, as amended.

Complex or Complexes: Housing and/or commercial areas prepared to take more than twenty five thousand persons, whose management are directly or indirectly assumed by a legal corporate personality in the Emirate, or any housing and/or commercial areas which the registrar thinks as included within this concept including the islands prepared for housing and/or commercial purposes to take more than twenty five thousand persons and investment areas.

Common Utilization Statement: Instruments issued by the authority managing any complex in the Emirate, registered with the registrar in that complex. This instrument shall include provisions and conditions relating to the property status, outward appearance, consistency thereof or the buildings to be built thereupon with the general plan of the complex. It also shall include provisions and conditions relating to common facilities in the complex and maintenance and insurance thereof and services fees imposed on owners or beneficiaries of such services provided by the authority managing the complex, way and method of collecting such fees, in addition to conditions and provisions of assignment of any real rights in the property, lease thereof and administrative fees due to the managing authority. This instrument explains also the consequences of non-compliance with its provisions.

Property Cadastre: Hard or soft register which include all data and dispositions made to the property, and any changes thereto.



Article (2)

The provisions of this Regulation shall be applicable to all properties located inside and outside the investment areas in the Emirate in addition to dispositions made to such properties.



Article (3)

Chapter (2)
Section (1)- Real Estate Registration Department & Its Powers

At every Competent Authority in the Emirate, a department called (Real Estate Registration Department) shall be established which shall – within the jurisdiction area assigned thereto – take all procedures relating to real estate registration, dispositions and modifications made thereto including:
a. Determine locations of survey or resurvey and certify the maps prepared therefor.
b. Determine the rules relating to survey and inspection and issue maps relating to properties.
c. Set the rules relating to organization, filing and destruction of documents.
d. Set the rules relating to use of computer in filing and recording of data.
e. Set the rules relating organization and filing the real estate brokers register.
f. Set the rules relating to sale of property by optional auction and supervising the same.
Chairman of the Competent Authority may within his jurisdiction – if necessary – establish a branch of the department at every complex in the Emirate for real estate registration at that complex in addition to all dispositions made upon such properties and modifications made thereto. The Department of Municipal Affairs shall render a decision transferring the records with a competent authority to another certain competent authority to be able to file, manage and update such records which are within its jurisdiction.
Chairman of the Competent Authority shall render a decision of the organizational structure of the Department and its internal regulations as he thinks as necessary to enforce the provisions of Law and this Executive Regulation.


Article (4)

Real Estate Registrar

1. A director called (registrar) shall be appointed for every department, by a resolution from the Competent Authority’s chairman.
2. The Competent Authority’s chairman or his representative may appoint a person acting as a registrar in case of his absence.
3. The registrar shall be responsible for the management works directly before the Competent Authority’s chairman or his representative.
4. The registrar shall organize the management works and supervise work progress therein, and set proposals relating to issuance of laws, regulations and decisions in respect of such organization, if work so requires.
5. The registrar shall have signature and seal approved by the Competent Authority’s chairman, to perform duties of his job.

The registrar shall be assisted by sufficient number of employees as required by work in management.

Article (5)

Section (2)- Register

1. The Register consists of a set of property cadastres specifically prepared, edited in writing or electronically and filed with the Department explaining the descriptions of every property, its location, rights relating thereto, dispositions made thereupon, and changes made thereto respectively.
2. A property cadastre shall be created for every property, whether owned by one or more persons in common, depending on the land map issued by the Competent Technical Authority.
3. If a single registered property is divided and every owner takes a division thereof, the property cadastre shall be replaced with several property cadastres created based on the plans received from the Competent Technical Authority upon fees payment, and the original property cadastre shall be marked with a statement indicating such division, and the property cadastre shall be cancelled without being withdrawn from the register.
4. The register shall have an absolute evidencing power, and it is not permitted to object to its data except for forgery before the competent judicial authorities.
5. The electronically-registered documents and deeds of the register shall have the same evidencing power as the original document to prove the data included therein.

Article (6)

Registration Books
The Real Estate Registration Department shall keep the following books:

1. Applications Book: assigned to record registration and notation applications submitted to the Department with serial numbers based on precedence of submission as to time and date.
2. Final Registration Book: assigned to record dispositions and notations out from the register with serial numbers based on precedence of registration, starting from no. 1 on 1st January and ending with the last number on end of December every year.
3. Photo Book: assigned to record photographs applications, recorded therein the number and date of document or instrument entry and names of concerned parties, date of submitting the document or instrument copy to its applicant after signing for receipt thereof.

Article (7)

Retention of Original Instruments

1. Every property shall have a special file in which the original land map, attachments of allocation transaction approved by the Competent Technical Authority shall be saved. The original instruments of all dispositions made on the property and original applications of concerned parties relating thereto shall also be saved therein.

1. The concerned parties or whom it may concern shall, upon their request, be given copies of any instrument saved in the property files upon payment of fixed fees.
2. No instrument saved in the property file shall be transferred nor the original register of the property shall be transferred except upon an order issued by a competent court or by a resolution from the Competent Authority’s chairman.
3. The registrar may provide the official competent authorities upon their request with an certified copy of the original instruments saved in the property file.

Article (8)

Chapter (3) Section (1)- Registration

1. Registration means authentication, modification, recording, notation, rectification and deletion in the property cadastre.
2. Dispositions and entries following the first entry shall be registered in the property cadastre based on a contract authenticated and countersigned before the registrar or notary, or based on conclusive judgments of competent courts, final resolutions of competent committees, or based on the provision of law or pursuant to resolutions issued by the Executive Council.
3. Every registration shall be supported by signature and seal of the Registrar or the person authorized by the Competent Authority’s chairman. Registration shall be made in black or blue ink, and deletion shall be made by red ink without abrasion, insertion, addition or leaving space, provided that the deleted sentence or phrase shall remain readable. It is always indicated in the register to the number of entry which required such registration.
4. No right shall be registered in the register except if its holder has received it from the holder of previous registration right or upon his written consent, proved by his signature before the registrar. If consecutive contracts are made, the last disposition shall not be registered except after registering the precedent dispositions consecutively and fulfilling the legal conditions of registration for every disposition separately, provided that the precedent registration shall be deleted by red ink.
5. Titles of properties and any dispositions made thereupon may be registered in the name of one or more natural persons or in the name of a legal personality.

Article (9)

Modification, Deletion & Rectification

1. No change, deletion or modification shall be made to the data included in the register, except with a final judicial judgment issued by a competent court, or upon a written request accompanied by the original documents proving such change and modification, authenticated by official authorities, submitted by the party who is entitled thereto, and the Department shall have the right to accept or reject the request of change or modification.
2. The Department shall refer the requests and documents submitted thereto which would change the cadastre data (including division and merger requests) to the Competent Technical Authority to consider and determine the same, then to be returned to the Department accompanied by the consideration result.
3. The registrar shall be entitled to rectify the certainly proved material errors in the register cadastres by himself or upon a request of the concerned parties. However after entry, he shall not be entitled to make any rectification except after informing the concerned parties thereof.
4. No rectification shall be made by the registrar if it is affecting third parties’ rights, except after informing the concerned parties thereof, and in case of rectification he must record minutes explaining therein the error, its reason, how detected and procedure taken in respect thereof.The Department shall inform every owner or person whose rights were affected or cancelled by entry, notation or rectification immediately after performing the same, in addition to informing the Competent Technical Authority of the changes made to the register data as a whole, and included in details in the certificates extracted from the register.
5. In case the property cadastre is damaged, it shall be replaced with another new cadastre and the damaged cadastre shall be saved in the property file, and the registrar shall prepare a minutes explaining the reasons of such replacement.
6. All data shall be registered electronically in accordance with the most updated technologies. In case of contradiction between the data included in the register with the data included in the land map or data electronically saved, the data proved in the register shall prevail.

Article (10-18)

Article (10)

Article (19-27)

Article (19)

Section (4)- Registration of Assignment

Article (20)

Registration of Exchange

• Disposition by exchange can be made of any property and building constructed for certain purpose.
• Registration of Exchange contract shall require fulfillment of the following conditions:
  a. Obtaining approval of the concern department in the competent authority on such exchange. If the subject of exchange is a popular house, it is required to obtain the Executive Council;
  b. Attendance in person of exchange parties or their legal representatives before the registrar. In case there are minor owners, it is required to obtain the competent court’s approval on such exchange.
  c. Payment of fixed fees of every property separated from the other, according to what is specified in the schedule attached to the Law.

Article (21)

Registration of Inheritance Right

Article (22)

Registration of Gift or Withdrawal thereof

Article (28-35)

Article (28)

Registration of Popular Houses

Article (29)

Regi

stration of Apartments & Floors

Article (30)

Registration of Original Real Right And Rights Branching from the title and Assignment thereof

Article (31)

Additional Provisions for Registration in Complexes

Article (32)

Chapter (5)- Final Provisions Effects of Registration

Article (33)

Evaluation

• Property evaluation shall be by the registrar out from the estimation table approved by the Competent Authority’s chairman, and the registration fees shall be collected based on the amount of such evaluation. The seller and buyer may agree on anther price for sale, and in such case, the fees shall be collected based on the agreed upon price if it is higher than the fixed evaluation.
• Property evaluation certificate shall be issued upon a request from the landlord, or upon a request from a competent or concerned authority after payment of fixed fees. The concerned parties may complain of the evaluation decision before the Competent Authority’s chairman, and the decision issued by him in this regard shall be final.

We, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council, Having Reviewed:

• Law No. (1) of 1974 Reorganizing the Governmental Apparatus in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, as amended;
• Law No. (3) of 2005 Regulating the Property Registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi;
• Law No. (19) of 2005 on Property Ownership as amended;
• Law No. (20) of 2006 on the Property lease and Regulating the rental relationship between lessors and tenants in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, as amended;
• Law No. (5) of 2018 Establishing the Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities;
• The Executive Council Chairman Resolution No. (4) of 2011 on the Rules and Procedures for Registration of Leases in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, as amended;
• The Executive Council Chairman Resolution No. (72) of 2015 regarding Property Registration Fees and Exemption in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi;
• The Executive Council Chairman Resolution No. (14) of 2016 on Rent Value or the Fees of Musataha for Industrial Lands and Lands Leased out by the Government in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi;
• The Executive Council Chairman Resolution No. (43) of 2018 on municipal services fees in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
• As submitted to and approved by the Executive Council;

Hereby issue the following Resolution:

Article (1-5)

Article (1)

The following words and expressions shall have the meanings assigned thereto receptively, unless the context otherwise requires:

Department: Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities.

Municipality: The Municipality of Abu Dhabi City, the Municipality of Al Ain City, the Municipality of Al Dhafra or any other Municipality that may be established in the Emirate.

Floor Area: The gross horizontal areas of each level of a building or structure, as such area is measured from the outside walls of the building or from the middle of the outside walls as determined by the department.

Vacant Land: The lands designated under a resolution of the executive committee.

Article (2)

Municipal services fees shall be collected in accordance with the schedules hereto attached.

Article (3)

Subject to Schedule (1) hereto, the following transactions shall be exempted from property registration fees:

• Judgments subsequent to the registration of legacy and relating to the division of inheritance and dissociation at the first registration.
• Registration of lands and property dedicated to charity endowments authority.

Article (4)

Article (5)

Article (6-9)

Article (6)

Vacant commercial, investment and granted land may be disposed of subject to collecting a fee of (15%) of the value of the land.

Article (7)

A one-time infrastructure fee shall be collected for the approved gross floor area of the commercial and investment lands, according to the price per square meter of the floor area as specified in the following schedule:

Except for residential lands, an annual fee shall be collected on vacant land for which services are available and which are owned by one or more natural or legal persons, at not less than 1% and not exceeding 4% of the value of the land. Areas, standards and vacant lands fees shall be determined by a resolution of executive committee.

Article (9)

The Executive Council may amend the fees set out in this Resolution, and it may exclude any entity or person having natural or legal personality.

Article (10-11)

Article (10)

• The Executive Council Chairman Resolutions Nos. (72) of 2015 and No. (13) of 2016, No. (14) of 2016 and No. (43) of 2018 shall hereby be repealed.
• All provisions contrary to or in conflict with the provisions hereof shall be repealed.

Article (11)

Schedules of Fees annexed to Resolution No. (49) of 2018 On Municipal Services Fees in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi

1. Property registration fees

2. Land area increase fees

(a) Residential land

(B) Commercial and investment lands

(C) Agricultural land

3. Lease Registration Fees

4. Planning service fees

Executive Council resolved the following:

1. The rent for the land allocated by the government is approved to be directly to the beneficiary as follows:

2. Tenants of industrial lands and land leased directly from the government the right to lease them to others subject to obtaining the approval of the concerned municipality. All contracts shall be registered in accordance with the legislation in force.

3. The concerned municipality shall collect registration fees from the tenant for all leasing contracts of the lands, industrial lands and land leased directly from the government from the value of each contract. This shall be for a percentage that will be determined by the Executive Committee, provided that it shall not be less than (5%) and shall not exceed (10%).

4. The Executive Committee shall issue a decision to determine vital areas and developing areas based on a proposal of the Chairman of Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities.

5. With the exception of industrial lands allocated for citizens, registration fees of Musataha contract shall be paid on instalments according to the number of the contract years from the beginning of the project operation.

6. Private schools whose tuition fees are less than AED 20,000 shall be exempted from the registration fee of the Musataha contract according to the financial statements of the Department of Education and knowledge.

7. Clause (19) of the real estate registration fees schedule attached with the Chairman of the Executive Council Resolution No. (49) of 2018 On the Fees of Municipal Services in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Two new clauses under Nos. (20 and 21) shall be added to be as follows:

8. This resolution shall come into force as of its issuance and a report shall be submitted within two weeks from this date regarding the execution updates to Abu Dhabi Executive Office by e-mail (Confidential) on the following e-mail: ADEO-Legislation@ecouncil.ae.

Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport

Having reviewed:

• Law No. (1) of 1974 on the Reorganization of the Government Body in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and its amendments;
• Law No. (3) of 2015 concerning the Regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the law amending thereto;
• Law No. (30) of 2019 concerning the Establishment of the Department of Municipalities and Transport;
• Amiri Decree No. (11) of 2023 Concerning the Reformation of the Executive Council in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi;
• Executive Council Resolution No. (223) of 2023 concerning the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre;
• Executive Council Resolution No. (38) of 2024 Concerning the Bank Guarantees for Real Estate Development Projects; and
• Based on the work interest requirements,

 
Decided the following:

Article (1-2)

Article (1)
Definitions

In application of the provisions of this decision, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context requires otherwise:

State : The United Arab Emirates.

Emirate : The Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Department : The Department of Municipalities and Transport.

Centre : The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre.

Director General : Director General of the Centre.

Law : The above-mentioned Law No. (3) of 2015, its amendments, and its executive regulations.

Developer : The main developer or the sub-developer.

Account Trustee : The bank or financial institution authorized by the Department (DMT) to manage the project escrow account according to the provisions of Law.

Bank Guarantee :  A written guarantee issued by a local bank or financial institution licensed in the country, which the developer submits to the Centre to obtain approval for the disbursement of funds from the project escrow account prior to the completion of (20%) of the construction and building works of the real estate development project, in accordance with the controls and conditions stipulated under this Decision.

Expected Cost :  The  estimated  expected  value  that  may  be determined as an initial expected cost of the total costs of the construction and building works of the project for the purposes of applying the provisions of this Decision, based on the report provided by an engineering office authorized by the Centre.

Article (2)
Acceptance of Bank Guarantees

For the purposes of applying the provisions of Clause (3) of Article (19) of Law No. (3) of 2015 referred to above, the Centre may approve the disbursement of funds from the project escrow account before the developer completes (20%) of the construction and building works of the real estate development project in exchange for the provision of alternative bank guarantees valued as determined by the Centre, provided that their value is not less than (20%) of the value of the construction and building works of the project.

Article (3-4)

Article (3)

Conditions for Accepting Bank Guarantees

1. The following conditions must be met by any developer seeking to provide a bank guarantee:
   1. The developer must be registered as a developer in the Emirate for a period of no less than (4) four years from the application submission date, and his license must be valid at the time of submitting the application.
   2. The developer (or any of its subsidiaries) must have completed and handed over a minimum of three (3) real estate development projects in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi before or within their designated timeframes – unless the delay in one or more of these projects was due to reasons beyond its control.
   3. The developer must not have been subject to any legal violations or administrative penalties within a duration of at least twelve (12) months before the application date
   4. Any other conditions specified by the Centre.
2. Any developer may be exempted from any of the conditions specified in clause (1) above, as deemed appropriate by the Chairman of Department.

Article (4)

Submission of the Application

1. The developer shall submit an application to the Centre requesting the replacement of the stipulated percentage of completion with a bank guarantee. This application shall be accompanied by the following documents:
   1. Details of the completion status of projects executed by the developer in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and other Emirates – if applicable.
   2. The payment plan stipulated in the off-plan sales contracts for the project.
   3. A detailed statement confirming that the amounts deposited in the project's escrow account match the payments made under the off-plan sales contracts registered in the initial register on the date of application submission.
   4. A technical report produced by an engineering office authorized by the Centre, specifying the estimated value of the construction work for the project.Any other documents requested by the Centre.

Article (5-6)

Article (5)

Bank Guarantee

1. The bank guarantee provided by the developer for the purposes of this decision must satisfy the following conditions and controls:
   1. The bank guarantee must be issued by a local bank or financial institution that is licensed in the country and authorized by the Centre for this purpose.
   2. The value of the bank guarantee must not be less than (20%) of the total cost of the construction and building works of the project, based on an engineering report issued by an engineering company authorized by the Centre, provided that the report was issued no more than (30) thirty days before the date of the application submission.
   3. The bank guarantee must be promptly liquid and payable in whole or in part upon the first request from the Department (DMT) or Centre by transferring it into the project's escrow account or via any other payment method determined by the centre, without needing to involve the developer, the guarantor bank, or any third party.
   4. The developer, the guarantor bank, or any third party may not refuse, suspend delay, or object to the payment of the guaranteed amount for any reason whatsoever.
   5. The guarantee must not be under any limitation, requirement, or time constraint (unconditional), not subject to any deductions, fees, or taxes levied by the Department (DMT) and/or the centre, and must not be revoked by the developer, any other person, or the guarantor bank. It must remain valid for the duration necessary for the purpose for which it was provided.
   6. The guarantee must be in the format attached to this Decision.
   7. Any other conditions stipulated by the Centre.
2. If the bank guarantee is provided based on the estimated cost of the construction works as per the engineering report mentioned in clause (1) above, and a later engineering report or other sources indicate that the estimated cost is considerably lower than the final cost as per the Centre’s estimate, then the developer must provide an additional bank guarantee that covers the value of this difference as stated in paragraph (b) of clause (1) above.
3. In the event of partial liquidation or a decrease in the value of the bank guarantee for any reason, the developer must provide an additional bank guarantee covering the difference, as per paragraph (b) of clause (1) stated above.
4. The original bank guarantee must be retained by the account trustee for the entire period of its validity.
5. The account trustee shall not dispose of the bank guarantee or return it to the developer without obtaining a letter to that effect from the Centre.

Article (6)

Refund of Bank Guarantees

1. The Centre may approve the return of the original bank guarantee to the developer once the project is entirely completed (100%) and the developer has received the project completion certificate.
2. The developer may request the Centre's approval to return the original bank guarantee before the project is fully completed, provided that both of the following conditions are met:
   1. Completion of at least 60% of the project's construction work, as per a technical report issued by an engineering office authorized by the Centre.
   2. Maintaining adequate funds in the main escrow account to cover the full cost of the remaining construction work for achieving full 100% completion, as per the estimated value specified in the technical report mentioned in the above clause.

Article (7-8)

Article (7)

Repeals

Any provision or text that contravenes or conflicts with the provisions of this Decision shall be repealed.

Article (8)

This Decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall become effective from the date of its publication.

Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport:

Having reviewed:

• Law No. (1) of 1974 concerning the Reorganization of the Government Body in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and its amendments;
• Law No. (3) of 2015 concerning the Regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and its amendments and executive regulations;
• Law No. (3) of 2005 concerning the Regulation of Real Estate Registration in the Emirate and its amendments;
• Law No. (19) of 2005 concerning Real Estate Ownership, and its amendments;
• Law No. (30) of 2019 concerning the Establishment of the Department of Municipalities and Transport;
• Amiri Decree No. (11) of 2023 Concerning the Reformation of the Executive Council in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi;
• Executive Council Resolution No. (223) of 2023 concerning the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre;
• Executive Council Resolution No. (38) of 2024 concerning the Bank Guarantees for Real Estate Development Projects;
• And as dictated by the public interest,
  
  
  

Decided the following:

Article (1-9)

Chapter One - Definitions
Article (1) Definitions

In application of the provisions of this Decision, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned thereto, unless the context requires otherwise:

State : The United Arab Emirates.
Emirate : The Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Department : The Department of Municipalities and Transport.
Centre : The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre.
Related Entities : The Government or private entities designated by the Department.

Article (10-16)

Article (10)
Application of Compound or Floor Management Regulation


1- Easement rights, including restrictions related to property rights shall apply as per the conditions mentioned in the floor management regulation or the compound management regulation and according to the set date.
2- Obligations may be imposed according to the compound management regulation, the floor management regulation, and the building management regulation on the persons bound to abide by these regulations in favour of the main or sub-developer.
3- No provision in the floor management regulation or the compound management regulation shall contradict with the following:
a. Any previous main or subsidiary development plan, a floor management regulation, or compound management regulation registered for the land itself.
b. Any law, present decision, or any legislations in force.
4- No provision in the floor management regulation shall contradict with any of the provisions of the building management regulation registered for the land itself and shall be deemed invalid to the same extent as that contradiction.


Article (11)
Building Management Regulation

1- The following must be considered in the building management regulation:
a. Determine the name of the building subject of the volumetric plan.
b. Specify the land where the building is located.
c. State the property right to the land.
d. Determine the volumetric spaces and common parts.
e. Determine the owners of the volumetric space who own various common parts.
f. Determine the right of entry, including utility services, to volumetric spaces where these rights exist on or span another volumetric space.
g. Determine the rights to support or protect volumetric spaces.
h. Determine how to maintain common parts.
i. Determine how maintenance costs, including renovation and replacement costs, are shared among the owners of volumetric spaces.
j. Make insurance arrangements related to the building, including the basis on which insurance costs are shared by owners of volumetric spaces.
k. Any other information determined by the Centre.

2- The building management regulation must be approved by the Centre according to the procedures it sets for this purpose. The Centre may adopt a standardized form for the building management regulation.

Article (12)
Contents of the Building Management Regulation

The building management regulation includes the following provisions:
A. Limitations on how to use private volumetric spaces.
B. Architectural measurements of the volumetric spaces subject of the building management regulation.
C. Rules for using common parts.
D. Details of the obligations of owners of volumetric spaces related to waste, energy, water, or environment.
E. Any rights, duties, or conditions related to easements, pledges, or limitations related to volumetric spaces.
F. Create and operate a management group.
G. Charge costs to fund the promotion of commercial establishments and retail stores in the building, and to calculate and recover such costs.
H. Administrative arrangements and record keeping.
I. Rules and procedures for dispute resolution.

Article (13)
Provisions of Building Management Regulation

1- The building management regulation allows the following:
a. Open a bank account in the name of the building.
b. Determine the method of operating the bank account by the authorized signatories, and any restrictions on operating the account.

Owners of relevant property rights, unit owners, and occupants must abide by the building management regulation.
3- Any easement right, including limitations related to property rights shall apply as per the date included in the building management regulation, and shall be binding to owners and occupants of volumetric space.
4- For the purpose of this Article, the units’ owners are deemed owners of the volumetric space.
5- The Centre may refuse to register the building management regulation if it contradicts with the following:
a. Any main or subsidiary development plan or compound management regulation registered pertaining to the land itself.
b. The law, this Decision, or any provision in the applicable legislation, and provisions that contradict any of them shall not be considered in the building management regulation.
6. Any party affected by the Centre’s decision issued pursuant to this Article may appeal to the Chairman against the decision within (15) fifteen days from the date of being notified of the decision.
7. The Chairman shall decide on the grievance within thirty (30) days from the date of its registration with the Department. If no decision is made within this period, grievance shall be considered rejected.
8. Any interested party may appeal the decision issued pursuant to clause (7) of this Article before the competent court within sixty (60) days from the notification date, or from the end of the aforementioned period specified for deciding on the grievance if no decision has been rendered.

Article (14)
Rights and Obligations Pertaining to Common Parts and Facilities

1- The owner and developer, with respect to unsold units, own an undivided share of the common parts. This share is determined based on their contribution percentage.
2- The compound plan, floor plan, building management regulation, and floor management regulation are considered part of the title deed documents of the real estate unit.
3- It is not permissible to sell, dispose of, mortgage, or encumber any common parts, their movable assets or any part thereof with debts.
4- The Common facilities may not be disposed of, used, altered, redesigned, or cancelled in any way without prior approval from the department, the Centre, and competent authorities. In all cases, such disposition, alteration, or redesign must not affect the rights of unit owners under their sales contracts.

Article (15)
Musataha/ Usufruct, Long Term Lease Rights of the Real Property

1- Upon the registration of the floor/ compound management regulation related to a property right, other than the original real right, the following provisions shall apply:
a. The long-term lease contract, usufruct contract, or Musataha agreement for the common parts shall apply to these parts.

b. The long-term lease contract, usufruct contract, or the Musataha agreement for real estate units shall apply to each unit as if it were an individually document registered for each real estate unit.
2- When a property right is transferred in a real estate unit different from the original real right, the long-term lease, usufruct contract, or the Musataha agreement of the real estate units shall be deemed assigned to the new owner of the real estate unit upon registering the transfer of right with the Centre without requiring an additional waiver.
3- It is not permissible to relinquish the long-term lease contract, usufruct contract, or the Musataha agreement regarding real estate units and common parts. If such a relinquishment occurs, the right will remain valid until it expires.
4- The most recent owner of property right registered with the real estate register may place a mortgage on that right.
5- The provisions of this Article shall not apply to a long-term lease, usufruct contract, or Musataha agreement related to the real estate unit, if the property right to the floor plan or compound plan is an original real right.

Article (16)
Obligations of Owners and Occupants

Article (17-26)

Article (17)
Make Modifications to the Structure or External Appearance of the Joint Property

1- The owner or occupant may not make any substantial modifications, changes or additions to the structure or external appearance of the unit or any part of the joint property, except after obtaining written approval from the developer or management company, or having an explicit authorization to do so in the compound management regulation, floor management regulation or building management regulation as the case may be.

2- The owner or occupant who violates the provisions of clause (1) of this Article shall bear the responsibility for repairing the damage resulting from the change or modification at his own expense and in the manner determined by the management company appointed by the developer in accordance with the provisions of the law. If the owner or occupant fails to repair the damage, the management company shall have the right to repair the damage and recover the repair costs from the owner or occupant, as the case may be.

Article (18)
Developer's Obligations towards Unit Owners

1- The developer shall be obligated towards the unit owners and the owners' committee to the following:
a. Maintaining, keeping, and organizing all books, documents, and records required or applicable under the law, this Decision, the floor management regulation, the compound management regulation, or the building management regulation, as applicable.
b. Appointing a specialized company to manage, operate, and maintain the common parts and service facilities.
c. The main developer is obligated to appoint a specialized company to manage, operate, and maintain the common facilities within the master compound.

2- The unit owners and the developer, with respect to unsold units, shall bear all expenses and costs necessary for the developer to fulfill the obligations stipulated in this Article.

Article (19)

Protection of Common parts

1- The management company shall be committed to the main developer or sub-developer to comply with the provisions of the main development plan or subsidiary development plan that applies to the common parts.
2- The sub-developer shall be committed to the main developer to observe the main development plan applying to his land.
3- Any obligation that is imposed and applicable by virtue of this Article shall be deemed a commitment to the individual benefiting from that obligation.
4- The owner and occupant of the real estate unit may enjoy the use and usufruct of the same and the common parts without any interference from the owner or occupant of the other unit or any other person who lawfully uses the common parts, subject to the provisions of the compound management regulation, floor management regulation, or building management regulation, as applicable.

Chapter Four - Management and Operation of Common Parts and Common Facilities

Article (20)

Appointment of Management Companies
1- The developer shall select a management company accredited by the Centre to manage, operate, maintain, and repair the common parts and service facilities within the joint property, under an appointment agreement concluded with it in accordance with the provisions of the law and these regulations. Owners' committees in these projects shall exercise all the powers granted to them by law, its regulations, and the decisions issued thereunder.
2- The Chairman, through a decision made for this purpose, will designate real estate development projects in the Emirate where the developer shall oversee the management, operation, maintenance, and repair of the joint property and common parts and service facilities, via one of the specialized companies authorized by the Centre for this purpose,

ensuring that the owners’ committee in these projects will only perform the powers assigned to it by the chairman.
3- The main developer shall be responsible for the management, maintenance, operation and repair of the common facilities within the joint property, provided that this is assigned to one of the specialized companies authorized by the Centre for this purpose.
4- For the purposes and objectives of this Article, the Centre, after obtaining the approval of the Department, shall authorize specialized companies to provide administrative supervision services for the joint properties and their common parts, or the master compounds and their common facilities, to enable the developer to select one of them under an agreement concluded with it for this purpose.
5- The Centre may mandate companies seeking to be accredited under the provisions of Clause (4) of this Article to provide a bank guarantee or professional insurance policy in favor of the Centre and at the value determined by the Centre for this purpose, for all the common properties it will manage, with the aim of securing the repair of damages incurred to the common parts or common facilities due to the company’s negligence or failure.
6- The developer shall appoint a management company in accordance with the clauses (1) and (2) of this Article within a period not exceeding thirty (30) days from the date on which the first real estate unit in the building or compound is handed over to its owner.

Article (21)
Agreement for Appointment of Management Company

The developer must provide the Centre with a copy of the agreement signed with the management company, or any renewal or amendment thereto, for its approval, including the agreed-upon fee or monetary consideration.
5- The Centre may refuse to approve or renew the appointment agreement, or the request made by the developer to amend its term, the agreed-upon fee, or the management company to be appointed, in accordance with the provisions of the law and this Decision. In the event of refusal to approve or renew the agreement, the Centre shall inform the developer of the reasons for the refusal.

Article (22)
Termination and Cancellation of the Appointment Agreement

If the management company appointment agreement is terminated or canceled as per clause
(2) of the previous article, the following must be taken into account:
1- Any obligation imposed on the management company under the law, this Decision, or the appointment agreement before its termination shall remain valid until fulfilled by the management company.
2- No compensation shall be applied to the developer.
3- The developer shall pay all financial dues to the management company under the agreement by the termination date, after deducting any compensation, fines, or legal fees resulting from the breach.

Article (23)
Duties and Obligations of the Management Company

Subject to the provisions of Article (65) of the Law:
1- For the purposes of managing, maintaining, operating and repairing common facilities or common parts and service facilities, the management company shall exercise all the tasks, powers and responsibilities assigned to it or to the developer for this purpose, in accordance with the provisions of the Law, this Decision and the appointment agreement concluded by the developer with it.
2- The management company, in exercising its duties and powers under this article, shall fulfill its obligations under the appointment agreement, in accordance with the provisions of the law, this Decision, and any regulations, forms, or instructions issued thereunder by the Centre.
3- The management company shall conclude supply agreements with maintenance, security, cleaning, insurance establishments and any other establishments to the extent necessary to perform its duties and obligations as stated in the law and this Decision.
4- The management company shall provide the Centre with a periodic report every (6) six months on the management of the joint properties, common parts, common facilities, and maintenance works performed on them. The Centre may, if necessary, request the management company to provide it with any information regarding those agreements, or the companies that supply goods and services with which it has contracted, including records and statements of relevant revenues and expenses.
5- Upon termination of its appointment for any reason, the management company shall, without any delay, hand over all books and records related to the joint property and

Article (25)
Failure to Maintain Common Parts

1- If the Centre becomes aware that the developer and/or management company has not maintained the common parts or common facilities in accordance with the provisions of the law, this decision, the floor management regulation, the compound regulation, or the master compound regulation, as applicable, the Centre may conduct or order an inspection of the common property and its common parts.
2- If, after inspection, the Centre determines that the management company has failed, neglected, or been deficient in maintaining the common parts, the Centre may issue a notice to the developer and the management company to carry out the necessary preventive or corrective maintenance works.
3- The notice must specify the work to be performed by the management company and the timeframe for its completion.
4- Should the developer and the management company decline or fail to comply with the notice, the Centre may appoint one of its approved management companies to carry out the required preventive, corrective, or emergency maintenance works, at the developer's cost.

Chapter Five - Concluding Agreements for the Supply of Goods and Services

Article (26)

Agreement on the Supply of Goods and Services
1- The management company may not enter into any agreements for the supply of goods or the provision of services whose costs directly or indirectly affect the service fees or result in the developer or the management company reaping private profits.
2- The management company must obtain the Centre's prior approval for any agreement made for the supply of goods or the provision of services mentioned in clause (1) of this article.
3- The Centre shall lay down the principles and rules governing the agreements for the supply of goods and/or the provision of services.

Article (27-45)

Article (27)
Term of Supply Agreements

The management company shall not enter into or renew any supply agreement for a period exceeding (2) years, unless approved by the Centre, provided that the total supply period does not exceed (20) twenty years in any case.

Article (28)
Contents of Supply Agreements

1- Supply agreements for goods and/or services must be in writing and must include, at a minimum, the following:
a. A full and detailed list of the goods to be supplied and their specifications, or the services to be supplied or provided, as applicable.
b. The price or monetary consideration to be paid for the supply or provision of those goods or services, which must be competitive with prices obtainable for similar goods or services in the market.
c. Linking payments of the price or monetary consideration to the stages of supplying or providing the goods or services to be supplied or provided.
d. Means of monitoring and evaluating the performance of the service provider.
e. An explicit clause granting the management company the right to terminate the supply agreement without resorting to the courts, if the supplier fails to fulfill its obligations, demonstrate negligence or delay in supplying or providing goods and/or services, or supply or provide them in a manner that deviates from the agreed terms, as applicable, and does not remedy that violation within a timeframe not exceeding (10) ten days from the date of being notified in writing of such breach.
f. A clause authorizing the management company, based on reasonable grounds, to change the services or level of services to be provided, subject to settlement of the corresponding fees.
g. A clause prohibiting the supplier of goods or services from soliciting, offering, presenting, or accepting any secret commissions or incentives in connection with goods or services to be procured from or provided by other suppliers.
2- In the case of the supply agreements for goods and/or services, the following provisions must be observed:
a. The supplier of the goods or the service provider must hold a valid commercial license related to the goods and services to be supplied or provided.
b. In the case of a sub-contract between the original supplier and the sub-supplier to supply goods and/or services, the following provisions must be observed:

1) The sub-contract period must not exceed the remaining term of the original supply agreement.
2) The management company has the right to review the terms of the subcontracts before signing and is entitled to approve, reject, or request amendments to them.
3) The commitment of the original supplier to obtain competitive sub-contracts in a manner that guarantees obtaining the best prices and conditions, after opening a tender with a minimum of three bids.
4) The profit margin for the original supplier must be reasonable and must take into account the duties of the original supplier and market conditions when contracting between the original supplier and the management company.

Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport

 Having reviewed:

• Law No. (1) of 1974 Concerning the Reorganization of the Governmental Body in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and its amendments;
• Law No. (3) of 2005 Concerning the Regulation of Real Estate Registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi;
• Law No. (19) of 2005 Concerning Real Estate Ownership, and its amendments;
• Law No. (3) of 2015 Concerning the Regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and its amendments;
• Law No. (30) of 2019 Concerning the Establishment of the Department of Municipalities and Transport;
• Amiri Decree No. (11) of 2023 Concerning the Reformation of the Executive Council in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and
• Federal Law No. (5) of 1985 Concerning the Issuance of the Civil Transactions Law, and its amendments; and
• Executive Council Resolution No. (223) of 2023 Concerning the Establishment of the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre;
• And as dictated by the public interest;
  
  

Decided the following:

Article (1)

The “Bylaws for Owners’ Committees in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi” annexed hereto shall hereby be adopted.

Article (2)

The Bylaws for Owners' Committees annexed hereto shall apply to all jointly owned properties in real estate development projects, and to the Owners' Committees formed in the Emirate.

Article (3)

For the purposes of implementing and enforcing the provisions of this Decision, the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre shall exercise all powers and duties vested in the Department under the provisions of the aforementioned Law No. (3) of 2015

Article (1-4)

Bylaws for Owners’ Committees in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi Definitions

Article (1)

For the purpose of implementing the provisions of these Bylaws, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned to each, unless the context requires otherwise:

State : The United Arab Emirates.
Emirate : The Emirate of Abu Dhabi
Department : The Department of Municipalities and Transport.
ADREC : Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre
Competent Authorities : The governmental entity determined by the Department.
Chairman : The Chairman of the Department.
Director General : The Director General of ADREC.
Law: Law No. (3) of 2015 Concerning the Regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, its amendments, and its Executive Regulations.
Real Estate Register: The Real Estate Register established according to the provisions of Law No. (3) of 2005 Concerning the Regulation of Real Estate Registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Real Estate Development Project: The project of constructing multi-storey buildings, or communities for residential, commercial or mixed purposes, and their utilities or the construction of the infrastructure and service facilities in the event of selling vacant lands.
Developer : The master developer or sub-developer.
Master Developer: The person licensed to practise development works, sell, manage, and lease out real estates as a master developer of a real estate development project.
Sub-Developer: The person licensed to practise development work, sell, manage, and lease out real estates in a part of a master community pursuant to an agreement concluded thereby with the master developer or another sub-developer.
Real Estate Unit: The apartments, levels, shops, and any part of a house (villa) linked to another house or independent, or a vacant land located within a jointly owned property, whether
existing or proposed on the compound plan or the floor plan, and are allocated for a commercial, residential, or mixed purpose.
Property Right : The original real right, Musataha right, usufruct right and long-term lease right.
Owner of the Unit: The person registered according to the provisions of Law No. (3) of 2005 Concerning the Regulation of Real Estate Registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as the owner of the real estate unit or any of the property rights.
Occupant: Whoever rents an existing real estate unit, or resides or works therein, excluding the owner of the real estate unit or any of the property rights holders.
Owners' Committee: The Committee formed pursuant to the provisions of the law to manage and operate the bcommon areas including the repair, maintenance, and proper utilization thereof.
Bylaws for Owners’ Committees: The rules and provisions that regulate the work of the Owners' Committees.
Jointly Owned Property: The whole building or any part thereof, the land or both of them, divided into real estate units and a part or more of such building is determined as common areas.
common areas: The common areas of the jointly owned property, which are allocated to be used by the real estate units' owners and occupants as set in the floor plan or the compound plan according to the provisions of this law.
Service Charges: Charges approved by ADREC to cover the costs of managing, operating, and maintaining the common areas, collected from unit owners through the management company responsible for managing and operating the property and its common areas.
Community Charges: Charges imposed by the developer on real estate development projects for the use by owners or occupants of infrastructure, services, facilities, or areas owned by the developer within a real estate development project.
Building Management Regulation: The regulation which determines the conditions and obligations related to the management of the building and land subject of the volumetric plan.
Community Management Regulation: The regulation which determines the conditions and obligations related to the management and use of the real estate subject of the compound plan.
Floor Management Regulation: The regulation which determines the conditions and obligations related to the management and use of the real estate subject of the floor plan.
Management Company: A company entrusted by the developer with the responsibility of managing, operating, maintaining, and repairing the jointly owned property, its common areas, and service facilities pursuant to an agreement approved by ADREC under the Law.

1. Upon satisfaction of the condition referred to in Paragraph (1) of Article (2) of this Decision, the management company shall immediately announce the formation of the Owners’ Committee by circulating a notice to the registered unit owners of the jointly owned properties it manages.
2. The management company shall provide an electronic application or platform designated for receiving candidacy applications for membership in the Owners’ Committee and conducting the voting process for selecting members for each jointly owned property it manages. Access to and use of the application or platform must be available to all unit owners without restriction.
3. Any unit owner meeting all eligibility requirements for Committee membership may nominate themselves through the electronic nomination form approved by ADREC for this purpose. The nomination application shall be submitted through the application or platform referred to above and must include the information and documents specified by ADREC.
4. The nomination application referred to in the preceding paragraph must be submitted during the application acceptance period, which shall not be less than thirty (30) days from the date on which nominations are opened, and in all cases nominations for Committee membership shall be closed at least ten (10) days prior to the date scheduled for voting.
5. The names and details of all eligible unit owners who submitted complete nomination applications within the period specified above shall be listed no later than one day before the date scheduled for voting, in a manner that enables all unit owners to access and review the nominees’ names and information. The information made available shall not include any personal data or contact details of the nominees.
6. Candidates and others are strictly prohibited, under any circumstances and for any reason, from conducting promotional campaigns, gatherings, meetings, or events related to nomination, voting, or selection of Owners’ Committee members.
   
    

Article (5-8)

Voting System

Article (5)

1. Voting to select Owners’ Committee members shall be conducted electronically by all unit owners through direct electronic voting technologies via the application or platform referred to in Article (4) of this Decision.
2. A unit owner who is in arrears on service charges and/or community charges shall not be permitted to vote.
3. Electronic means must be used that enable verification of the identity of voters and ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and fairness of the voting process, without any direct or indirect intervention by the management company and/or the developer that could alter or amend the results, invalidate any vote and/or obstruct or prevent any unit owner from exercising the right to vote.
4. Each voter shall have one vote only, regardless of the number or area of the units they own in the jointly owned property.
5. Where a real estate unit has multiple owners, they collectively have only one vote, regardless of their number. The co-owners shall determine among themselves who will exercise the voting right, by an authorization issued by all co-owners through the electronic voting platform.
6. If the unit owner is a legal person, voting shall be conducted through the legal representative or a person duly authorised by such representative for this purpose pursuant to an authorization issued by the legal representative in accordance with Paragraph (4) above.

Vote Counting and Voting Results

Article (6)

1. The counting of votes and the issuance of results shall be conducted fully electronically immediately upon the conclusion of the voting process, with no human intervention in the counting and/or issuance of results.
2. Membership to the Committee shall be awarded to the nine (9) candidates who receive the largest number of votes, provided that the number of votes received by a candidate is not less than (5%) of the total number of votes cast by unit owners.
3. In the event two or more candidates receive the same number of votes, all such candidates shall win, provided that the total number of members winning membership does not, in any case, exceed nine (9) members.
4. If the number of candidates voted for does not reach the prescribed number, or if one or more of the winning candidates fails to obtain the percentage stipulated in Paragraph (2) of this Article, then membership shall be awarded to five (5) or seven (7) of the candidates who receive the largest number of votes.
5. The management company or the developer shall not announce to unit owners or others the names of the elected members until after their approval by ADREC in accordance with Article (10) hereof
6. If the number of candidates voted for does not reach the minimum required to form the Committee, and until such minimum is met, ADREC may adopt either of the following arrangements:
   1. Approving the temporary formation of a committee consisting of three (3) members, provided that the management company sends new invitations to all owners to complete the election of the remaining members - at the minimum prescribed hereunder - within a maximum of sixty (60) days from the date of the first voting process.
   2. Directing the management company to send invitations to all unit owners to re-elect the full Committee within a maximum of sixty (60) days from the date of the first voting process.

Approval of Committee Members

Article (7)

1. Before announcing the voting results or the winners, the management company
   must submit a request to ADREC to approve the Committee members, in accordance with the procedures and forms determined by ADREC for this purpose, and must attach the following information in the electronic means and format determined by ADREC:
   1. A statement indicating the electronic platform used for the nomination and voting process, and the date on which the voting took place.
   2. The names of all candidates who applied for membership and were included in the voting.
   3. The voting results and the number of votes received by each candidate, whether elected or not.
   4. The names of candidates who won membership and the number of votes each received.
   5. The nationalities and addresses of the winners.
   6. Photocopies of the personal identification documents of the winners.
   7. Photocopies of the certificates of good conduct submitted by the candidates with their nomination applications.
2. ADREC may accept or reject the approval of any elected member, without providing reasons.
3. If ADREC rejects the approval of one or more members, it shall consider approving the next candidate(s) who received the highest number of votes in order, if any, in accordance with Article (7) hereof.
4. The management company shall announce the names of the elected members whose memberships have been approved, and shall inform unit owners of the names of the Owners’ Committee members, within three (3) days from the date of ADREC’s approval of the Committee and its members.

Election of the Committee Chair, Vice-Chair, and Rapporteur

Article (8)

1. At its first meeting, the Owners’ Committee shall elect from among its members a Chair, a Vice-Chair, and a Rapporteur.
2. The Rapporteur shall notify the management company of the names of the members elected pursuant to the above paragraph, and the management company shall submit a request to ADREC to approve the Chair, Vice-Chair, and Rapporteur in accordance with the procedures and forms prescribed by ADREC for this purpose.
3. The Chair of the Committee shall undertake the following duties:
   1. Preside over and manage Committee meetings; in the Chair’s absence, the Vice-Chair shall preside over the meeting.
   2. Represent the Owners’ Committee in meetings with ADREC, the developer, or the management company, and in all matters related to the Committee’s assigned powers and duties.
   3. Ensure that the Committee and its members adhere, during meetings and in communications with ADREC, the developer, or the management company, to the legally prescribed limits of the Committee’s powers and duties.
4. The Rapporteur of the Committee shall undertake the following duties:
   1. Prepare agendas, meeting minutes, and Committee reports.
   2. Call members to attend the Committee’s regular meetings as stipulated in this Decision.
   3. Count votes when voting on the Committee’s recommendations.
   4. Prepare and distribute the meeting minutes to Committee members.
   5. Send copies of all meeting minutes and related recommendations — after approval by the members and the Committee Chair — to the management company within two (2) days from the meeting date, and ADREC may request any minutes as it deems appropriate.

Article (9-12)

Term of Membership

Article (9)

1. The term of membership in the Owners’ Committee shall be two (2) years from the date its formation is approved, and the Director General may extend the Committee’s term for an additional period not exceeding one (1) year.
2. No member of the Owners’ Committee is entitled to any remuneration or monetary compensation for their membership.
    

Committee Duties and Powers

Article (10)

1. The Owners’ Committee shall carry out the following duties and powers:
   1. Propose or advise the developer on selecting candidate companies to manage the jointly owned property and its common areas from among the management companies approved by ADREC.
   2. Review and examine the annual budgets prepared by the developer for the maintenance of the jointly owned property, and for this purpose may request financial reports related to the jointly owned property and submit necessary recommendations to ADREC, without direct intervention in preparing, approving, or auditing such budgets.
   3. Monitor the performance of the management company with respect to the management, operation, maintenance, and repair of the common areas, discuss related obstacles and challenges, and submit recommendations to the management company, the developer, and ADREC.
   4. Represent owners and unit occupants in following up on complaints and suggestions related to the management, operation, maintenance, and repair of the common areas with the management company; the Committee may escalate such matters to ADREC if the management company or developer fails to address them within sixty (60) days from the date of notification.
   5. Submit requests to the Department to oblige the developer to replace the management company, based on acceptable reasons arising from the management company’s negligence, carelessness, or poor service quality resulting in harm to the jointly owned property or its common areas.
   6. Notify the management company, the developer, or ADREC of any defects in the structural elements of the jointly owned property, or any damages or defects in the common areas requiring urgent remediation.
   7. Coordinate with the management company on all matters related to safety, environment, security, and other aspects pertaining to the jointly owned property and its common areas.
   8. Perform any other duties requested by ADREC, provided they do not conflict with the powers and duties assigned to the management company responsible for managing the jointly owned property pursuant to Article (65) of the Law.
2. The Owner’s Committee is prohibited, directly or indirectly and for any reason, from intervening in or performing any duties not legally assigned to it.

1. The Chair and all members of the Owners’ Committee shall adhere to the following ethics, behaviours, and responsibilities throughout their membership:
   1. Understand the role, duties, and powers of the Owners’ Committee as prescribed by law, this Decision, and ADREC’s instructions, and comply with them at all times.
   2. Act with integrity and fairness throughout their term.
   3. Refrain from acting for personal benefit or for the benefit of specific owner(s),but always act in the interest of the collective body of unit owners, unless contrary to applicable laws.
   4. Not disclose any information or data accessed or learned directly or indirectly due to their membership, unless authorised or required by law.
   5. Fully comply with the provisions of the Community Management Regulation, Floor Management Regulation or Building Management Regulation, as applicable, and pay service charges and/or community charges on their due dates.
   6. Regularly attend the Owners’ Committee meetings in person and participate actively in its sessions.
   7. Not have any direct or indirect personal interest that conflicts with the requirements of Committee membership; in the event of any actual or potential conflict of interest, the member must disclose it to the Owners’ Committee and the management company, and the latter must notify ADREC for a decision.
   8. Perform any other obligations prescribed by ADREC.
2. ADREC may terminate the membership of any Committee member who breaches any obligation under Paragraph (1) above, and the next candidate who received the highest number of votes in order shall replace them, subject to approval in accordance with this Decision.

Owners’ Committee Meetings

Article (12)

1. The Owners’ Committee shall hold regular meetings every three (3) months, for a total of four (4) meetings annually, with the first meeting being held within fifteen (15) days from the date its formation is approved.
2. The Committee may hold an extraordinary meeting, if necessary, provided ADREC is notified in advance of the date, reasons and agenda.
3. Meetings shall be valid with the attendance of a majority of its members, including the Chair or Vice-Chair.
4. Each member shall have one vote only when voting on decisions and recommendations, regardless of the number of units owned; in the event of a tie, the Chair of the meeting shall have the casting vote.
5. The management company must allocate a venue within the jointly owned property for holding the Owners’ Committee meetings.
6. Meetings may be held via electronic visual communication means that allow the identification of attendees and enable full participation and interaction, and attendance through such digital means and platforms shall be deemed actual attendance for quorum and voting purposes.

Article (13-15)

Meeting Minutes and Records

Article (13)

The Owners’ Committee shall retain copies of all meeting minutes, as well as all official correspondence between the Committee Chair and ADREC, the developer, or the management company, in accordance with the retention periods and controls determined by ADREC. The Chair must provide copies to ADREC upon request or as otherwise directed by ADREC.

Oversight and Monitoring of Committee Formation and Operations

Article (14)

ADREC shall oversee and monitor all matters and procedures related to the formation and approval of Owners’ Committees, the regulation of their relationships with ADREC, the developer, and the management company, and monitor the execution of legal duties assigned to Owners’ Committees.


Dissolution of the Owners’ Committee and Termination of Membership

Article (15)

1.  ADREC may dissolve the Owners’ Committee, terminate or suspend the membership of one or more of its members, or replace the Chair or Vice Chair with another Committee member at any time and without providing reasons.
2. If a decision is issued to dissolve the Committee or terminate the membership of any of its members, the Committee shall be reformed or the replacement member selected, as applicable, in accordance with the voting system prescribed hereunder, within a period not exceeding sixty (60) days from the date of dissolution or termination.

Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport:

Having reviewed:

• Law No. (1) of 1974 Concerning the Reorganization of the Governmental Body in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and its amendments;
• Law No. (3) of 2005 Concerning the Regulation of Real Estate Registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi;
• Law No. (19) of 2005 Concerning Real Estate Ownership, and its amendments;
• Law No. (3) of 2015 Concerning the Regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, its amendments, and its Executive Regulations;
• Law No. (30) of 2019 Concerning the Establishment of the Department of Municipalities and Transport;
• Amiri Decree No. (11) of 2023 Concerning the Reformation of the Executive Council in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi;
• Federal Law No. (5) of 1985 Concerning the Issuance of the Civil Transactions Law, and its amendments; and
• Executive Council Resolution No. (223) of 2023 Concerning the Establishment of the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre, and
• based on what is dictated by work interest,
  
  

Decided the following:

Article (1-2)

Article (1)

Definitions

For the purposes of implementing the provisions of this Decision, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned to each, unless the context requires otherwise:

Department : The Department of Municipalities and Transport.
Chairman : Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport.
ADREC : Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre
Director General : The Director General of ADREC.
Law : The aforementioned Law No. (3) of 2015.
Developer : The master developer or sub-developer, as the case maybe.
Buyer : The buyer of an off-plan real estate unit whose registration has been cancelled in the Interim Real Estate Register upon the developer’s request.
Escrow Account : The escrow account of the project in which the unit cancelled upon the developer’s request is located.
Escrow Trustee Account : The bank or financial institution approved by the Department to manage the project escrow account in accordance with the Law.

1. Cancel the unit from the Interim Real Estate Register and permit the developer to re- sell it to another buyer.
2. Notify the buyer, the mortgagee (if any), and the Escrow Trustee Account of the cancellation of the unit and/or its resale to another buyer, within a period not exceeding five (5) working days from the date the developer submits the request.
3. Issue a payment order to the Escrow Trustee Account to refund the percentage it determines of the payments previously made by the buyer into the escrow account for the cancelled unit, in accordance with the procedures and timelines set out in Article (4) hereof.
4. Issue a written letter to both the developer and the buyer, and the mortgagee (if any), specifying the total amounts to be refunded to each of the developer and the buyer, pursuant to Article (3) hereof.
    
   
    

Article (3-4)

Article (3)

Mechanism for Determining and Calculating Refund Percentages to Buyers

1. Taking into consideration the terms agreed by the parties in the sale and purchase agreement, the compensation due to the developer shall be determined according to the percentages specified in the table annexed hereto, and based on the project’s completion ratio and construction progress.
2. For the purposes of Paragraph (1) above, the project completion ratio shall be determined according to the methods and criteria set out in the Executive Regulations and pursuant to the certificate issued by ADREC to the developer upon the request to terminate the off-plan sale contract.
3. Where the buyer has paid 60% or more of the value of the unit, ADREC may determine the compensation due to the developer without being bound by the percentages set out in the annexed table.

Article (4)

Procedures and Timelines for Refunding Amounts Paid by the Buyer into the Escrow Account

The Escrow Trustee Account shall:

1. Upon receiving a request from the developer, submitted in the form prescribed by ADREC and accompanied by the letter referred to in Paragraph (2) of Article (2) hereof, refund the amounts specified in the letter and due to the developer from the escrow account, within fifteen (15) working days from the date of receipt of the developer’s request.
2. Upon receiving a request from the buyer, submitted in the form prescribed by ADREC and accompanied by the letter referred to in Paragraph (2) of Article (2) hereof and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the mortgagee (if any), refund to the buyer the entire remaining balance in the escrow account after deducting the compensation due to the developer in accordance with the provisions of this Decision, within a period not exceeding fifteen (15) working days from the date of receipt of the buyer’s request.

Article (5-6)

Article (5)

Amounts Collected Outside the Escrow Account

If the developer has received any amounts from the buyer outside the escrow account contrary to the provisions of the Law, the developer shall refund to the buyer the full amount in its possession within a period not exceeding thirty (30) days from the date of receiving the letter referred to in Paragraph (2) of Article (2) hereof, and prior to refunding any amounts due to the buyer from the escrow account.

Article (6)

Repeals

Any provision or text in any decision that contravenes or conflicts with the provisions of this Decision shall be repealed.

Article (7)

Publication and Entry into Force

This Decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall become effective from the date of its publication.

Table specifying the compensation percentages that the Developer may request to deduct from the amounts deposited by the Buyer into the Escrow Account for Units that are Cancelled and Resold.

We, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi

Having reviewed:

• Abu Dhabi Law No. 1/1974 concerning the reorganisation of the Governmental Body in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and its amendments;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 2/1971 concerning the National Advisory Council, and its amendments;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2005 concerning the regulation of the real estate registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; -Abu Dhabi Law No. 19/2005 concerning real estate property, and its amendments;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 9/2007 concerning the establishment of the Department of Municipal Affairs;
• Federal Law No. 5/1985 concerning the issuance of the Civil Transactions Law, and its amendments;
• Federal Law No. 3/1987 concerning the issuance of the Penal Code, and its amendments;
• Federal Law No. 11/1992 concerning the issuance of the Civil Procedure Law, and its amendments;
• Federal Law No. 35/1992 concerning the issuance of the Criminal Procedure Law, and its amendments, -And based on what was presented to and approved by the Executive Council,

Issued the following Law:

Article (1-30)

Article (1)

Title 1 - Definitions

In application of the provisions of this Law, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned thereto, unless the context stipulates otherwise.

Country: The United Arab Emirates.

Emirate: The Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Government: The government of Abu Dhabi.

Executive Council: The Executive Council of the Emirate.

Department: The Department of Municipal Affairs.

Municipality: Abu Dhabi City Municipality or Al Ain City Municipality or the Western Region Municipality and any Municipality that may be established in the future in the Emirate.

Competent Entities: The Department or the government entities determined by the Department.

Chairman: The Chairman of the Department.

Real Estate Register: The Real estate register that is established according to the provisions of Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2005 concerning the regulation of real estate registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Real Estate Development Register: The hand-written or electronic register prepared for keeping all the data and documents related to real estate projects.

Interim Real Estate Register: The hand-written or electronic register prepared for the registration of all dispositions and judgments related to the real estate units sold off the plan.

Licensees: The persons who work in the real estate sector and who are licensed by the Department, including the developer, broker, employee of the broker, auctioneer, director of the owners' union, appraiser and surveyor.

Licence: The authorisation issued by the Department whereby the licensees may practice their activities according to the provisions of this Law.

Person: The normal or juristic person.

Broker: The person who searches, pursuant to a brokerage contract, for a second party to conclude a particular contract and to mediate in the contract negotiations for a commission.

Broker's Employee: The normal person who works for the account and in the name of the broker to conduct the works of a broker

Auctioneer: The person who is registered with the Department and authorised to sell real estates at auctions.

Surveyor: The person who in exchange for payment determines the dimensions and demarcate the borders of any real estate in order to submit it for registration with the department, except for any person who works for any governmental entity with the same function.

Evaluator: The person who gets paid to assess and appraise, or express an opinion on, the value of a real estate and any associated property rights.

Real Estate Development Project: The project of constructing multi-storey buildings, or complexes for residential, commercial or mixed purposes and their utilities or the construction of the infrastructure and service facilities in the event of selling vacant lands.

Developer: The main developer or the sub-developer.

Main Developer: The person who is licensed to practice development works, sell, manage and lease out real estates as a main developer of a real estate development project.

Sub-Developer: The person who is licensed to practice development works, sell, manage and lease out real estates in a part of a major complex pursuant to an agreement concluded thereby with the main developer or another sub-developer.

Account Trustee: The bank or financial institution accredited by the Department to manage the escrow account of a project according to the provisions of this Law.

Project Escrow Account: The bank account for the real estate development project where the amounts paid by the buyers of the real estate units sold off the plan or the loan payments given by the funders for financing the real estate development projected, are deposited.

Mortgage: A contract whereby the creditor acquires with regard to the mortgaged property allocated for the settlement of his debt, a real right or a contractual benefit whereby he may have priority over ordinary creditors and other creditors who are ranked next in order of preference.

Mortgaged Property: The real estate, the real right or the contractual right related to a property right, encumbered for the benefit of the mortgagee.

Off-The-Plan Sale: The contract whereby the buyer shall be granted property rights to a real estate unit suggested according to the site plan and the recurring floor plan.

Real Estate: All kinds of properties including lands, buildings and fixtures and properties by allotment including a real estate units.

Real Estate Unit: The apartments, levels, shops and any part of a house (villa) linked to another house or independent, or a vacant land located in a joint property, whether existing or suggested on the compound plan or the floor plan, and are allocated for a commercial, residential or mixed purpose.

Original Real Right: The right of ownership.

Musataha Right: A real right that entitles its holder to construct a building or plant a land for others.

Usufruct Right: A real right that entitles its holder to use a property that belongs to others and exploit the same as long as it is kept as is.

Long-Term Lease: The right of lease of which the initial period is no less than 25 years.

Property Right: The original property right, Musataha right, usufruct right and long-term lease right.

Owner: The person registered according to the provisions of aforesaid Abu Dhabi Law No. 3 of 2005 as the owner of the real estate or any of the property rights.

Occupant: whoever rents an existing real estate unit or resides or works therein, excluding the owner of the real estate unit or any of the property rights holders.

Owners' Union: The Owners' Union formed pursuant to the provisions of this Law to manage and operate the common parts including the repair, maintenance and proper usufruct thereof.

Board of Directors: The Board elected by the owners according to the provisions of this Law to manage the Owners' Union.

Director of the Owners' Union: The person who is appointed by the developer or the owners' union to manage the daily works of the Owners' Union.

Articles of Association of the Owners' Union: The rules and provisions that regulate the Owners' Union.

Plans: The compound plan, the floor plan, the model plan and the volumetric plan among other plans to be determined by the Department.

Main Development Plan: The plan determines the real estate which will be developed by the main developer.

Subsidiary Development Plan: A subsidiary plan derived from the main plan and determining the real estate to be developed through the sub-developer.

Compound plan: The plan which divides the real estate horizontally into two real estate units or more and to common parts.

Floor plan: The plan which vertically divides the building or any part thereof as well as the land on which it is located, into two real estate units or more and to common parts, and that by referring to the levels, walls and ceilings.

Model plan: The plan which divides the piece of land into many parts without establishing common parts.

Volumetric plan: The plan which vertically divides the building or any part thereof as well as the land on which it is located into two volumetric spaces or more without any common parts resulting from such division for the relevant building or land.

Joint Property: The whole building or any part thereof, the land or both of them, which is divided into real estate units and a part or more of such building is determined as common parts.

Common Parts: The common parts of the joint property, which are allocated to be used by the real estate units' owners and occupants as determined in the floor plan or the compound plan according to the provisions of this Law.

Real Estate Development Project Completion Certificate: The certificate issued by the Municipality to confirm the completion of the real estate development project according to the licences and plans approved by the Building Permits Department at the Municipality.

Volumetric Space: The volumetric space shown in the volumetric plan in 3D perspective by using the spatial coordinates.

Service Fees: The fees imposed by the owners' union on the owners of the real estate units to cover the costs of the common parts management and maintenance.

Compound Fees: The fees imposed by the developer on the real estate development projects for the use of the infrastructure, services or facilities by the owners or occupants as well as the parts and areas owned by the developer in a real estate development project.

Public Services: Any of the following services:

• Water networks or water supply.
• Gas networks or gas supply
• Electricity networks or power supply.
• Air Conditioning
• Water cooling.
• Phone service.
• Services related to computer data or TV services.
• Security services.
• Sewage system.
• Rain water drainage.
• Waste or residues removal or disposal system.
• Mail, parcel or merchandise delivery system.
• Any other system or service allocated for enhancing the utilities of the units or common parts.

Service facilities: Water pipes, wires and cables and other facilities including the structural walls, thresholds and ceilings within the perimeter of a particular real estate unit and which may serve other real estate units different than the unit where it is located.

Building Management Regulation: The regulation which determines the conditions and obligations related to the management of the building and land covered by the volumetric plan.

Compound Management Regulation: The regulation which determines the conditions and obligations related to the management and use of the real estate covered by the compound plan.

Floor Management Regulation: The regulation which determines the conditions and obligations related to the management and use of the real estate covered by the floor plan.

Contribution percentage: the percentage allotted to real estate units which shows its share in rights and obligations imposed on all real estate unites.

Article (2)

Title 2 - The Competencies and Administrative Structure of the Department and the Real Estate Development Register
 Chapter 1 - Competencies and Powers of the Department

1. The Department shall have the competence to organise and develop the real estate sector in the Emirate as well as to supervise and control all the matters related to this sector, and coordinate between the municipalities in this regard, and it shallin particular assume the following functions:
   a. Issuing the licences of brokers, Brokers’ employees, auctioneers, Directors of the owners' union, Evaluators and surveyors.
   b. Supervising and auditing the management of the project escrow account.
   c. Issuing developers' licences and registering the same in the real estate development register.
   d. Reviewing the plans and documents related to it and register the same in the real estate development register.
   e. Accredit the account trustees who are approved by the Department to operate the project escrow account.
   f. Controlling the compliance of the owners' union with the obligations determined in this Law and its Executive Regulation, including the auditing of the owner's unions' accounts.
   g. Managing and supervising the real estate development register, the Intial Real Estate Register and the Real Estate Register.
   h. Supervising the application and implementation of the provisions of this Law as well as the executive regulations and resolutions issued in implementation thereof.
   i. Enhancing the professional development of the licensees and any person who shall be registered with the Department and providing advices thereto according to the provisions of this Law.
   j. Controlling the compliance of the concerned entities with the obligations determined in the provisions of this Law and its Executive Regulation concerning the promotion and advertising in the real estate sector and the marketing of real estate projects.
   k. Issuing the statistical reports, indicators and specialised researches concerning the real estate sector in the Emirate, including the preparation of the bulletins and statements which serve such researches.
   l. Preparing and developing the programs which contribute in the activation of the role of the Nationals of the Country in the real estate sector and their encouragement to work therein.
   m. Implementing educational and extension programs about the rights and obligations of the concerned parties in the real estate sector in the Emirate.
   n. Examining customer complaints and working to resolve them.
   o. Working on the provision of mechanisms to resolve the disputes related to the real estate sector in the Emirate.
   p. Any other competencies or tasks entrusted to the Department by the Executive

1. The Department may have recourse to any legal person to work under its supervision to exercise any of its competencies and powers determined pursuant to the provisions of this Law. It may as well, assign some or all of its competences and powers to the Municipality.

Article (3)

Chapter 2 - The Administrative Structure of the Department

The Department shall set the appropriate administrative structure to assume its competencies and powers and exercise its functions pursuant to the provisions of this Law in preparation for its approval by the Executive Council.

Article (4)

Chapter 3 - The Real Estate Development Register

1. The Department shall prepare a real estate development register in order to keep all information of any statements or documents related to real estate development projects, including:
   a. The statements or documents related to the licensees.
   b. The statements or documents related to the account trustees and the agreements of the project escrow account.
   c. The statements or documents related to the permits of marketing real estate development projects.
   d. The details of the main or subsidiary development plans of the real estate development project, including the initial compund plan and the floor plan deposited with the Department.
   e. Any other statements or documents of which registration in the real estate development register is deemed necessary by the Department.

1. The Department may use the documents kept with the relevant entities in order to implement the aforementioned.

Article (5)

Title 3 - Licensees
 Chapter 1 - Licensing and Categories and Conditions Thereof
License

1. No person may carry out any activity as a developer, broker, brokers’ employee, auctioneer, director of owners' union, evaluator or surveyor, nor may they introduce themselves in such capacity without a licence issued by the Department.

1. No person that violates the provisions of Clause (1) of this Article, may be entitled to any remuneration, profits or fees for any works conducted thereby. In the event of receiving such amounts, they shall be returned to the customer who shall be compensated for the value of the remuneration or profit should it be non-refundable in nature.

1. Obtaining a licence according to the provisions of this Article shall not release any person from the obligation to obtain any other licences, permits or approvals required by any other governmental entity to be able to conduct their work.

1. The Executive Regulation shall determine the conditions to be fulfilled by the licence applicants as well as the categories, form and substance of any licence issued according to the provisions of this Law.

1. The licence issued by the Department shall be renewed annually according to the rules, conditions and provisions specified in the Executive Regulation, and the Department may request that the licensees undergo training programs to be specified by the Executive Regulation as a condition to renew the licence.

Article (6)

Chapter 2- Obligations of Licensees
Code of Conduct

All licensees shall abide by the provisions of the handbook on the code of conduct and professional ethics issued by the Department pursuant to the provisions of this Law.

Article (7)

Rights and Obligations of the Broker

1. The broker shall commit to conclude a written brokerage contract on the format prepared by the Department before carrying out any works for the party with whom the contract is concluded, and shall submit such contract to the Department in order to register it in the real estate development register before receiving any amounts from the client, and within maximum (15) fifteen days from the date of signing said contract.

1. If the developer agrees with the broker that the latter will be in charge of marketing the real estate development project, in part or in whole, the broker shall deposit the price of the real estate unit of which the sale was mediated thereby in the project escrow account, and may not deposit the amount in his personal account nor may he deduct his commission from the price without depositing the same in the escrow account. Any agreement to the contrary shall be considered null and void.

1. The broker may not achieve any personal benefit from the amounts deposited in the project escrow account nor may he withdraw any amount from such account unless in the cases approved by the Department.

1. The funds deposited by the broker in the project's escrow amount shall not be subject to the procedures of mortgage, attachment, liquidation or bankruptcy or any other procedures to which the broker may be subject as a result of the legal obligations incurred by him.

1. The maximum remuneration or commission to be paid to the broker by the customer shall be determined by a resolution issued by the Chairman from time to time.

1. The broker shall not be entitled to any remuneration or commission for his brokerage service unless such service led to the conclusion of a contract between the parties. The contract shall be considered as having been concluded when both parties agree on all the substantive issues in the contract. The broker shall be entitled to his remuneration once the contract is concluded, even if it was not executed, unless otherwise agreed.

1. If the contracting party appoints more than one broker for the same work, a main brokerage contract shall be concluded with any of these brokers who shall, in their turn, draw a written sub-contract between them according to the form approved by the Department in order to distribute the commission or remuneration consistently with the manner specified in the sub-contract.

1. The broker may not represent more than one party for the same transaction. By way of exception, two brokers or two employees of a broker at the same office or company may represent more than one party separately for the same transaction provided that:
   a. The contracting parties know that the broker or the employee of the broker represents more than one party for the same transaction, and agree on this matter.
   b. Each of the contracting parties separately sign with the broker a written brokerage contract.
   c. The broker or the employee of the broker shall represent the contracting party in all honesty and independently.

1. The broker may not achieve any personal benefit in any transaction concluded in favour of the contracting party, other than the remuneration or commission due thereto in consideration of the works carried out for the customers pursuant to the brokerage contract. The broker shall keep the contracting party informed concerning all the details of negotiations conducted thereby on the latter's behalf.

1. The broker shall note down the number of his registration in the Real Estate Register outside his workplace and it shall also appear on all the correspondences, advertisements and documents issued thereby as well as the business cards and any printouts or material used thereby.

1. The broker shall keep the registers specified pursuant to the provisions of the Executive Regulation and register all the transactions concluded through him in the real estate development register in the manner specified by the Department.

1. The broker shall serve as a secretary concerning any financial instruments, securities or title deeds received from the contracting party and he shall deliver them according to the terms laid down by said party.

Article (8)

Functions of the Evaluator

The Evaluator shall perform his work according to an agreement concluded between him and the contracting party who shall specify the obligations and liabilities of the Evaluator as well as the remuneration due to him for his work. In all cases, his functions shall include the expression of opinion on the value of the real estate or any property rights related thereto, and appraise it according to the adopted basis and standards.

Article (9)

Obligations of the Evaluator

1. The Evaluator shall be committed to conclude a written agreement with the contracting party upon conducting any works in the latter's favour.

1. The Evaluator shall keep a register where all the appraisals conducted thereby are recorded, and should include the following:
   a. A description of the real estate being appraised.
   b. The value or overall value of the real estate.
   c. Statement on the appraisal type adopted.
   d. Statement on the method used for appraisal.
   e. Any assumptions related to appraisal.
   f. Any other matters that may be requested by the Department.

1. The Evaluator shall conduct his appraisal with total independence from the contracting party and without any influence from the latter on how to conduct the appraisal or the manner to determine the value of the real estate being appraised.

Article (10)

Functions of the Surveyor

The surveyor shall perform his work according to an agreement concluded between him and the contracting party who shall specify the obligations and liabilities of the surveyor as well as the remuneration due to him for his work. In all cases, his functions shall include the determination of the borders and dimensions of any real estate and carry out any surveying work according to the basis and standards specified by the competent authorities, without exceeding the achievement of the objectives of this Law.

Article (11)

Obligations of the Surveyor

1. The surveyor shall be committed to conclude a written agreement with the contracting party upon conducting any surveying works in the latter's favour.

1. The surveyor shall submit all the plans and statements to the competent entities according to the format approved by such entities.

1. The Department may use the plans and statements submitted thereto by the surveyor.

Article (12)

Title 4 - Real Estate Development
 Chapter 1 - Real Estate Development Projects
 Obligation of Registering the Developer

1. No person may practice a real estate development activity unless they are registered in the Real Estate Development Register as main developers or sub-developers.

1. The developer registered in the Real Estate Development Register according to the provisions of this Article shall not be exempt from the obligation of obtaining any other licences, permits or approvals from any other governmental entity to be able to conduct its work.

Article (13)

Registration of Real Estate Projects

1. The developer shall register the real estate projects with the Department according to the provisions of this Law and its Executive Regulation and the Department's instructions.

1. The Department shall mark an annotation on the Real Estate Register regarding the land where the real estate development project will be constructed, indicating that the project is subject to the provisions of the Law and that no disposition of the land is permitted without the approval of the Department.

1. The Department shall delete the annotation mentioned in the previous Clause following the execution of the real estate development project and registration of its units in the names of the buyers in the Real Estate Register, or because of cancellation of the project according to the provisions of this Law.

Article (14)

Marketing Real Estate Development Projects Sold Off-Plan

1. Developers may not have recourse to advertising through the local or foreign media nor may they participate in local or foreign exhibitions to promote the off-the-plan sale of the real estate units of the real estate development projects, before obtaining a written permit from the Department which shall issue such permit within (30) days from the date of submitting the application along with all the documents requested by the Department from the developer to this effect according to the provisions of the law and the Executive Regulation.

1. If the developer wishes to market his own real estate development project through a broker, he shall conclude a contract with the licensed broker pursuant to the provisions of this Law and deposit the brokerage contract concluded therewith with the department for registration in the real estate development register.

1. The Department shall issue the decisions and instructions required for the organisation of the conditions of advertising in the local and foreign media as well as the participation in the local and foreign exhibitions.

Article (15)

Off-Plan Sale

1. No real estate unit may be sold off-plan unless the following conditions are fulfilled:
   a. The approval of the competent entities on the real estate development project.
   b. The deposit of the main or subsidiary development plan of the real estate development project before the Real Estate Register at the Department, including the initial floor plan and initial compound plan.
   c. The developer shall hold any of the property rights to the land on which the real estate development project will be established or the contractual rights, which allow him to develop the land and grant property rights to the real estate units to be constructed on the land.
   d. The developer shall submit proof that he owns the land on which the real estate development project will be constructed.
   e. The developer shall have opened a project escrow account.
   f. Obtaining the approval of the Department on the disclosure statement related to the real estate unit as per the form prepared by the Department and which shows all the data related to the real estate unit and the real estate development project.

1. The buyer shall be bound to pay the value of the off-the-plan real estate unit according to the actual completion percentage of the construction works, unless otherwise agreed with the developer.

1. The Department shall issue the resolutions required for the organisation of the matters related to the methods and mechanisms of off-plan sale as well as the documents that should be exchanged between the concerned parties in this regard.

Article (16)

Inadmissibility of Imposition of Registration Fees

The developer may not collect any fees, whether registration fees or other fees, expenses or remuneration related to any dispositions of the real estates, except for the administrative fees received from others and within the maximum limit specified by the Department.

Article (17)

Breach of Execution of the Off-Plan Sale Contract

1. The developer or the buyer may rescind the off-plan sale contract should there be any substantial violation committed by any of them, and that, following the notification of either party of the correction of the violation. Any of the following cases are, without limitation, considered as a fundamental breach by the developer:
   a. Should he reject, without any justification accepted by the Department, to deliver the final contract of sale of the real estate unit to the buyer.
   b. Should he abstain from linking the payments to the construction completion phases.
   c. Should he substantially change the specifications agreed-upon.
   d. Should it be proved, following the delivery of the real estate unit, that it is unusable because of fundamental defects in construction.
   e. Any other cases determined by the Department according to the procedures specified in the Executive Regulation.

1. The developer shall not be considered as having breached his obligations in the following cases:
   a. Should the land on which the real estate development project be expropriated for public benefit.
   b. Should any of the governmental entities freeze the real estate development project because of re-planning.
   c. Should there be buildings, excavations or service lines found within the site of the real estate development project.
   d. Should the main developer have introduced amendments to the site of the real estate development project, which resulted in the change of the borders and area of the project in a manner that affects the implementation of the sub-developer's obligations.
   e. Any other cases determined by the Department.

1. The Developer shall notify the mortgagee creditor of the buyer's breach before rescinding the contract in order to give the mortgagee the chance to correct the violation committed by the mortgagor debtor.

Article (18

Chapter 2 - Creating the Project Escrow Account
Opening the Project Escrow Account

1. The developer who wishes to sell off-plan real estate units of the real estate development project shall submit an application to the Department along with the supporting documents specified by the Department to open the project escrow account where all the amounts paid by the buyer of the real estate units or any other amounts are deposited according to the provisions of this Law and its Executive Regulation.

1. The developer and the account trustee shall conclude an agreement under the name of “The Escrow Account Agreement” as per the form prepared and approved by the Department to create the account in the name of the relevant real estate development project.

1. An escrow account shall be opened for each individual real estate development project, provided that the amounts deposited therein are exclusively allocated for the purposes of construction of this project as well as for the settlement of its financing payments according to the provisions of this Law and the conditions determined in the project escrow account agreement. Should the real estate development project be consisting of many projects that will be completed in different stages, the developer shall open an escrow account for each individual project.

1. The real estate development projects executed prior to the application of the provisions of this Law shall be exempt from the conditions of this Article, provided that all the approvals required for the commencement of the projects are issued and that the percentage of completion of construction is not less than (70%) of the whole project.

Article (19)

Chapter 3- Management of the Project Guarantee Account
Disposition of the Funds Deposited in the Project Escrow Account

The terms and conditions of the agreement of the project escrow account shall be observed when disposing of any amounts thereof. In all cases, no amount may be disposed of unless the developer has completed not less than (20%) of the construction works of the relevant real estate development project, provided that the Executive Regulation determines the manner of assessment of the completion percentage.

Article (20)

Attachment of the Funds Deposited in the Project Escrow Account

The amounts deposited at the project escrow account may not be attached, without prejudice to the right of the buyer of the real estate unit sold off-plan in the real estate development project and that of the contractor and funder of such project to claim any money paid or due thereto pursuant to the construction or financing contract in any of the following cases:
a. The real estate development project is cancelled or abandoned by the developer.
b. The real estate development project is suspended by the developer and the Department considers such suspension as a cancellation or abandonment of the project.
c. The registration of the developer is cancelled according to the provisions of this Law.
d. A final judicial decision is issued.

Article (21)

Obligations of the Account Trustee

1. The account trustee shall provide the Department with periodic statements every three months concerning the receipts and payments of the project escrow account, an annual report prepared by an accredited auditor on the relevant account, the paid amounts and the extent to which they are consistent with the provisions of this Law and the project escrow account agreement.

1. The Department may at any time request that the account trustee provides it with the statements of receipts and payments or any other information or data it deems necessary for access thereto.

1. Should the account trustee violate any of the provisions of this Law and its Executive Regulation or the conditions of the project escrow account agreement, the Department shall notify this trustee of such violation and grant him a deadline to correct it. The account trustee shall respect the conditions of notification and implement the same within the period specified therein.

Article (22)

Access to Data

Any person who deposits any money in the project escrow account according to the provisions of this Law may access the statements related thereto and which are kept with the account trustee, and may obtain copies thereof.

Article (23)

Mortgage of the Real Estate Related to the Real Estate Development Project

The developer may not place the land of the real estate development project or any property right pertaining thereto under mortgage, unless for the exclusive purpose of obtaining a funding for the construction of this project and provided that the developer and his funder respect the following:

1. The buyer of the real estate unit shall be notified that the land of the real estate development project or the property right pertaining thereto is placed under mortgage and stipulate such matter explicitly in the sale and purchase contract.

1. The developer undertakes and the funder of the developer approves, that the mortgage of the real estate unit, for which the buyer has fully paid its price and deposited it in the project escrow account. shall be removed.

1. The bank or the funding institution shall be bound to deposit the whole amount of funding in the project escrow account and not pay it directly to the develpoer.

Article (24)

Amount of the Performance Bond

1. The account trustee shall retain not less than (5%) of the overall value of the real estate development project as a performance bond surety to repair the defects that may appear after completion of the project.

1. The amount abovementioned in the previous Clause or any part thereof may be disbursed by the developer only after the lapse of one year from the date of the real estate development completion certificate and the fulfilment of all the conditions of the performance bond during this year.

1. The Department may approve the application of the developer to withdraw the amount of the performance bond mentioned in the first Clause of this Article before the lapse of one year from the date of completion thereof in return for a bank guarantee submitted by the developer to cover the withdrawn amount.

Article (25)

Delay in the Start or Delivery of the Real Estate Development Project

1. Should the developer fail to start the real estate development project according to his contractual obligations, and buyers owning not less than (5%) of the sold real estate units file a complaint before the Department, the latter shall conduct an investigation concerning such project. If it is found that the developer has delayed the start of the project without an acceptable excuse in violation of the provisions of this Law, its Executive Regulation or the developer's contractual obligations, the Department may cancel the project, in which case, the amounts deposited in the project escrow account shall be distributed to the depositors according to the provisions of Article (26) of this Law.

1. The Department may impose a delay penalty on the developer to be paid in favour of the buyer of the real estate units if said developer delays the delivery of the real estate development project for more than (6) months from its expected date of delivery in accordance with the schedule to which the developer was committed before the Department, unless he proves that such delay was due to a reason beyond his control.

1. The provisions of this Article shall not be applied to the real estate development projects of which the works started before the effective date of this Law and the completion percentage is not less than (50%).

Article (26)

Failure to complete the project

1. If the developer fails to complete the real estate development project, the account trustee shall, following the approval of the Department, take the measures required to preserve the rights of the depositors in order to ensure the completion of the real estate development project according to the permits granted thereto. Such measures may include the completion of the real estate development project by the funder or another developer.

1. If it becomes impossible to find a solution for the completion of the real estate development project within the period of (6) months from the date of approval of the Department according to the provisions of Clause (1) of this Article, the account trustee shall distribute the remaining amounts deposited in the project escrow account according to the following order and under the supervision of the Department:
   a. The unpaid expenses of the account management to the account trustees and up to a maximum limit specified by the Department.
   b. A pro rata division between the real estate development project's funders, the buyers of the real estate units in the project or their funders if the amounts available in the project escrow account are not sufficient.
   c. A pro rata division between the project's contractors and suppliers if the amounts remaining in the project escrow account are not sufficient.
   d. Developer.

1. The distribution abovementioned in the previous Clause shall not cause prejudice to the right of the creditors to have recourse against the developer for any shortage according to the provisions of the agreements and contracts concluded with the developer.

Article (27)

Title 5 - Initial Real Estate Register
Obligation of Registering the Dispositions

1. A Register shall be established in the Department under the name of “Initial Real Estate Register” where all the dispositions pertaining to the real estate units sold off-plan shall be recorded. These dispositions shall not be binding upon any of the parties thereto or towards others, unless they are registered in the Initial Real Estate Register according to the provisions of this Law.

1. All dispositions related to the real estate units sold off-plan and which occurred before the effective date of this Law shall be recorded in the Initial Real Estate Register within (6) months from its effective date. The Department may extend this period by virtue of a resolution issued thereby.

Article (28)

Registration Responsibility

1. The assignor of the off-plan real estate unit shall be responsible for registering the assignment, otherwise, the assignee may do whatever it takes to register such assignment in the Initial Real Estate Register at the expense of the assignor, unless the Chairman decides otherwise.

1. The Department may impose a delay penalty on the registration of any assignment existing at the time of entry into force of the provisions of this Law, which is completed after the lapse of the period specified in this Law. The Executive Regulation shall determine the amount of the penalty as well as the procedures of its implementation.

Article (29)

Disposition of the Registered Real Estate units

The real estate units recorded in the initial Real Estate Register may be offered for sale or placed under mortgage or disposed of in any other way, according to the rules specified in the Executive Regulation.

Article (30)

Moving the Registration to the Real Estate Register

1. The developer shall, upon completion of the real estate development project and after obtainment of the completion certificate from the Municipality, register the final recurring floor and compound plans as well as the compound or levels management regulation in the Real Estate Register and transfer the property of the real estate units sold off-plan to the buyers registered in the initial Real Estate Register to the Real Estate Register, provided that they have settled the full price of their real estate units to the developer or in accordance with the agreement and the procedures issued by the Department.

1. The Department shall, based upon the request of the buyer or by itself, transfer the real estate units that were sold off-plan as well as any rights and obligations pertaining thereto from the initial Real Estate Register to the Real Estate Register in the name of the buyer, provided that the latter has fulfilled his contractual obligations and that the developer has registered the final recurring floor and compound plans in the Real Estate Register.

Article (31-60)

Article (31)

Area of the Real Estate Unit

1. The area of the real estate unit sold off-plan shall be registered in the Initial Real Estate Register upon the deposit of the plans of the real estate development project before the Department, and the area of the real estate unit shall be calculated according to the procedures and standards specified by the Department.

1. The area of the real estate unit recorded in the initial real estate unit shall be considered the contracted area, and in case of any increase in the area of the real estate unit, the following provisions shall be observed:
   a. The developer may not claim any compensation for any increase in the area of the real estate unit after the delivery of the real estate unit to the buyer.
   b. Should there be any increase found in the area of the real estate unit by (5%) or less, no compensation or increase in the purchase price shall be calculated.
   c. Should there be any increase found in the area of the real estate unit by more than (5%) and up to (10%), the purchase price shall be increased based on the agreed purchase price and equally to the area increase percentage.
   d. Should there be any increase found in the area of the real estate unit by more than (10%), the buyer may have the choice to either pay the increase of the purchase price based on the agreed purchase price and equally to the increase percentage,or rescind the contract.

1. Should there be any decrease found in the area of the real estate unit before or upon delivery of such unit to the buyer, the following provisions shall be observed:
   a. Should the decrease in the area of the real estate unit be less than (5%), the purchase price shall not be reduced.
   b. Should the decrease in the area of the real estate unit ranges between (5%) and (10%), the purchase price shall be reduced equal to the area decrease percentage based on the agreed purchase price.
   c. Should the decrease in the area of the real estate unit be more than (10%), the buyer may have the choice to either reduce the purchase price equal to the area decrease percentage,or rescind the contract.

Article (32)

Title 6 - Mortgage
Chapter 1 - General Conditions
Mortgagee

If the mortgagee creditor was a bank or a financing company or institution, they shall be licensed and duly registered with the Central Bank for the practice of real estate financing in the Country.

Article (33)

Mortgagor and Mortgage

1. The mortgagor shall be the owner of the mortgaged property and eligible to dispose thereof.

1. The mortgagor may be the debtor himself or an in-kind surety which offers a mortgage in favour of the debtor.

1. Taking into account the provisions of Chapter (3) of this Title concerning special mortgages, the mortgaged property shall be an existent collateral upon conclusion of the mortgage agreement.

1. Mortgages shall only be placed on the property and rights which can be dealt with according to the provisions of this Law.

Article (34)

Comprehensiveness of the Mortgage

The mortgage shall include the appurtenances of the mortgaged property such as the buildings, plants and granted properties among many others as well as any constructions completed after the conclusion of the contract, unless otherwise agreed.

Article (35)

Registration of Mortgage

1. The mortgage shall be recorded in the Initial Real Estate Register or the Real Estate Register as the case may be.

1. The application for the registration of the mortgage shall be submitted to the manager of the Real Estate Registration administration at the relevant Municipality, signed by the mortgagee and mortgagor or the in-kind surety and enclosed with the documents and data specified by the Department in the Executive Regulation.

1. The manager of the Real Estate Registration administration at the Municipality shall, upon registration of the mortgage, deliver to the contracting parties, a mortgage deed to be signed by the competent employee and sealed with the Municipality's stamp. The mortgage deed may be electronic and shall be considered as having the binding force of an official document in evidence.

Article (36)

Consideration for Mortgage

A mortgage shall be completed in consideration for a debt that is evidenced or promised and specified upon conclusion of the mortgage agreement, or against any of the guaranteed real estate.

Article (37)

Enforcement of the Mortgage

The mortgage shall be completed only by recording it in the Real Estate Register or the Initial Real Estate Register, as the case may be, according to the controls developed by the Department. Any agreement to the contrary shall be considered null and void. The Mortgagor shall be bound to pay the expenses and fees of mortgage and its registration, unless otherwise agreed.

Article (38)

Chapter 2- Legal Effect of Mortgage
Restrictions on Dispositions

The mortgagor may not dispose of the mortgaged property through sale or donation among many others, nor may such property be subjected to any real or personal right without the approval of the mortgagee creditor, unless otherwise agreed.

Article (39)

Ownership Clause

Should the mortgage contract stipulate that the mortgaged property shall be acquired by the mortgagee in return for his debt in the event of failure of the mortgagor to settle it within the prescribed time limit, or that such mortgaged property shall be sold without taking into account the legal procedures, the mortgage shall be considered valid while this clause shall be deemed null and void.

Article (40)

Rights of the Mortgagor

1. The mortgagor shall have the right to use and manage his mortgaged property and receive the proceeds thereof up to the date of compulsorily removing his property right, depriving him from his property right, by offering it for sale in public auction in the event of failure to settle the debt.

1. The Court may order to seize the proceeds of the real estate from the date of registering the foreclosure lawsuit should it find that the mortgagor is delaying the settlement of his debt in prejudice to the mortgagee.

Article (41)

Loss of the Mortgaged Property

The mortgage shall be transferred, upon the loss or damage of the mortgaged property, to the money which replaces it such as the compensation, the amount of insurance or the consideration for expropriation for public benefit. The mortgage may in this case fulfil his right from such money as per his rank in bedt priority.

Article (42)

Claiming the Debt

Should the mortgagor be an in-kind surety, claim of debt shall be made only from the mortgaged property and he may not have recourse against the money of the debtor before foreclosure of the mortgaged property.

Article (43)

Assignment of rights and Ranks

1. The mortgagee creditor may assign his right to another mortgagee creditor subject to the approval of the latter.

1. The mortgagee may assign the rank of the mortgage on the same mortgaged property to another creditor within the amount of the debt and such rank may be pleaded against such creditor by all aspects of defence that may be pleaded against the first creditor, except for what is related to the forfeiture of the right of the first creditor, should such forfeiture be subsequent to the assignment of the rank.

1. In all cases, the assignment of the mortgage or its rank shall not be executed until said assignment is registered on the deed of the original real right and in the Real Estate Register or the Initial Real Estate Register.

Article (44)

Secured Amount

The effect of the mortgage shall be limited to the amount determined in the mortgage deed and evidenced in the Real Estate Register or the Initial Real Estate Register, unless the law or the agreement stipulates otherwise.

Article (45)

Rank of the Mortgage

1. The debts of the mortgagee creditors shall be paid from the price of the mortgaged property or the money which replaces it as per the rank of each of them, even if registration was completed on the same day.

1. The rank of mortgage shall be determined according to the date of registration and the serial number allocated thereto by the manager of the Real Estate Registration administration in the concerned Municipality. In the event of multiple persons applying at the same time for the registration of their mortgages against one mortgagor and one specific property, the registration of such mortgages shall be made under one number and such creditors shall be considered at the same rank when distributing the amount received from the public auction. Should the sale price be not sufficient to settle the debt of any of the mortgagees, the mortgagee may claim, in the capacity of creditor, for the remaining debt from the mortgagor debtor.

Article (46)

The Right to Trace

1. The mortgagee creditor shall have the right to trace the mortgaged property in the possession of any holder thereof, in order to satisfy his debt on its due date according to his rank.

1. The holder of the relevant property shall mean whoever the ownership of the property was transferred to or any of the pertaining property rights are acquired thereby.

Article (47)

Insurance of the Mortgaged property

The mortgagor shall protect the mortgaged property with an insurance and he shall be fully responsible for its integrity until the date of the debt settlement. The mortgagee may object to any shortage in the property insurance and may take any of the legal procedures which preserve its right, provided that he claims the expenses from the mortgagor.

Article (48)

Termination of Mortgage

The mortgage shall be terminated by the expiry of the whole mortgage-secured debt and by all other ways of the mortgage termination stipulated in the legislations in force. Should the reason of the debt expiry exist no more, the mortgage shall be valid again as it was without prejudice to the rights of other bona fide parties who acquired such rights between the termination and return of the mortgage.

Article (49)

Chapter 3 - Special Mortgages
Musataha and Usufruct Rights

The holder of the usufruct or Musataha right, for a period of more than 10 years and without the permission of the owner, may dispose thereof, inter alia placing it under mortgage. However, the owner of such property may not place it under a new mortgage without the approval of the holder of the usufruct or Musataha right. In all cases, an agreement may be made otherwise.

Article (50)

Long-term Lease

The holder of the long-term lease right may place his right under mortgage for the duration of the long-term lease.

Article (51)

Termination of Special Mortgages

The mortgage of the Musataha, usufruct or long-term lease right shall be terminated and all related entries shall be deleted from the Initial Real Estate Register or the Real Estate Register, as the case may be, by the expiry of the mortgage-secured debt or the expiry of the Musataha, usufruct or long-term lease period.

Article (52)

Mortgage of Contractual Rights

The buyer of the property right may place his contractual right to the real estate unit sold off-plan under mortgage in order to settle the sale price of the real estate unit, provided that such unit is registered in the Initial Real Estate Register and that the mortgagee creditor pays the debt amount directly in the project escrow account.

Article (53)

Chapter 4 - Foreclosure Procedures
Notifications of Violation

1. The mortgagee creditor or his designated or non-designated successor may initiate the procedures of foreclosure of the mortgaged property and offer it for sale in public auction in the event of failure to settle the debt on the fixed date, or if a clause stipulating the maturity of debt before the expiry of such date is fulfilled.

1. The mortgagee shall, prior to the initiation of the procedures of foreclosure of the mortgaged property and submission of a request before the judge of urgent matters to attach the mortgaged property and offer it for sale in public auction, send a written notification to the mortgagor and guarantor, if any, by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt to inform the latter of the occurrence of violation and claim the settlement of the debt and other dues within a period of no less than (30) days from the date of notification.

Article (54)

Violation of the Mortgagor

Taking into account the provisions of Clause (2) of the previous Article of this Law, should the mortgagor or his guarantor or their designated or non-designated successor fail to settle the debt, the judge of urgent matters shall issue, at the request of the mortgagee creditor, a decision to sell the mortgaged property in public auction according to the procedures applicable at the competent court.

Article (55)

Postponing the Sale in Public Auction

Taking into account the provisions of the previous Article, should the mortgagor or his guarantor request from the judge of urgent matters to postpone the sale in public auction, the latter may accept such request by postponing the sale for one time only and for a period not exceeding (60) days if he finds that the mortgagor or his guarantor or their successor may be able to settle the debt within said period or that the sale of the mortgaged property may cause serious damage to the debtor.

Article (56

Early Settlement and Repayment

1. The mortgagor or his guarantor may settle the mortgage-secured debt and other related charges before its maturity date.

1. The mortgagee may impose early repayment fees or penalty provided that such fees or penalty reflect the real estimation of the additional expenses incurred by the mortgagee as a result of the early repayment and do not exceed the rates specified in the regulations of the Central Bank.

1. Except for what was provided for in Clause (2) of this Article, the mortgagee may not conduct or omit an act to prevent or hinder the early repayment of the mortgage-secured debt and its charges.

Article (57)

Binding Force of Mortgage

The mortgage registered according to the provisions of this Law shall have a binding force upon others concerning what was provided for therein and shall be considered a writ of execution to be executed before the competent execution judge.

Article (58)

Title 7 - Levels, Apartments and Jointly Owned Parts
Chapter 1 - Real Estate Development Plans
Development Plans

1. The developer shall register the main or subsidiary development plan of the concerned real estate after obtaining the approval of the competent entities, before selling any real estate unit off-plan, and shall deposit the original copy thereof with both the Department and Municipality.

1. The subsidiary development plan of any real estate may not be registered unless such real estate is a part of a registered main development plan, and in case of any contradiction in the data of the main and subsidiary development plans, the data of the main development plan shall be adopted unless it was amended.

1. Only one main development plan or subsidiary development plan may be registered for the same real estate.

1. The development plan may not be registered unless it has fulfilled the terms and conditions and enclosed with the documents determined by the competent entities.

1. No main or subsidiary development plan may be amended unless according to the conditions specified in the Executive Regulation.

Article (59)

Division Plans

1. The developer may divide the real estate by virtue of any of the following plans:
   a. Typical plan.
   b. Floor plan.
   c. Compound plan.
   d. Volumetric plan.
   e. Any other plan specified by the Department.

1. The real estate may be sub-divided and the plans may be amended by any methods or ways allowed by the Executive Regulation.

1. The Department may compel the developer to register the floor plan or the compound plan should it deem it more appropriate than the plan to be registered by the developer, in case it finds the common use of equipment, facilities, or services to be possible.

Article (60)

Division pursuant to the compound and Floor Plans

The developer may divide the real estate pursuant to the compound plan or the floor plan, and he shall enclose the compound management regulation or the levels management regulation with the compound plan or the floor plan, as the case may be. The compound management regulation or the levels management regulation shall specify the conditions and obligations related to the management and use of the real estate, subject-matter of the compound plan or the floor plan. This regulation shall be binding upon each of the owner, tenant or occupant of the real estate unit subject to the regulation, and they shall all implement its terms and conditions towards each other and towards the Owners' Union.

Article (61-79)

Article (61)

Division pursuant to the Volumetric Plan

1. The developer may volumetrically divide the building and land where the building is located pursuant to a volumetric plan. He shall enclose the building management regulation with the volumetric plan before dividing the volumetric spaces in such plan through the floor plan. Should the volumetric space be subject to the floor plan, the Owners' Union shall be considered as the owner of the volumetric plan for the purpose of applying and implementing the building management regulation.

1. The building management regulation aforesaid in Clause (1) of this Article shall specify the conditions and obligations related to the management of the building and land, subject-matter of the volumetric plan. This regulation shall be binding upon the owner, tenant or occupant of any volumetric space or real estate unit subject to the regulation, and they shall all commit to implement its terms and conditions.

Article (62)

Dividing the Rights related to the Ground and Real Estate

1. Except for the original real rights, the division plan aims at dividing the property rights pertaining only to the land subject to division, and shall grant upon its registration rights that are of lower degree than the original real right. In case of termination or expiry of these rights, the division comes to an end and the borders and ownership of the land shall return to what they were before the registration of the division plan, unless otherwise agreed with the owner of the land or the nature of disposition requires that the division remains as is.

1. Upon dividing the property rights pertaining to the real estate by the floor plan or the compound plan, property rights pertaining to the real estate units resulting from such decision may be granted to another person, provided that these rights are of lower degree than the property right that has been divided, unless otherwise agreed with the owner of the original real right.

1. The owner of the original real rights shall become, upon termination of the lower-degree rights resulting from the division of the real estate, the owner of the real estate unit. The holder of the terminated rights of lower degree shall remain responsible for any amounts due on the real estate unit to the Owners' Union upon termination of the property rights of lower degree.

Article (63)

Property Rights Related to the Real Estate Unit

The holder of the property right pertaining to a real estate unit shall commit to assign, upon assignment of his property right to such unit, all his rights and obligations pertaining thereto and the assignee may not introduce any change to the nature of this property right nor may he grant or cause the emergence of new property rights related thereto except for the mortgage.

Article (64)

Chapter 2 - Owners’ Union
Formation of the Owners’ Union

1. The owners' union shall be established following the registration of the floor plan or the compound plan with the Department, and shall assume its competencies after its registration. The owners' union shall consist of the developer until the latter assigns the ownership of one real estate unit or one property right or more in a floor plan or compound plan to another person, in which case the owners' union shall consist of the total owners including the developer with respect to unsold real estate units. The membership of the owner of the real estate unit in the owners' union shall start from the date of registering the same in his name in the Real Estate Register and forfeit upon termination of such right.

1. The owners' union is considered a non-profit institution having a legal personality which is independent of that of its members. It shall have the right to litigate and bring cases against the owners and tenants of the real estate units as well as any person occupying the real estate unit should any of them violates any provision of this Law or the Articles of Association of the owners' union.

1. The Articles of Association as well as the complex or levels management regulation shall apply to the owners' union consistently with the provisions of this Law and its Executive Regulation. The Department shall lay down a form for the Articles of Association of the owners' union and may amend it from time to time. The developer or the owners' union may not amend it or change its clauses.

1. The owners' union may be a member in another owners' union of a higher rank in the same real estate development project.

1. The owners' union shall be in charge of a Board of Directors to be elected by the owners' union during the general assembly of the union, and the Executive Regulation shall determine the provisions related to the method of electing its members, the procedures of the general assembly, the right to vote and the legal quorum required for the validity of its decisions.

1. The Board of Directors shall appoint the director of the owners' union to follow up the works and the Executive Regulation shall determine the provisions related thereto.

Article (65)

Common Parts

The floor plan or compound plan shall specify the common parts of the joint property and the Executive Regulation shall determine the provisions related thereto.

Article (66)

Rights and Obligations related to Common Parts

1. The owners' union shall have the right to own real estates and movables related to the floor plan and compound plan as well as stocks and shares in the service companies related to the plans which contributed to its establishment and to grant exclusive rights to common parts.

1. The ownership of the common parts shall be transferred to the owners' union which shall be in charge of managing and operating the same, including the repair and maintenance thereof. The compound plan, the floor plan, the compound management regulation, the levels management regulation, the building management regulation and the union's Articles of Association shall be considered a part of the title deed of the real estate.

1. In exception to the provisions of Articles (64 and 66) of this Law, the Chairman may, following the approval of the Executive Council, issue a resolution whereby the developer or any other party shall replace the owners' union with respect to all the rights and obligations as well as the responsibility to manage, operate, repair and maintain the common parts, public services and service facilities in the real estate development projects, provided that the owners' union is entitled to express its opinion and advice. The Executive Regulation shall determine the terms and conditions regulating the work of the developer or the other party.

1. The Department may appoint a director to control the owners' union in the event of its failure or refusal to manage the common parts as specified in the Executive Regulation.

1. The owners' union may not sell any common parts, real estates, or movables pertaining thereto, nor may it put any mortgage or debt burden thereon.

Article (67)

Contribution Percentage

1. A contribution rate shall be specified for each real estate unit whereby the owner of such real estate unit in the owners' union shall have the following rights and obligations:
   a. To have a common share in the assets of the owners' union without acquiring any original real rights to the land which is a part of the common parts.
   b. The right to vote in the general assembly of the owners' union while taking into account the exceptions indicated in the Executive Regulation or the union's Articles of Association.
   c. To pay a specific percentage of the service fees imposed by the owners' union.
   d. To receive his share in the entitlements should the owners' union be dissolved pursuant to the provisions of this Law.

1. The Executive Regulation shall indicate how to determine and calculate the contribution percentage and other conditions related thereto in addition to the cases where such rate may be changed.

Article (68)

Service Fees

1. The owners' union may collect the service fees from the owners in order to finance its activities, as per the contribution percentage of each real estate unit. The owner of each real estate unit shall pay the service fees due on him to the owners' union on their due date, provided that the developer pays his share in the fees with respect to unsold units. The union's Articles of Association shall determine the type of service fees, how to collect them, and the records that are related thereto and should be kept.

1. A preferential right for the owners' union shall automatically arise on every real estate unit upon the failure of its owner to settle the service fees or other financial obligations imposed thereon by the owners' union. This right shall remain valid with the ownership of the real estate unit without being affected by the change of owner when the liability for settling the abovementioned fees is transferred to the new owner from the date of the ownership transfer.

1. The owners' union shall, according to the decision of its Board of Directors upon proceeding with the exercise of the abovementioned preferential right, notify the owner of the real estate unit by the registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt to settle the overdue service fees within three months from the date of notification. Should the owner of the real estate unit fail to pay them within the period specified in the notification, without expressing an acceptable excuse, the owners' union may submit an application before the judge of urgent matters to issue an order to sell the real estate unit for the settlement of the due service fees according to the provisions of the Civil procedure Law.

1. The owners' union shall pay any service fees imposed pursuant to the provisions of this Law by an owners' union of a higher rank on or before their due date. The Department may impose the conditions and restrictions it deems appropriate concerning the service fees and issue the regulations and instructions related to this matter.

Article (69)

Compound Fees

The Department may impose the conditions and restrictions it deems appropriate with respect to the compound fees and issue the regulations and instructions related to this matter, including:
a. The condition of obtaining the approval of the Department before imposing any compound fees.
b. Prohibiting the imposition of new fees or increasing the fees imposed.
c. Determining the increase permitted.
d. Determining the method of settlement of the payments, including the possibility to settle by instalments.
e. The procedures which may be taken to collect the compound fees.
f. Compelling the contributors in the owners' union to settle amounts for a credit account, to be opened with any of the banks operating in the Emirate, to cover any deficit in the collected fees.

Article (70)

Insurance

1. The owners' union shall ensure the common parts or the joint property - as specified in the Executive Regulation - with an amount that covers its repair or reconstruction in the event of its perish or demolition for any reason whatsoever, and the owners' union shall be the beneficiary of this insurance. The union shall also commit to an insurance against the damage and bodily injury that may be sustained by the owners and occupants of the real estate units during their presence on the joint property, and shall include it in the cost of the service fees due to the owners' union.

1. Should the premium paid by the owners' union be increased as a result of the manner and nature of use of a particular real estate unit by the owner or the occupant of such unit, the union may recover any increase of the premium from the owner and such increase shall be considered as a debt for which the owner or occupant shall be liable.

1. The owner of the unit may benefit from any insurance contract concluded by the owners' union for the joint property if such insurance covers any part of its unit, and the owners' union shall do what is necessary to enable such owner to benefit from his right under such insurance.

Article (71)

Chapter 3 - Rights and Obligations
Right of Support and Public Services

1. The floor plan shall grant the right of lateral support in the case of real estate units that are horizontally adjacent and the right of subjacent support in the case of real estate units that are vertically adjacent, in favour of the real estate units and common parts against each other, and that, to the extent of availability of the capacity to ensure such lateral or subjacent support. The floor plan also grants rights in favour of the real estate units and common parts against each other in order to provide public services to the real estates or common parts, as the case may be.

1. The building management regulation applicable to the volumetric plan shall determine the easement rights and the rights of entrance, support, services and protection in favour of any volumetric space in the volumetric plan which shall abide by the conditions of such regulation.

1. Without prejudice to the original real rights, the rights granted pursuant to this Article shall be terminated automatically upon the termination of the rights of lower degree resulting from the division of the real estate.

Article (72)

Modifications and Changes by the Owner

1. Except for what is authorised by the Articles of Association of the owners' union and the floor or compound management regulation, the owner, tenant or occupant of the real estate unit may not introduce any modifications or changes to the structure, the external appearance or any part of the real estate unit in such a way that fundamentally affects the real estate unit or the joint property or its external appearance.

1. The owner shall, in the event of violation of the provisions of Clause (1) of this Article, repair the damage caused at his own expense and in the manner requested by the owners' union. Should the owner of the real estate unit fail to commit to this clause, the owners' union may repair the damage and recover the repair costs from the owner.

Article (73)

Developers Liability for Defects

1. Without prejudice to the provisions of liability stipulated in any other law, the developer shall remain liable for the repair or correction of any defects that threaten the durability and safety of the building, with respect to the structural parts of any building or the common parts in any real estate development project or any part thereof, for ten years from the date of the final certificate of completion issued by the Municipality.

1. The developer shall remain liable for the repair or replacement of the defective installations in the building for one year from the date of receiving the final certificate of completion of the building from the Municipality.

Article (74)

Pre-emption

The provisions related to pre-emption shall not be applicable to common parts or the percentage rate in the owners' union.

Article (75)

Chapter 4 - Termination of the plans and Liquidation of the Owners’ Union
Termination of the Floor Plan or Compound Plan

1. The floor plan or the compound plan may be terminated or cancelled by a resolution of the owners' union, issued by the majority of owners holding at least (95%) of the overall shares of contribution to the owners' union, or by a decision of the competent court upon an application submitted by the owners' union following the perish of or serious damage caused to the common parts or any building including common parts.

1. The floor plan or the compound plan shall be automatically terminated upon the termination of the rights of lower degree resulting from the division of the real estate. The Executive Regulation shall determine the procedures related to the termination of the floor plan and compound plan.

Article (76)

Liquidation of the Owners' Union

1. The owners' union shall, upon termination of the floor plan or the compound plan, continue to hold the remaining rights on the joint property, subject-matter of said plans, until the completion of the liquidation of the owners' union.

1. The owners' union shall be liquidated by a decision of the competent court following the termination of the floor plan or the compound plan. The application for liquidation shall be submitted by the union itself or the last owner of a real estate unit in the relevant building. Should the owners' union neglect or refrain from submitting the application, the Department may submit an application before the court for the liquidation of the owners' union.

1. The court decision issued according to Clause (2) of this Article shall include the following:
   a. An order of payment of all liabilities of the owners' union.
   b. How to sell the assets of the owners' union, including the rights pertaining to real estates and movables owned by the owners' union.
   c. How to divide the proceeds of the sale of assets between the last owners of the real estate units after paying all liabilities of the owners' union.

Article (77)

Title 8- Penalties
Practicing an Activity without a Licence

Without prejudice to any more severe penalty provided for by any other law, any person who practices any activity as a broker, brokes’ employee, auctioneer, director of the owners' union, Evaluator or surveyor or who introduces himself in this capacity without being licensed or adjusting his situation according to the provisions of this Law, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of not more than six months and/or a fine of not less than AED 50,000 (Fifty thousand) and not more than AED 200,000 (Two hundred thousand).

Article (78)

Violations of Practicing the Activity of Real Estate Development

Without prejudice to any more severe penalty provided for by any other law, a fine of not less than AED 100,000 (One hundred thousand) and not more than AED 2,000,000 (Two million) shall be imposed on whomever:
a. Practiced the real estate development activity without being registered or without adjusting his situation according to the provisions of this Law.
b. Submitted incorrect documents or statements to the competent authorities in order to obtain a licence for carrying out the activity of real estate development.
c. Offered fictitious units in real estate projects for sale with his knowledge.
d. Refrained from paying any amounts due thereon in the project escrow account.
e. Embezzled, illegally used, or wasted financial payments that were delivered thereto for the purposes of establishing real estate development projects.
f. Any auditor who deliberately developed a false report on the outcome of his review of the financial position of the developer or deliberately concealed fundamental facts in his report.
g. Any person who authenticated incorrect documents related to a real estate development project with his knowledge.
h. Any developer who dealt with a broker without being recorded in the Real Estate Development Register.

Article (79)

Cancellation and Suspension

1. The Department may cancel or suspend the licence in any of the following cases:
   a. If the licensee does not fulfil any of the conditions stipulated in the provisions of this Law and its Executive Regulation as well as any regulations, resolutions or instructions issued pursuant thereto.
   b. If the licensee violates the provisions of this Law or its Executive Regulation as well as any regulations, resolutions or instructions issued pursuant thereto, or the code of conduct imposed thereon.
   c. If the licensed natural person was condemned of a crime involving moral turpitude or dishonesty.
   d. If the licensee is no longer of good conduct according to the Department.
   e. If the licensee is no longer capable of assuming his work efficiently at the discretion of the department.
   f. Insolvency or bankruptcy of licensee.

1. The Department shall, prior to taking any procedure to cancel or suspend the licence, send a written notification to the licensee where the reasons and justifications of cancellation or suspension are indicated and a period of twenty one days is granted thereto to respond to such reasons and justifications.

1. The Department may only warn the licensee instead of cancelling or suspending the licence, provided that this warning is taken into consideration upon the evaluation of the licensee's performance and renewal of his licence.

1. The licensee may file an appeal before the competent court against the resolution of the Department cancelling or suspending his licence or the warning sent thereto, within sixty days from the date of issuance of the Department's resolution.

Article (80-90)

Article (80)

Deletion of Registration of the Developer

1. The Department may delete the registration of the developer from the Real Estate Development Register in any of the following cases:
   a. He was declared bankrupt or subjected to liquidation.
   b. If he failed to start the construction works of the real estate development project after the lapse of six months from the date of obtaining the approval to sell off the plan, without an acceptable excuse.
   c. If he committed any of the violations mentioned in Clauses (b, c, d and e) of Article (78) of this Law.
   d. If he violated the laws, regulations or resolutions concerning the regulation of the real estate sector.

1. The Department may, in addition to the deletion of the registration of the developer, impose any additional conditions on the developer in order to protect the public interest.

Article (81)

Renewal of Registration

The developer whose registration was deleted according to the provisions of this Law may not submit an application for re-registration before the lapse of 12 months from the date of deletion.

Article (82)

The Procedures of Violations

If it was proved for the Department that any of the licensees conducted or refrained from doing an act imposed by the provisions of this Law and its Executive Regulation and the regulations, resolutions and instructions issued pursuant thereto, the Department shall prepare a report on the incident and refer the matter to the public prosecution. Should this person be condemned by a final decision, the Department shall have the power to impose administrative penalties according to the provisions of this Law.

Article (83)

Capacity of Judicial Officer

For the purposes of this Law, the Head of the Judicial Department shall issue in agreement with the Chairman, a resolution determining the employees of the Department and concerned municipalities which have the capacity of judicial officers.

Article (84)

Title 9 - Final Provisions
Adjusting the Situation

1. The persons who start any of the activities aforesaid in Article (5) of this Law, shall adjust their situation according to the provisions thereof within (90) days from its effective date and the Department may extend this period for all categories of licensees or for a particular category as it deems it appropriate.

1. The developers who have real estate development projects that are ongoing or were completed at the time of application of the provisions of this Law, shall adjust their situation in conformity with its provisions within (12) months from its effective date. The Department may extend this period to any other period (s).

Article (85)

Plans Registration

1. The developer shall register with the Department the main or subsidiary development plan, as the case may be, for any real estate development project existing before the effective date of this Law.

1. The developer shall register with the Department the floor plan or compound plan for any real estate development project that was started before the effective date of this Law and that includes a real estate unit or a property jointly owned or used.

Article (86)

Fees

The Department may collect fees for the services offered thereby pursuant to the provisions of this Law. These fees shall be specified in the Executive Regulation issued by the Department in this regard following the approval of the Executive Council.

Article (87)

Issuance of Executive Regulations

The Chairman shall issue the Executive Regulations required for the implementation of the provisions of this Law following the approval of the Executive Council.

Article (88)

Issuance of Regulations and Resolutions

The Chairman shall issue the rules and resolutions required for the implementation of this Law.

Article (89)

Contrary Provisions

Any text or provision contrary to the provisions of this Law shall be repealed.

Article (90)

Applicability of the Provisions of the Law

This Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall be effective six months following its publication.

The Chairman of the Department of Municipal Affairs,

After perusal of

• Abu Dhabi Law No. 1/1974 on the Reorganisation of the Government Apparatus in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and its amendments; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 4/1983 on the Regulation of Construction Works and its amendments; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 10/2006 on the Western Area Municipality and Municipal Council in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2005 on the Regulation of the Real Estate Registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and Abu Dhabi Law No. 19/2005 on Real Estate Property and its amendments; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 9/2007 on the Establishment of the Department of Municipal Affairs; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 10/2007 on Abu Dhabi City Municipality and Municipal Council in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and Abu Dhabi Law No. 11/2007 on Al Ain Municipality and Municipal Council in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and Abu Dhabi Law No. 16/2009 on the Regulation of Construction Works and its amendments; and
• Abu Dhabi Executive Council Decision No. 52/1/2008 on the Issuance of the Implementing Regulations of Abu Dhabi Law No. 3 /2005 on the Regulation of the Real Estate Registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and
• Based on the requirements of the public interest,
• Has issued the following decision:

Article (1-2)

Article (1)

Article 1 - Definitions

Emirate: Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Department: Department of Municipal Affairs.

Municipality: Abu Dhabi Municipality or Al Ain Municipality and Western Region Municipality or any municipality that may be established in the future in the Emirate.

Property: Various types of real estate, including land, buildings, establishments and real estate by destination.

Concerned Municipality: Abu Dhabi Municipality or Al Ain Municipality and Western Region Municipality or any municipality that may be established in the future in the Emirate.

Survey Works: Works and procedures to be carried out and taken in order to determine the shape or size or level or depth or limits or any technical or procedural matter of a land area or to determine the locations on, above or below the surface of the earth on both horizontal and vertical levels, whether on land or at sea or any natural or artificial spaces in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Surveyor: The authorised person who possesses the qualifications, ability, licence and experience necessary for the conduct of survey works.

Competent Department: Spatial Data Department.

Appendix to the Decision: Appendix to the Administrative Decision no. () of 2015 on the unified mechanism for the measurement and calculation of buildings, villas and real estate areas in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Article 1 was repeated twice in the text published in the Official Gazette; it is more correct to be mentioned one time, followed by Article 2 and the remaining articles according to the correct number order, mention is an order.

The Unified Mechanism for the Measurement and Calculation of Buildings, Villas and Real Estate Areas in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, annexed to this Decision shall be adopted and provisions thereof shall be applied as of the date of entry into force of the present Decision.

Article (2)

Standards and Mechanism for the Measurement and Calculation of Buildings, Villas and Real Estate Areas in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi aim to 4:

1. Develop and adopt ways and methods for the measurement and calculation of areas in the real estate field.

1. Enhance the effectiveness of the real estate market through the confidence of investors, property owners and financiers in the standards and mechanisms related to the real estate market.

1. Unify and adopt such standards and mechanisms at the level of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

1. Ensure the application and use of the unified mechanism in all real estate works, which may include, for example, ownership schemes, architectural plans, contractors' executive schemes, used in credits, financing, offices, residential, industrial and commercial buildings real estate appraisal, and for sale and rent purposes and other.

Article (3-4)

Article (3)

Submission of the Application for the Calculation of a Property Area

The application for the calculation of a property area shall be submitted to the competent department in the concerned municipality provided that it includes the following data:

1. The property type-space or construction - along the construction type.

1. Name of the property owner as per his identity card.

1. A copy of the identity card.

1. The purpose of the calculation of the area. In the event the purpose is a contractual relationship, a copy of the contract shall be attached to the application.

Article (4)

Procedures of Calculation of a Property Area

The real estate surveyor shall review the data of the property, subject of the area, and shall for this purpose observe the following steps:

1. Make sure that the applicant for the survey has an authority over the property, under a certified document.

1. Obtain the register of the real estate, subject of the survey.

1. Review all data contained in the register and compare them with those provided by applicant for the survey in terms of:
   a. Providing a copy of the identity card.
   b. Matching the name contained in the family book with the register or the certified document submitted by the survey applicant.
   c. The real estate number and address, according to the register.

1. In the event the property is owned by a juristic person, the property data shall match with the certificate of incorporation or memorandum of association or the commercial register of the entity.

1. Prepare a detailed description of the property status according to data and documents collected.

Article (5-6)

Article (5)

Procedures of a Property Inspection

The real estate inspection shall be deemed a key step in the process of calculating real estate areas since it provides the surveyor with a realistic picture and information to be used in the area's calculation, in accordance with the following controls:

1. Obtain the owner's approval on the inspection and the physical inspection of the property, and agree with him on the appropriate time to carry it out.

1. Prepare the property file, provided that it contains, for example, official data such as land scheme, certificate of the buildings completion.

1. Provide the necessary equipment for the inspection and physical inspection of the property and dimensions measurement (measuring device, a camera).

Article (6)

Procedures of Appeal against the Survey Report

The following controls shall apply in respect of the appeal against the survey report:

1. Surveyors shall comply with the cadastral standards and legislation in force in the Emirate.

1. Surveyors shall abide with regards to the survey report by the following:
   a. Use spatial tools in accordance with the practical and legal requirements.
   b. Explain the name of the tools and the methods and reasons of use.
   c. Documents relied upon in the calculation of the real estate area.
   d. Seal and adopt the report in accordance with the legislation in force.

1. Any interested party may appeal against the survey report, after depositing an amount of money to be determined by the municipality and equivalent to the costs incurred for the survey.

1. Two other surveyors may be assigned by the municipality to carry out the surveying work each individually.

1. If the result of the last two reports is different than that of the first, the first surveyor shall bear all surveying costs.

1. If the reports of the two surveyors are identical or one of them is identical to the first report in a way acceptable by the municipality, the appellant shall bear the costs of the other two reports.

Article (7-8)

Article (7)

Any text or provision contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Decision shall be abrogated.

Article (8)

This Decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force 30 days after the date of its publication.

The Chairman of the Department of Municipal Affairs,

After perusal of:

• Abu Dhabi Law No. 1/1974 on the Reorganisation of the Government Apparatus in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and its amendments; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2005 on the regulation of the real estate registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and Abu Dhabi Law No. 19/2005 on real estate property and its amendments; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 9/2007 on the establishment of the Department of Municipal Affairs; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015 concerning the regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and Based on the documents presented to the Executive Board and its approval thereof, Has issued the following Decision:

Article (1-15)

Article (1)

Chapter 1 - General Provisions
Definitions

In application of the provisions of this Regulation, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned hereto unless the context otherwise requires:

Emirate: Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Department: Department of Municipal Affairs.

Municipality: Abu Dhabi Municipality or Al Ain Municipality and Western Region Municipality and any municipality that may be established in the future in the Emirate.

Law: Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2005 on the Regulation of the Real Estate Registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Common Areas: the common parts of the Joint Property designated for common use by Real Estate Units Owners and Occupiers as shown on the Recurring Floor Plan or the Site Plan in accordance with the provisions of the Law and this Regulation.

Site Management System: the regulation determining the conditions and obligations relating to the management and use of the property, subject of the Site Plan.

Building Management System: the regulation determining the conditions and obligations relating to the management of the building and land, subject of the Volumetric Plan.

Floor Management System: the system determining the conditions and obligations relating to the management of the property, subject of the Recurring Floor Plan.

Statute of the Owners' Association: the rules and provisions governing the Owners' Association.

Supply Agreement: the agreement concluded between the Owners' Association and the supplier for the supply of goods or services, including utilities, to the Owners' Association independently or as subject to the provisions of the Building Management System.

Board of Directors: the Board elected by the Owners, according to the provisions of the Law and this System for the management of the Owners' Association.

Site Plan: the plan that divides the property horizontally into two Real Estate Units or more or into common areas.

Recurring Floor Plan: the plan that divides vertically the building or any part thereof and the land where the building is established into two units or more or into common areas, with reference to the floors, walls and ceilings.

Volumetric Plan: the plan that divides vertically the building or any part thereof and the land where the building is established into two Volumetric Spaces or more, without such partition resulting in the creation of any common areas for the relevant building or land.

Public services: Any of the following services:

1-Water networks or supply.

2-Gas networks or supply.

3-Electric networks or supply.

4-Air conditioning.

5-Water Cooling.

6-Telephone service.

7-Computer data or television service.

8-Security services.

9. Sewage system.

10-Rainwater drainage.

11-A system for the removal or disposal of waste.

12-A system for the delivery of mail, parcels or goods.

13-Any other system or service dedicated to enhance improve the facilities in units or common areas.

Developer: the Main Developer or Sub-Developer licensed in the Emirate to carry out real estate development activities.

Person: a physical person or a juristic person.

Owner: a person registered according to Law No. (3) of 2005 referred to, as Owner of the property or holder of any property rights.

Occupier: anyone who rents or resides or works in a Real Estate Unit except for Unit Owners or any Property Rights Holders.

Owners' Association: the Owners' Association formed under the provisions of the Law for the management and operation of Joint Properties including repair, maintenance and good use thereof.

Acting Agent / Agent acting on behalf of the Owners' Association: the Developer or the Person appointed by a decision of the Chairman of the Department, after presentation thereof to the Executive Council, to implement the tasks of the Owners' Association, take the responsibility and carry out the management and operation of Common Areas, public services and utility services in accordance with the provisions of this Regulation.

Manager of the Owners' Association: the person appointed by the Developer or the Owners' Association to manage the daily work of the Association.

Share: the Real Estate Unit's share in Common Areas, and the Owner's rights and obligations arising therefrom.

Property: Various types of real estate, including land, buildings, facilities and real estate by destination including the Real Estate Unit.

Real Estate Development Project: Project of construction of multi-storey buildings or sites for residential or commercial or mixed-use purposes, in addition to their facilities, or construction of infrastructure and services facilities in the event of sale of vacant lands.

Property Right: the original rights in rem, the Musataha right, the usufruct right and the long-term lease.

Real Estate Unit/Unit: Any apartments, storeys and shops or any part of the house (Villa) attached to another house or detached therefrom or a vacant land within a common property, whether existing or proposed on the Recurring Floor Plan or the Site Plan and allocated for a commercial or residential or mixed-use purpose.

Volumetric Space: the Volumetric Space shown in the Volumetric Plan and determined in three dimensions through the use of spatial coordinates.

Existing Real Estate Development Project: the real estate development project, where a Real Estate Unit or more was sold by the Developer to the Purchaser before the effective date of this Regulation, or the one with regard to which the Developer has obtained permits from the concerned authorities to initiate the sale of the project's units.

Article (2)

Chapter 2 - Registration of the Plans
Requirements of the Survey

1. The requirements of survey shall be determined pursuant to the Department's instructions and shall comprise the following:
   a. Method used for the conduct of the survey and equipment to be used therein.
   b. Accuracy requirements for the survey process.
   c. Method of development of plans and contents thereof.
   d. Requirements of submission of plans and data attached thereto.
   e. Any other requirements that the Department considers necessary for the ensuring of the Survey's highest accuracy standards, and the preparation and registration of the plan.

1. The Surveyor shall conduct and supervise the survey, and shall accurately produce the plan and comply with the instructions issued by the Department.

Article (3)

Property Rights and Plans

1. The Property Rights Holder may register a plan on such rights, provided that he submits the certificate of registration of holder-ship of such rights.

1. The Holder of the Original Rights in Rem on the land may do the following:
   a. Register the Recurring Floor Plan or the Site Plan associated therewith in accordance with the provisions of this Regulation.
   b. Grant or transfer the Original Rights in Rem in an off-plan Real Estate Unit referred to in paragraph (a) above, taking into account the following:

• The Holder of the off-plan Property Right shall be deemed the Owner of the Real Estate Unit for the purpose of this Regulation except as determined by the Statute of the Owners' Association.
• When the off-plan Property Right expires or the building is completed, the Holder of the Original Rights in Rem shall become the Owner of the Unit, for the purposes of this Regulation and the Statutes of the Owners' Association.

Article (4)

Registration of the Development Plans

1. For the purposes of registration, the Main or Subsidiary Development Plan shall meet the following requirements:
   a. It shall be approved by Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council.
   b. It shall be produced in accordance with the form specified by this Regulation and the instructions issued by the Department in this respect.
   c. It shall be signed by the Owner and any mortgagee of Original Rights in Rem in the land, subject of the Main Development Plan.
   d. It shall be signed by the Owner and any mortgagee of Property Rights, subject of the Main Development Plan, if the Original Right in Rem is not the subject of the Main Development Plan.
   e. In the case of Subsidiary Development Plan, the plan shall be approved by the Main Developer.
   f. The plan shall show the method of amendment of the Main or Subsidiary Development Plan, as the case maybe, including the consultation with the Holders of Property Rights.
   g. The plan shall show the procedures of delivery, use and request for payment of costs of the utilities services provided with, at the main or subsidiary development level, as the case may be.
   h. The plan shall show the details of the management of waste, water and energy, or any other environmental conditions to be complied with, at the Main or Subsidiary Development Plan level, as the case may be, by the holders of the Property Rights or beneficiaries therefrom.
   i. Submission of the Floor Management System, Site Management System and Building Management System in accordance with the requirements set out in this Regulation.

1. The Department may require the attachment of any documents, information or data to the application for registration of the Main or Subsidiary Development Plans.

Article (5)

Contents of the Plans’ Model

The Main or Subsidiary Development Plan shall be produced according the model adopted by Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council and shall include the following data:

1. Developer's name.

1. Details on the land where the Real Estate Development Project is established as per the Real Estate Register.

1. Property Rights to which the plan pertains.

1. A statement describing the purpose of the land referred to in clause (2) of this Article.

1. A plan illustrating the basic infrastructure that will be established by the Main Developer or the Sub-Developer, and will be made available for use by Owners and Property Rights Holders.

1. Details on the method of the basic infrastructure's maintenance and renovation and the parties bearing costs thereof.

1. In the case of contribution of the Holders of the Property Rights, subject of the Main or Sub-Development, or beneficiaries therefrom, to the cost of maintenance and renovation of the basic infrastructure mentioned in the preceding clause, the following shall be stated:
   a. The budget set for such costs and the Property Rights Holders' contribution thereto.
   b. The manner by which such costs are apportioned between Property Rights Holders.
   c. Calculation, imposition and audit of such costs.
   d. Authorisation of use of the basic infrastructure by Property Rights Holders.
   e. The rules of use of the basic infrastructure and the manner by which such rules can be altered.

Article (6)

Contents of the Plans

The Main or Subsidiary Development Plans shall include the following:
a. Codes, including architectural codes and gardens organisation, regulating the land development project, subject of the Main development or Subsidiary Development Plan.
b. Restriction of use of the Land or Property Rights.
c. Duties and obligations of Property Rights Holders.
d. Rights of easement or covenant or restriction associated with Property Rights.
e. Policies and control measures in the management of the main or subsidiary site.
f. Obligations of the Main Developer or Sub Developer.

Article (7)

Obligations of Units Owners and the Owners’ Association

1. The relevant Property Rights Holders, Units Owners and Owners' Association shall comply with the Main Development or Subsidiary Development Plans.

1. Easements, including the restrictions associated with Property Rights in the Main Site's land, shall take effect as per the date mentioned in the Main or Subsidiary Development Plan and shall be binding to the Property Right Holder. Provisions of the Main Development Plan may not be contrary to the Law or this Regulation or any other provision in the legislation in force.

Article (8)

Chapter 3 - Partition Plans (Partition)
Partition Plans

1. Repartition of the sub-developed property and amendment of the Recurring Floor Plan, Site Plan, Volumetric Plan or Typical Floor Plan, are subject to the approval of the Municipality.

1. The Municipality may compel the Developer to submit the Recurring Floor Plan, Site Plan, and Volumetric Plan when it deems it more convenient than the plan proposed to be submitted by the Developer, and if it appears to it that the use of equipment, utilities or services can be shared.

1. The plan dividing the property into Recurring Floor Plan, Site Plan, Volumetric Plan or Typical Plan, shall be prepared in accordance with the instructions and directives issued by the Department.

1. The Developer shall deposit the plans provided for in this Article before the Municipality, to be noted in the Real Estate Register after providing the Real Estate Development Project with the infrastructure services and issuance of the property completion certificate.

Article (9)

Registration of the Site Plan or the Recurring Floor Plan

1. For the purposes of registration, the Recurring Floor Plan or the Site Plan shall meet the following requirements:
   a. The Recurring Floor Plan shall pertain to a building licensed by the Municipality.
   b. The Site Plan shall pertain to the partition of the Property Right in the land, approved by the Municipality where the land is located.
   c. The Recurring Floor Plan and the Site Plan shall take into account the following requirements:

• They shall be prepared according to the form defined by this Regulation and the instructions issued by the Department.
• The Floor Management System or the Site Management System shall be attached thereto as the case may be.
• The plans shall be signed by the Owner or any mortgagee of Original Rights in Rem in the land, subject of the plan.
• The plans shall be adopted by the Main Developer or the Sub-Developer.

1. The Floor Management System and Site Management System shall contain all the necessary information in accordance with the form determined by the Department.

1. For the purpose of access, use, or usufruct of any land or part thereof or any building or part thereof or the Recurring Floor Plan or the Site Plan relating to another land or building, the required rights of occupancy or usufruct shall be established in the plans being part of the Common Areas.

1. The provisions of clause (1) of this Article shall not apply to the basic infrastructure.

1. The Department may require the attachment of any documents to the application for registration of the plans or submission of any other data therewith.

Article (10)

Areas of Mosques and Future Development Regions

1-Any space that has been allocated in the Recurring Floor Plan or Site Plan as a mosque or have been reserved for the purpose of building a mosque shall be deemed a part of the land covered in the plan and shall not be taken into account for the purpose of calculation of the land gross area in the plan, or imposition of any type of service charges in favour of the Owners' Association and membership thereof.

3-Any space that has been allocated in the Recurring Floor Plan or Site Plan as a proposed future development region shall be deemed a part of the land covered in the plan, and despite the Developer's responsibility to bear the services fees imposed on the buildings, it shall not be taken into account for the purpose of calculation of the gross area of the land in the plan, or imposition of any type of service charges in favour of the Owners' Association and membership thereof.

Article (11)

Floor Management System and Site Management System

1. The Floor Management System or Site Management System shall be produced pursuant to the model adopted by the Department and shall include the following:
   a. The name of the compound or building, subject of the Site Plan or Recurring Floor Plan, as the case may be.
   b. Description of the land where the building or any part thereof is established in the Recurring Floor Plan or the land relating to the Site Plan as per the Real Estate Register.
   c. Real Estate Rights on the land.
   d. Name of the Owners' Association.
   e. Method of numbering of Real Estate Units.
   f. A table determining the number of each Real Estate Unit and its contribution ratio.
   g. Standards and methods used to determine and apportion contribution ratios between units as determined by this Regulation and description of such methods.
   h. Arrangements for the delivery and use of public services and request for the payment of costs thereof.
   i. Details of any of the Owners' Association or Owners or Occupiers' obligations related to waste, energy, water or environment.
   j. The Site rules in accordance with the Statute of the Owners' Association.
   k. Where the Owners' Association is a part of another Owners' Association, the structure thereof together with the method of its operation and management shall be stated.
   l. If the project is staged, the following shall be considered:

• The project land plan shall illustrate the existing Real Estate Units and Common Areas and the development areas proposed in the future.
• Description of the project stages, including other Common Areas that are supplied and any changes proposed to the Recurring Floor Plan or Site Plan.

1. The Department may require the attachment of any documents, information or data to the application for registration the Recurring Floor Plan or the Site Plan.

Article (12)

Contents of the Site Management System

1. The Site Management System shall include the following:
   a. Restrictions with regards to the use of Real Estate Units in the Site.
   b. Architectural standards of Real Estate Units, subject of the Site Management System.
   c. Restrictions with respect to the use of specific parts of Common Areas.
   d. Any rights or obligations pertaining to easement rights or obligations or restrictions related to the Common Areas or Real Estate Units.
   e. Allocations to specific units of rights of exclusive use over specified parts of Common Areas including conditions attaching those rights.
   f. Any special administrative arrangements where the Owners' Association is a party.
   g. Duties and functions of Owners, Occupiers, and Owners' Association.
   h. Duties and functions of the Developer.
   i. Any other matters determined by the Department.

1. The Property Rights applicable to the Floor Management System or the Site Management System pertaining to a Property Right other than the original right in rem shall comprise the Common Areas and Real Estate Units.

1. The Lease Contract, Usufruct Contract or Musataha Agreement with respect to Units shall be identical (i.e. a single document shall be applicable to all Units) and shall expire upon expiration of the relevant benefit in Common Areas.

1. The title deed of the Real Estate Unit or Volumetric Space on the plan registered under the Law shall include a reference to any Main Development Plan or Subsidiary Development Plan or Recurring Floor Management System or Site Management System or Building Management System lodged in the registers with respect to the Real Estate Unit or the Volumetric Space.

1. The title deed of the Real Estate Unit or the Volumetric Space on the plan registered under the Law shall include the plan of the Real Estate Unit or Volumetric Space or a reference to the number of the plan lodged in the registers where the Real Estate Unit or Volumetric Space falls.

Article (13)

Validity of the Floor Management System or the Site Management System

1. The easements rights, including restrictions associated with Property Rights shall be applicable pursuant to the conditions contained in the Floor Management System or Site Management System and according to the date specified.

1. In accordance with the Floor Management System or Site Management System or Building Management System, obligations may be imposed on persons bound to these regulations in favour of the Main Developer or Sub-Developer.

1. Provisions of the Floor Management System or Site Management System shall not be contrary to the following:
   a. Any former and registered Main Development Plan or Subsidiary Development Plan or Recurring Floor Management System or Site Management System in respect of the land itself.
   b. The Law or this Regulation or any legislation in force.

1. Provision of the Recurring Floor Management System shall not be contrary to any provisions of the Building Management System registered in respect of the land itself and shall be deemed ineffective to the extent of contradiction thereto.

Article (14)

Contribution Ratio

1. A contribution ratio shall be allocated to each Real Estate Unit, to be identified with regards to the Real Estate Unit in the Recurring Floor Plan or Site Plan according to the following:
   a. If the Real Estate Unit is within a building, the Unit area shall be measured as a percentage of Gross Real Estate Units' Area in the building.
   b. If the Real Estate Unit is in a land, the land area shall be measured as a percentage of the gross land area in the Site Plan.
   c. In both cases above mentioned, the following shall be observed:

• The value of the Real Estate Units.
• The extent of the Real Estate Units' benefit from other financial resources of the Owners' Association.

1. The contribution ratio may be modified by any of the following procedures:
   a. The Owners' Association's submission of a request to the Department for the change of the contribution ratios.
   b. Appointment of an independent expert to determine the extent of need for the change or otherwise and the proposed percentage of such change.

1. The Owners' Association shall bear the fees and costs of the expert appointed by the Department.

Article (15)

Amendment of the Development Plans and Management Systems

1. Main Development Plan may be amended subject to the approval of the Department and the consent of the two-thirds majority of the Owners of the land subject of the Main Development Plan.

1. Subsidiary Development Plans may be amended subject to the approval of the Department and the consent of the two-thirds majority of the Owners of the land subject of the Subsidiary Development Plan.

1. The Recurring Floor Management System or the Site Management System may be amended by a decision of the Owners' Association, subject to approval of the Department.

1. For the purposes of this Article, the majority mentioned in clauses (1 and 2) of this Article shall be calculated on the basis of the area of the land owned by persons voting in favour of the proposal, as a percentage of the gross area of the land, subject of the Main or Sub-Development Plan.

1. The Recurring Floor Management System or the Site Management System that includes provisions relating to a phased development for the purpose of completion of its specific stages in the Development Plan may be amended without need for a decision by the Owners' Association to this effect.

1. Changes in the Recurring Floor Management System or Site Management System shall not affect any right of exclusive use over Common Areas without the written consent of the Owner of the Real Estate Unit to which the right pertains.

1. If the Developer votes in accordance with the Statute of the Owners' Association to amend the Recurring Floor Management System or the Site Management System, any Owner who voted against such decision and suffered therefrom may claim compensation from the Developer.

1. The Amendment of the Main or Subsidiary Development Plan or the Recurring Floor Management System or the Site Management System or the Building Management System shall become effective after the issuance of a registration notice or approval of the amendment in the form determined by the Department.

Article (16-30)

Article (16)

Partition under a Volumetric Plan

1. The Developer may divide the building and the land on which the building is established under a Volumetric Plan, and he shall register the Building Management System at the Department before proceeding with the partition of any other Volumetric Space according to the Recurring Floor Plan; where the Volumetric Space is subject to the Recurring Floor Plan, the Owners' Association shall be considered Owner of the Volumetric Space for the purposes of management and implementation of the Building Management System.

1. The Building Management System shall include all provisions and obligations related to the management of the building and land on which the building is established and subject to the volumetric division, and all the necessary data, in accordance with the model set by the Department.

1. Landlords, Tenants and Occupiers of any Volumetric Space or Real Estate Unit, subject to the volumetric division, shall implement the provisions and the terms of the Building Management System.

Article (17)

Registration of the Volumetric Plans

1. The plan may be registered as a Volumetric Plan if it vertically divides the Property Right in the building and the land where it is located into two or more Volumetric Spaces, in accordance with the instructions and decisions issued by the Department.
   The Volumetric Plan may be registered according to the following:
   a. The Plan shall pertain to a building licensed by the Municipality.
   b. It shall be prepared according to the form determined by this Regulation, and the instructions and decisions issued by the Department.
   c. It shall be attached to the Building Management System unless the partition of a Property Right in a Volumetric Space in said plan is not intended by the Recurring Floor Plan.
   d. It shall be signed by the Owner and any mortgagee of the Original Right in Rem on the land, subject of the Volumetric Plan.
   e. It shall be signed by the Owner and any mortgagee of Property Rights, subject of the Volumetric Plan if the original right in rem on the land is not subject of the Volumetric Plan.
   f. It shall be approved by the Main Developer or Sub-Developer of that land.
   g. It shall meet the other requirements determined by the Department.

Article (18)

The Building Management System

The Building Management System shall be in accordance with the model approved by the Department provided that the following is taken into account:
a. Identification of the name of the building subject to volumetric schema.
b. Identification of the land on which the building is located.
c. Statement of the Property Right on the land.
d. Determination of Volumetric and Common Areas.
e. Identification of Volumetric Spaces' Owners possessing different Common Areas.
f. Determination of the rights of access, including Utilities Services, to the Volumetric Space where such rights exist on or through another Volumetric Space.
g. Determination of the rights of support or protection of Volumetric Spaces.
h. Determination of the methods of maintenance of the Common Areas and the party responsible thereof.
i. Determination of the method adopted for the apportionment of the maintenance costs, including the renovation and replacement costs by Owners of Volumetric Spaces.
j. Development of insurance arrangements related to the building, including the rule on the basis of which the insurance cost is shared between Owners of Volumetric Spaces.
k. Any other information determined by the Department.

Article (19)

Contents of the Building Management System

The Building Management System shall include the following provisions:
a. Restrictions in respect of the methods of use of private Volumetric Spaces.
b. Architectural standards for Volumetric Spaces subject of the Building Management System.
c. Rules for the use of Common Areas.
d. Description of Volumetric Spaces Owners' obligations with regards to the waste, energy, water or environment.
e. Any rights or obligations or conditions associated with easements, covenants or restrictions concerning Volumetric Spaces.
f. Establishment and operation of the management group.
g. Imposition of costs to finance the promotion of commercial facilities and retail stores in the building and calculation and recovery thereof.
h. Administrative arrangements and record keeping.
i. Rules and procedures for the settlement of disputes.

Article (20)

Provisions of the Building Management System

1. The Building Management System shall allow the following:
   a. Opening a bank account in the name of the building.
   b. Determining the method adopted for the operation of the bank account by the authorized signatories, and any restrictions thereon.
   c. Authorizing the bank to open such account and to operate the same in accordance with the Building Management System.

1. Owners of relevant units, Holders of Property Rights and the Owners' Association shall comply with the Building Management System.

1. Any easements including restrictions relating to the Property Rights shall take effect according to the date set in the Building Management System and shall be binding to Owners and Occupiers of Volumetric Spaces.

1. For the purposes of this Article, the Owners' Association shall be deemed the Owner of the Volumetric Spaces.

1. The Department may refuse to register the Building Management System in the event of conflict with the following:
   a. Any registered Main or Subsidiary Development Plan or Site Management System on the land itself.
   b. The law or this Regulation or any legislation in force; any provisions to the contrary shall be deemed null and void.

1. Any party affected by the Department's decision, issued in accordance with this Article may appeal said decision before the Competent Court within sixty days.

Article (21)

Chapter 4 - Property Rights
Division of the Rights Related to the Land and Property

1. Except for the original right in rem, the Partition Plan shall apply to Property Rights related thereto throughout the period of their validity, and for the purposes of membership of the Owners' Association, the holder of the Property Right in the Real Estate Unit shall be deemed the last Property Right Holder registered in the Real Estate Register.

1. Subject to the provisions of clause (1) of this Article, holders of Property Rights, subject of the Partition Plan may arrange any other Property Rights, including Musataha, Usufruct and long lease term over the property, in accordance with the provisions of the Law, and the right in joint Ownership shall be transferred to the last Property Right Holder registered in the Real Estate Register.

1. Upon expiration or termination of any Property Rights on the property subject of the Partition Plan, the holder of said right shall pay all outstanding financial obligations on the Real Estate Unit at the date of expiry or termination thereof, to the Owners' Association.

Article (22)

Rights of Musataha / Usufruct / Long-Term Lease on the Property

1. Upon registration of the Recurring Floor Management System or the Site Management System concerning a Property Right, other than Original Rights in Rem, the following provisions shall apply:
   a. The Long-Term Lease or Usufruct Contract or Musataha Agreement relating to Common Areas shall apply on such parts.
   b. The Long-Term Lease or Usufruct Contract or Musataha Agreement relating to Real Estate Units shall apply on each Unit as being a document separately registered with respect to each Real Estate Unit.

1. Upon transfer of a Property Right, other than Original Rights in Rem, in a Real Estate Unit, the Long-Term Lease or Usufruct Contract or Musataha Agreement relating to Real Estate Units shall be deemed allocated to the new Real Estate Unit Owner upon registration of such transfer at the Department without the need for another assignment.

1. The Long-Term Lease or Usufruct Contract or Musataha Agreement relating to Real Estate Units and Common Areas may not be disposed of and in the case of disposal thereof, the right continue to exist until its expiry.

1. The Property Right Holder last granted registration in the Real Estate Register may mortgage such right.

1. The provisions of this Article shall not apply to Long-Term Lease or Usufruct Contract or Musataha Agreement relating to Real Estate Units if the Property Right in the Recurring Floor Plan or the Site Plan is an Original Right in Rem.

Article (23)

Repeated Repartition

1. A parcel of land may be partitioned and re-partitioned in the Main or Subsidiary Development Plan through the submission of a suitable plan and registration thereof in accordance with the requirements established in the Emirate.

1. The Real Estate Unit may be divided in the Site Plan according to the following:
   a. Repartition thereof through another Site Plan.
   b. Division thereof through a Recurring Floor Plan.
   c. Division thereof through a Volumetric Plan.

1. The Real Estate Unit in the Recurring Floor Plan may be divided through another Recurring Floor Plan.

1. An additional Owners' Association may be formed if the subdivision plan referred to in the previous plan indicates so.

1. The Volumetric Space in the Volumetric Plan may be repartitioned by way of:
   a. A Volumetric Plan for the creation of two Volumetric Spaces or more.
   b. A Recurring Floor Plan for the creation of Units, Common Areas and establishment of an Owners' Association.

1. The Real Estate Unit or Volumetric Space may not be repartitioned through any category of the plans if the registration thereof will lead to the establishment of more than three Owners' Associations.

1. Common Areas in the Recurring Floor or Site Plan may not be repartitioned if:
   a. The re-partition of the Recurring Floor Plan of a Real Estate Unit is included in another Recurring Floor Plan.
   b. The re-partition of the Site Plan of the Real Estate Unit is included in another Site Plan.
   c. The partition leads to the creation of additional Common Areas within the Recurring Floor Plan or the original Site Plan.

1. The re-partition under this Article shall be made in accordance with the instructions and decisions issued by the Department and provisions relating to the Recurring Floor Plans and Site Plans and the percentage of contribution contained in the Law and this Regulation.

Article (24)

Common Areas in the Recurring Floor Plan

Unless otherwise indicated in the Recurring Floor Plan, Common Areas in the Recurring Floor Plan shall include without limitation:

1. Structural components of the Real Estate Unit including the Main supports, foundations, columns, structural walls, thresholds, ceilings, ceiling joists, halls, staircases, stairwells, emergency exits, entrances, windows in the external wall, facades and roofs;

1. Parking areas, watchman rooms, recreational facilities and equipment, swimming pools, gardens, storage facilities and areas intended for the use of the Owners' Association or whomever it appoints or contracts to manage the Real Estate Unit;

1. Equipment and systems of main utilities, including electricity generators, lighting systems, gas systems and equipment, cold and hot water systems, heating and cooling systems, air conditioning systems and waste collection and treatment facilities;

1. Elevators, tanks, pipes, generators, chimneys, ventilation fans and ducts, air compressor units and mechanical ventilation systems;

1. Water mains, sewer pipes, gas pipes and chimneys, and electrical wiring and conduits serving the Owners of more than one Unit;

1. Fittings, connections, equipment and amenities used by Owners of more than one Unit;

1. Equipment used for measuring the provision or supply of public services allocated for the common use by the Owners and Occupiers of the Units;

1. Any other parts outside the boundaries of any Unit which are necessary or required for the existence, maintenance and safety of the real property

1. Utility Services that serve other Common Areas or Units located within the boundaries of any Real Estate Unit.

Article (25)

Common Areas in the Recurring Floor Plan

Unless otherwise indicated in the Recurring Floor Plan, Common Areas in the Recurring Floor Plan shall include without limitation:

1. Roads, roundabouts, intersections, pathways, pavement edges, drains, median strips, viaducts, drainage systems, and all related structures;

1. Lakes, ponds, canals, parks, fountains, water features and other waterways, including all related equipment;

1. Landscaping, public areas and playgrounds;

1. Wires, cables, pipes, drains, ducts and the machinery and equipment used to supply Units or Common Areas with Utility Services.

1. Equipment used for measuring the provision or supply of Utility Services dedicated for common use by the Owners and Occupiers of Units;

1. Utility Services that serve other Common Areas or Units located within the boundaries of any Real Estate Unit.

Article (26)

Boundaries of the Units in Buildings

1. Unless otherwise indicated in the Recurring Floor Plan, each Unit in a building or a part thereof shall include without limitation:
   a. Floors and floor materials and components down to the base of the joists and other structures supporting the floor of the Unit;
   b. Plaster ceilings and all other types of ceilings, additions that form part of the interior area of the Unit and the spaces between such ceilings, the ceilings above the support walls and structures inside the Unit, and walls separating the Unit from other parts of the Joint Property and any adjacent Units or Common Areas;
   c. Non-load bearing walls and non-support walls inside the Unit;
   d. windows, glass and fixtures that form part of the internal windows, lighting systems, doors, door frames, and all equipment and fixtures serving the Unit;
   e. Internal connections serving exclusively the Unit;
   f. Fixtures and fittings installed by the Owner or Occupier of the Unit;
   g. Additions, modifications and improvements made to the Unit from time to time;
   h. For the purposes of this clause, the Real Estate Unit shall not include Utility Services in the Unit that serve the Common Areas or any other Unit;
   i. Owner or Occupier of each Unit is entitled to appropriate services and rights of way from other Units and Common Areas.

1. The dividing walls between two adjacent Units will be shared by the Owners of both Units provided that these walls are part of the Common Areas.

Article (27)

Rights and Obligations relating to Common Areas

1. The Developer shall be responsible for the management, maintenance, operation and repair of the Common Areas pending the establishment of the Owners' Association.

1. Obligations of the Developer in Common Areas and referred to in clause (1) of this Article shall devolve to the Owners' Association that shall become responsible for their management, operation, repair and maintenance, upon its formation.

1. The Site Plan, Recurring Floor Plan, Site Management System, Recurring Floor Management System, and Statute of the Owners' Association will form part of the property title deed.

1. A Unit Occupier shall be under an obligation towards other Unit Owners and Occupiers and the Owners' Association to comply with the provisions of the Statute of the Owners' Association to the extent their provisions apply to the Occupier or Owner.

1. Subject to the Statute of the Owners' Association, the Owner and Occupier of a Unit and their visitors shall use the Common Areas as permitted, and in such a way that does not prejudice the rights of others to use these areas, disturb them, or endanger their safety or the safety of the Joint Property.

1. The Owners' Association may not sell any of the Common Areas or properties or movables, or mortgage or burden the same with debt.

Article (28)

Owners and Occupiers

1. The Owner shall be under an obligation towards all Owners and the Owners' Association to comply with the provisions of the Site Management System or Floor Management System or Building Management System which apply to their Units, respectively.

1. A Unit Owner shall have an obligation towards other Unit Owners and Occupiers and to the Owners' Association to comply with the provisions of Site Management System, Recurring Floor Management System or Building Management to the extent of their applicability on the Owner.

1. A Volumetric Space Owner shall have an obligation towards other Volumetric Spaces Owners in the same building to comply with the provisions of the Building Management System applicable thereto.

1. A Volumetric Space Occupier shall have an obligation towards other Volumetric Space Owners and Occupiers in the same building to comply with the provisions of the Building Management System applicable thereto.

1. A Unit Owner or Occupier may not make any alterations or additions to the Unit without the written consent of the Owners' Association, and in the absence of any explicit clause authorising to do so in the Site Management System, Recurring Floor Management System or Building Management as the case may be.

1. A Unit Owner or Occupier may not use his Unit or Common Areas in a manner inconsistent with the way of use of other Units Owners and Occupiers of their Units or Common Areas.

Article (29)

Protection of Common Areas

1. The Owners' Association shall have an obligation towards the Main Developer or the Sub-Developer to comply with the provisions of the Main Development Plan or Subsidiary Development Plan applicable to Common Areas.

1. The sub-Developer shall have an obligation towards the Main Developer to take into account the Main Development Plan applicable to his land.

1. Any obligation imposed and enforceable under this Article shall be deemed a commitment to the person benefiting therefrom.

1. Subject to the provisions of the Site Management System or the Recurring Floor Management System or the Building Management System, a Unit Owner or Occupier may use the Unit and Common Areas and benefit therefrom without any interference from other Units Owners or Occupiers, or any other person using Common Areas legally.

Article (30)

Chapter 5 - Owners’ Association
Article 30 - Establishment of the Owners’ Association

1. Subject to the provisions of Article (64) of the Law and this Regulation, an Owners' Association may be established upon registration of the sale of the first Unit in the Real Estate Register before the concerned Municipality, after completion of the registration requirements.

1. The Owners' Association shall comprise the Units Owners, and the Main Developer or Sub-Developer in their capacity as Owners of unsold Units.

Article (31-44)

Article (31)

 Article 31 - Registration of the Owners’ Association

1. The Municipality shall accept the application for registration of the Owners' Association submitted by the Developer provided that it is accompanied by the following:
   a. The application form for registration.
   b. The address of the Owners' Association for the purposes of notification.
   c. A copy of the Recurring Floor Plan or Site Plan.
   d. A copy of the Recurring Floor Management System or Site Management System or Building Management System as the case may be.
   e. Information on the Real Estate Development Project as required by the Municipality.
   f. Payment of the prescribed fees.
   g. Any other documents or information requested by the Municipality.

1. The Municipality may allow the completion of all or part of the registration procedures through electronic services.

1. After the application for registration is completed, the Municipality shall register the Owners' Association by noting the same in the Real Estate Register.

1. Upon registration, the Owners' Association shall bear the name of the "Owners' Association and the name of the building or Site and the number allocated thereto by the Municipality".

Article (32)

Obligations of the Developer towards the Owners’ Association

1. The Developer shall have an obligation towards the Owners' Association until the first Annual General Meeting to comply with the following:
   a. Keeping and organising books and records required in accordance with the Statute of the Owners' Association.
   b. Allocation of a seal for the Owners' Association use.
   c. Obtaining of the required insurance documents on behalf of the Owners' Association in accordance with its Statute.
   d. Organisation of all documents to be handled in the first Annual General Meeting of the Owners' Association.
   e. Holding and organising the first Annual General Meeting of the Owners' Association in accordance with its Statute.
   f. Management of the Owners' Association and management, operation and repair of Common Areas.

1. The Owners' Association shall bear all expenses necessary for the implementation of the Developer's obligations provided for in this Article.

Article (33)

Management of the Owners’ Association

1. The management of the Owners' Association shall be carried out by a Board of Directors elected by Owners at the Owners' Association's First Annual General Meeting in accordance with its Statute.

1. The Owners' Association's Board of Directors shall appoint a Manager for the Owners' Association to be responsible for the daily management thereof in accordance with its Statute.

1. The remunerations of the Owners' Association's Manager shall be calculated on the basis adopted under the Owners' Association Manager Agreement, provided that they are not calculated on the basis of the Unit Volumetric Space.

1. In the absence of election of the Owners' Association's Board of Directors for any reason, the Owners holding 10% of the total Owners' Association shares or more, shall have the right to appoint an independent company to carry out the functions and powers of the Board of Directors for a period not exceeding one year against a fee approved by Owners present at the meeting.

1. In the case of failure of application of clause (2) of this Article, the Developer may, subject to the approval of the Department, appoint a Manager for the Owners' Association for a period not exceeding one year against a remuneration, provided that such appointment is presented at the Owners' Association's First General Assembly Meeting for approval.

1. The Board of Directors may delegate in writing any of his powers and competences to the Manager of the Owners' Association; as well, the Board may cancel such delegation at any time, and in spite of any authorisation granted to the Owners' Association's Manager under this Article, the Board may continue to exercise any powers vested in it under Law and previously delegated to the Manager.

1. When providing any public services by a person other than government agencies, the Owners' Association shall verify the following:
   (1) The identity of the public services provider.
   (2) Whether the person is connected to the Developer or not.
   (3) A reasonable estimate of the annual cost of the public services for the Real Estate Unit.

Article (34)

Obligations of the Owners’ Association’s Manager

Subject to the provision of Article (66) of the Law:

1. The relationship between the Owners' Association's Manager and the Owners' Association that appointed him shall be deemed as a relationship between the client and its agent and shall be based on trust and honesty.

1. The Manager of the Owners' Association shall, before carrying out his activity to this effect, obtain an appointment letter issued by the concerned Owners' Association according to the form approved by the Department.

1. An appointment letter shall state the competences and powers delegated to the Manager, and the tasks and functions entrusted to him; the Manager shall deposit the appointment letter to represent the Owners' Association before the Department to lodge it in the Real Estate Development Register.

1. The Owners' Association's Manager, when practicing his activity shall comply with the provisions of the Law and this Regulation and any regulations or decisions or instructions issued thereunder.

1. The Owners' Association's Manager shall, upon termination of its employment and without any delay, hand all the books and records of the Association and any other information saved electronically or otherwise, to the Owners' Association or its new Manager.

Article (35)

Electronic Management and Accounting System

1. Upon registration, the Owners' Association shall use an electronic management and accounting system to keep accounts and other legal records and shall use the electronic forms or documents prescribed under the Law and the implementing regulations issued thereunder or the Statute or any other instructions and decisions issued by the Department.

1. The electronic management and accounting system referred to shall be approved by the Department.

1. Upon registration, the Owners' Association shall provide the Department with the relevant data in the form, manner and period determined by the Department.

Article (36)

Failure to Maintain Common Areas

1. If the Department finds out that the Owners' Association failed to maintain the Common Areas in accordance with its Statutes or the management system, it may conduct or instruct to conduct an inspection thereon.

1. If the Department establishes, after inspection, that the Owners' Association has failed in the maintenance of the Common Areas in accordance with its Statutes or the management system, it may serve the Owners' Association a notice of maintenance.

1. The notice shall specify the work to be carried out by the Owners' Association and the maximum time limit for its completion.

1. If the Owners' Association refuses or fails to comply with the notice, the Department may do all or any of the following:
   a. Appoint a Manager to control the Owners' Association in accordance with clause (4) of Article (66) of the Law.
   b. Request the competent court to issue the appropriate decision regarding the Owners' Association.

Article (37)

Chapter 6 - The Owners’ Association’s Contracts and Agreements
Restrictions Relating to the Duration of Supply Agreements

1. The Owners' Association shall not to enter into any Supply Agreement or renew the same for a period exceeding three years, without the approval by the Municipality and in accordance with the instructions issued by the Department in this regard; and in all cases, a Supply Agreement's duration shall not to exceed twenty-five years.

1. The Manager of the Owners' Association may not be appointed for a period exceeding three consecutive years and if the Owners' Association appoints a Manager for a period beyond that, the appointed Director-General of the Owners' Association shall carry out his duties for three years only as of the date of his last appointment.

Article (38)

Contents of the Supply Agreements

1. Supply Agreements referred to in the preceding Article shall include:

• In the case of the supply of goods, a description of such goods and the price to be paid. The price shall be competitive with prices obtainable on the market for similar goods.
• In the case of supply of services, the following provisions shall be observed:
• A detailed statement of the services to be procured.
• Fees to be paid for such services. The fee must be competitive with fees obtainable on the open market for similar services.
• The means of monitoring and assessing the performance of the Service Provider.
• A clause to terminate the agreement for non-performance or other default.
• A clause allowing the Owners' Association, based on reasonable grounds, to vary the services or levels thereof whereupon adjustments of the fee will also take place.
• A clause preventing the Service Provider from seeking or accepting commissions or any secret incentives in respect of goods or services to be procured by other suppliers.
• In the case of the supply of goods and / or services, the following provisions shall be taken into account:
• The goods supplier or service provider shall be holder of a valid commercial license relating to goods and services to be supplied or rendered.
• In the event of subcontracting between the original supplier and sub-supplier for the supply of goods and / or services, the following provisions shall be considered.
  • The original supplier's commitment to obtain competitive supply sub-contracts in way that ensures the procurement of the best price and terms in favour of the Owners' Association, after the conduct of a tender for three bids minimum.
  • The Owners' Association shall have the right to review, approve or reject the terms of the supply sub-contracts.
  • The profit margin for the original supplier shall be reasonable and the duties of the original suppler and the market conditions shall be taken into consideration when contracting between the original supplier and the take into consideration.
  • The original supplier remains liable to the Owners' Association in the implementation of his duties and responsibilities in case of contracting with a sub-supplier.

1. In case of failure to observe the provisions of clause (1) of this Article in the Supply Agreement, the Owners' Association may refer to the competent court to request termination of the agreement and any condition or restriction to the contrary in the agreement shall be deemed null and void.

1. Notwithstanding the provisions of clause (2) of this Article, the parties to the supply agreements may agree on alternative means of dispute settlement.

1. A supply agreement shall be drafted in writing and certified by a decision of the General Assembly of the Owners' Association.

Article (39)

Termination of the Owners’ Association’s Manager Agreement

1. The Owners' Association may terminate the Manager Appointment Agreement during the control period that starts upon registration of the Owners' Association and ends when the total of Association's entitlements, except for those of the Developer, becomes two-thirds or more of the total entitlements.

1. The Manager Appointment Agreement shall be terminated by a decision issued by the Owners' Association's General Assembly to this effect and by serving a notice of said decision to the Manager of the Owners' Association.

1. Upon termination of the said agreement in accordance with this Article, the following shall be observed:
   a. No compensation shall be imposed on the Owners' Association.
   b. All financial entitlements shall be paid to the Manager of the Owners' Association by virtue of the Agreement until the date of termination.
   c. Any obligation binding the Manager and arising under the Agreement shall remain in force to the extent necessary for its implementation even after its expiry.

Article (40)

Chapter 7 - Management of Common Areas
 Management of Common Areas

1. The property of Common Areas shall devolve to the Owners' Association who shall be responsible for management, operation, repair and maintenance thereof. The Site Plan, Recurring Floor Plan, Site Management System, Floor Management System, Building Management System and the Statutes of the Owners' Association shall form part of the property title deed.

1. The Department may issue a decision to assign an agent acting on behalf of the Owners' Association regarding clause (1) above for special considerations at the discretion of the Department provided that the project area, the multiplicity and uses of buildings and the location of the project, without limitation, are taken into account.

1. The Department shall put the necessary instructions to implement its decision provided for in clause (2) of this Article.

Article (41)

Role of the Owners’ Association

1. The Owners' Association shall provide opinion and advice to the Agent acting on its behalf as the case may be, concerning the management, operation, maintenance and repair of Common Areas, according to the Main Site Regulation, and in this case, the Owners' Association shall do the following:
   a. Study and examine the problems and difficulties related to the management, operation, maintenance and repair of Common Areas and notify the Agent thereof.
   b. Notify the Agent acting on its behalf of any defects in the structural parts of the Joint Property.
   c. Coordinate with the Agent acting on its behalf in all matters relating to the safety, environment, security and other aspects of the Joint Property.
   d. Discuss the annual budget proposed by the Acting Agent to the Department only with respect to projects it runs.
   e. The Owners' Association shall elect a member among its members to represent it before the Acting Agent.

1. If the Agent fails to manage, operate, maintain, or repair Common Areas, the Owners' Association shall notify the Department thereof, and the Department shall have the right to apply the procedures provided for in Article (36) of this Regulation.

1. Except as provided for in this Article, the Owners' Association shall not intervene in any way in matters relating to the management, maintenance and operation and repair of Common Areas, and in particular the ballot, the vote or meetings held to discuss any of these matters.

Article (42)

Services Charges

1. Each Unit Owner shall pay to the Owners' Association his share of the annual service charges to cover the expenses of management, operation, maintenance, and repair of the Common Areas. Such share will be determined as per the Unit Volumetric Space‘s percentage of the Gross Area of the Joint Property. The Main Developer or Sub-Developer shall pay his share of the annual service fees in respect of unsold Units.

1. A Unit Owner may not waive his share in the Common Areas to avoid payment of his share of annual services fees.

1. The Owners' Association may not impose any service charge on the Owner for the management, operation, maintenance and repair of Common Areas prior to the approval of the Department. The Department may amend such charges from time to time.

Article (43)

Service Charges’ Deposit and Disposal thereof

1. The Owners' Association shall deposit the services charges collected from Owners to cover the expenses of management, operation, maintenance and repair of the Common Areas, in an account allocated for this purpose before a bank licensed in the Emirate.

1. Services charges referred to in clause (1) of this Article shall be allocated to cover the expenses of management, operation, maintenance and repair of Common Areas.

1. The Department may, when necessary, request the Owners' Association to access or to be provided with any information or an account statement of revenues and expenses related to services charges.

1. The Owners' Association or its Acting Agent shall have a lien on every Unit for unpaid service fees and other liabilities payable by the Unit Owner in accordance with the provisions of this Law. This lien will continue to be valid even if the title of the Unit is transferred to another person.

1. If a Unit Owner fails to pay his share of the annual service fees, the financial claim issued by the Owners' Association against the Owner shall be enforceable by the execution judge of any competent court, after the lapse of a period of three (3) months from notification to the Unit Owner thereof by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt.

Article (44)

Modifications of the Structure or External Appearance of the Joint Property

1. A Unit Owner or Occupier may not make any alterations or modifications to the structure or external appearance of his Unit or any part of the Joint Property, except after obtaining the consent of the Owners' Association, and without prejudice to the existing construction legislation in force in the Emirate.

1. A Unit Owner or Occupier who breaches the provisions of clause (1) shall be liable to repair the damage resulting from the change or modification at his own expense and in the manner requested by the Acting Agent. If the Unit Owner or Occupier fails to meet this obligation, the Acting Agent shall repair the damage and recover the repair costs from the Owner or Occupier as the case may be.

1. A Unit Owner or Occupier and visitors shall use the Common Areas for the purpose set for them and in a way that does not affect the rights of others in the use of such parts or bother them or endanger their safety or the safety of the Joint Property.

Article (45-63)

Article (45)

Management of Common Areas

1. The Owners' Association shall comply with the Main Site Regulation and controls and requirements issued in this regard by the Department.

1. The Owners' Association may, subject to the approval of the Department, entrust some of the tasks prescribed under this Article to any person or company for a fee and under the terms of agreed upon, and shall adopt the fees resulting therefrom, if any, by the Department.

Article (46)

Chapter 8 - Finance and Fees
 Finance

1. The Developer shall be bound to all costs and expenses, including annual service charges, related to the building or the Site and arising prior to the registration of the Real Estate Unit in the name of the Owner before the Municipality, unless otherwise agreed in the contract between the Developer and the Purchaser of the Real Estate Unit, for contracts in force at the effective date of this Regulation.

1. Upon division of the building or compound under the Recurring Floor Plan or Site Plan and deposit thereof before the municipality and establishment of the Owners' Association, the Association shall be liable for all costs and expenses related to the plan and arising under the Law, the Statute of the Association or this Regulation.

1. The Developer may impose the Site fees after obtaining the approval of the Department, in accordance with the provisions of the Law and this Regulation, otherwise, the Site fees shall be considered illegal and ineffective, and the Developer may not impose or collect or recover them.

Article (47)

Annual Budget

1. The annual budget of the Owners' Association shall consist of service charges, which include estimates of income and expenditure accompanied by an allocation of goods and services, including management and maintenance costs, the necessary updates and any major basic equipment.

1. The annual budget may not include the following:
   a. Any fees related to the agreements that are contrary to the provisions of this Regulation.
   b. Any fees related to public services imposed in contravention of the provisions of this Regulation.
   c. Any fees directly or indirectly relating to the recovery of the costs of provision of any major basic equipment.
   d. Any fees directly or indirectly related to the recovery of the costs of any capital expenses finance.

1. The annual budget may include the contribution to the reserve bank account for the renewal and replacement of the main basic equipment in accordance with the Statute of the Owners' Association.

1. The annual budget shall be annexed with a detailed and complete list of goods and services provided by the Developer.

1. Each beneficiary shall be handed a full copy of the annual budget, and if said beneficiary has given his e-mail or fax number for this purpose, he shall be delivered an electronic copy.

Article (48)

Rejection of the Annual Budget

1. Any Owners' Association or thirty individual beneficiaries or more may reject the annual budget within thirty (30) days as of receipt of a copy thereof by a written notice addressed to the Developer. The notice shall include the detailed reasons for rejection.

1. The Developer shall meet with the beneficiaries signatories to the notice or their representatives for the purpose of finding a remedy to their rejection, within (14) days as of the his receipt of the rejection notice.

1. If a remedy for the rejection is not found in said meeting or any adjourned meeting, within (14) days as of the meeting date, the beneficiaries, signatories to the notice, or their representatives may request the Department to take a decision on the annual budget rejection issue.

1. The Department, in considering the request referred to in clause (3) of this Article, may ratify the annual budget as presented or request amendments thereto as it deems appropriate.

1. Services fees may be charged in the following cases:
   a. Failure to submit any request to the Department under clause (3) of this Article at the end of the fourteen day period referred to in clause (2) of this Article.
   b. Submission of a request to the Department under clause (4) of this Article, after issuance of a final decision on this request by the Department.

1. Annual service fees are payable in the form of monthly or quarterly instalments and the Developer may insist on their payment as a one fee annual.

1. The beneficiary shall pay the fees imposed on him in accordance with the provisions of this Regulation; and the Developer may collect them as a debt.

Article (49)

Goods and Services Supply Agreement

1. The Developer may not enter into agreements relating to the supply or use of goods or the provision of public services which costs would directly or indirectly affect the fees prescribed for services, or lead to the gain of special profits.

1. The Developer shall obtain the approval of the Department on any agreement of supply of goods or provision of services, mentioned in clause (1) of this Article.

1. Any fees paid to the Developer contrary to the provisions of this Regulation are deemed undue, and shall be returned to the person who paid them.

1. The Department shall set principles and rules of the supply of goods or services set forth in this Article.

Article (50)

Conditions and Restrictions of Public Service Charges

1. The imposition of public services charges and increase of their specified amount shall not be permissible after being approved by the Department.

1. The Department shall determine the principles and rules of calculation of public service charges.

1. Any public service fees imposed and collected in violation of the provisions of this Article shall be deemed null and void and their payer shall have the right to recover them.

1. The Agreement concluded between the provider of public services and the beneficiary therefrom shall not include the obligation to pay illegal public services fees, and shall comprise explanatory provisions concerning the following:
   a. The basis on which the public services are provided.
   b. The availability of the services that are rendered.
   c. The circumstances in which the supply may cease.
   d. A statement of the commissions or incentives offered to other parties and the identity of such parties.

Article (51)

Share of the Contribution Rate

Taking into account the provision of Article (15) of this Regulation and the Statute of the Owners' Association, a share of contribution ratio must be allocated to each Unit imposing upon its Owner, with regards to the Owners' Association, the following rights and obligations:
a. A common share in the assets of the Owners' Association without the Unit Owner acquiring any original rights in-kind in the land that is part of the Common Areas.
b. The right to vote in the General Assembly of the Owners' Association subject to the exceptions contained in this Regulation or the Statute of the Owners' Association.
c. Payment of his share of the service charges imposed by the Owners' Association.
d. His entitlements in the event of liquidation of the Owners' Association under the provisions of the Law and this Regulation.

Article (52)

Service Charges

The Developer shall prepare a mechanism for the calculation of service charges and obtain the approval of the Municipality thereon until the first Annual General Meeting; he shall as well deposit before the Municipality a detailed report to which shall be attached the budget describing the mechanism for the calculation of the services fees imposed on Owners.

Article (53)

Chapter 9 - Final and Transitional Provisions
Appointment of the Manager for the Control of the Owners’ Association

1. The Department shall appoint a Manager to monitor the Owners' Association for a specific period of time in any of the following cases:

• If the Owners' Association refuses or fails to abide by the following:
• Decision on the dispute issued by a special arbitrator or department.
• Order issued by a competent court, comprising the repayment of the debt.
• Correction notice issued in the event of failure to maintain the Common Areas in accordance with these Regulations.
• Failure to implement the Owners' Association's tasks imposed on by virtue of the Law or the Statute of the Owners' Association or this Regulation.

1. The Department may, at any time during the term of office of the Manager appointed to monitor the Owners' Association, extend or shorten the term of his appointment.

1. When appointing a Manager to monitor the Owners' Association, the following shall be taken into account:
   a. The Department shall delegate the powers and functions of the Board of Directors to the Manager for a specified period.
   b. The Manager shall comply with the written instructions of the Department, whether contained in the nomination document or issued on a later stage.

1. The Manager appointed to monitor the Owners' Association shall convene the General Assembly in a suitable time frame before the expiry date of his appointment, in order to elect a new Board that shall be responsible of the Owners' Association's management as of the date of expiry of this period.

1. At the end of term of appointment of the Owners' Association's Manager, the Owners' Association's control shall be delegated to the Board of Directors and the General Assembly.

Article (54)

Disclosure Statement for the Purchaser’s Protection

1. The Developer shall, prior to the Purchaser's signature of a contract to purchase a Real Estate Unit off-the plan, hand to the purchaser a written statement signed by the representative of the Developer and comprising the following information:
   a. Details of the building or the project, where the Unit constitutes a part thereof, including the following:
   o Land use in the building or project (such as apartments, services and retail stores).
   o Any features or equipment or services included in the building or project and contributing to the sustainable environmental development.
   o Measure of any sustainable environmental development applied to the building or project, including the specifics of Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology and the Environment Authority in the Emirate.
   o Any special use applied to the Unit (such as the serviced apartment).
   o Utilities on Common Areas that will be available for use by Units Owners and Occupiers as of right
   o Utilities within the building or project that will be available for the use of in the building or project for use by Units Owners and Occupiers on a commercial basis.
   o Clauses on furniture and furnishings (if any) for the proposed Common Areas and Unit that the Developer commits to provide without any additional charges.
   b. A copy of the Site Development Plan or sub-Development Plan that applies to the building or the project.
   c. A copy of the Recurring Floor Management System or Site Management System.
   d. A copy of the proposed Building Management System.
   e. The draft Recurring Floor or Site Plan, which clearly illustrates the Unit's areas required by the instructions to be shown in the plan for the purposes of registration.
   f. A table of materials and finishes for each proposed Common Areas and Real Estate Units.
   g. A copy of the draft Supply Agreement that will be signed by the proposed Owners' Association.
   h. A budget prepared on a reasonable basis with respect to the general bank account and reserve bank account for the first two fiscal years of operation of the proposed Owners' Association.
   i. An estimate based on the budget of the Services charges payable to the Owners' Association concerning the Real Estate Unit for both general and reserve bank accounts during the first two fiscal years.
   j. Agreements proposed for the supply of public services to the Owners' Association and the Real Estate Unit.
   k. In the case of the Owners' Association's sale by of any of public services to Unit Owners, such sale shall be mentioned in the specifics of the Supply Agreements.
   l. If the construction works are not yet initiated, an approximate date shall be scheduled for the commencement of work.
   m. A reasonably estimated date on which the property will be handed over to the Purchaser.
   n. A statement indicating the Purchaser's obligation to register the contract of the off-plan purchase of the Unit in the Interim Real Estate Register in accordance with the Law and this Regulation, including the statement explaining the consequences of non-registration.

1. The off plan Unit Purchaser, before the conclusion of a contract to resell his Unit, shall hand the new Purchaser a full copy of the statement delivered to him under clause (1) of this Article or the Interim Disclosure Statement in accordance with this Regulation.

1. In the case of the Developer's failure to provide the Statements required under clause (1) of this Article, the Purchaser of the Real Estate Unit may request to terminate the contract for breach thereof.

1. The provision mentioned in the previous clause shall be applied if the Purchaser of the Real Estate Unit off the plan does not submit upon resale thereof a copy of the required data according to clause (2) of this Article.

1. The Developer shall guarantee that the information in the Disclosure Statement submitted under clause (1) of this Article are correct and valid, and where the information is fundamentally incomplete or inaccurate, the Developer shall be liable, for a period of two years from the date where the Unit is transferred from the Developer to the Purchaser who suffered damage as a result of such transfer whether he purchased it directly from the Developer or from a previous Purchaser.

1. If the Real Estate Unit delivered to the Purchaser is a building or a part thereof, the Developer shall notify the Purchaser of the building's delivery date and the date of the work completion certificate issued by the Municipality.

1. The Purchaser may rely on the date of the building work completion certificate issued by the Municipality that have been submitted under clause (6) of this Article for the purposes of guarantees established in the Law.

Article (55)

Limitations of the Developer’s Financial Liability

1. Subject to the terms of the contract concluded between the Developer and the Purchaser in respect of any Real Estate Unit, the Developer shall bear all costs and expenses related to the property before the subdivision under the Recurring Floor Plan or Site Plan as of the date of entry into force of this Regulation.

1. When subdividing the property in the Recurring Floor Plan or Site Plan, the Owners' Association shall bear all costs and expenses related to the plans attributed thereto under the Law, the Statutes and this Regulation.

1. The Developer shall bear all costs relating to the correction of defects in accordance with the guarantees contained in the Law and ensure the non-transfer of such costs to the Owners' Association; in the case of violation of this Article, the Owners' Association may recover such costs from the Developer who may not impose on any Owners' Association or Real Estate Unit Purchaser the costs and expenses referred to in clause (1) this Article, except for any insurance premiums or any other expenses or deposits (including expenses paid to the Department upon registration of the Owners' Association) previously paid by the Developer and relating to the insurance coverage or goods or services to be provided or delivered after the establishment of the Owners' Association, subject to the following:
   a. If the amount paid or to be borne by the Owners' Association does not exceed the value of the insurance or deposit or other expenses if they were paid by the Owners' Association itself.
   b. If the amount paid or to be borne by the Unit Purchaser does not exceed the insurance premium ratio or other expenses or deposits that the Purchaser will pay, if paid by the Owners' Association from the funds of the services fees imposed in accordance with this Regulation and the Statute of the Owners' Association.

1. When the Developer collects from the Unit Purchaser any funds as expenses of management or maintenance of the building or the compound prior to the registration of the Recurring Floor Plan or Site Plan, he shall not collect such amounts for a period of more than three months prior to the date set for their disbursement.

1. When the Developer collects the amounts referred to in clause (4) of this Article, he shall within a period of three months from the date of the founding of the Owners' Association, do the following:

• Appoint an auditor to audit all received amounts that have been spent and where he testifies the following:
• That all amounts have been spent appropriately in accordance with the purpose for which they were collected (according to this Regulation and the Statutes of the Owners' Association), and if they were not disbursed in such form, he shall state the circumstances that caused failure thereof.
• That the balance agreed upon for unspent funds is in the possession of the Developer.
• Pay to the Owners' Association the balance agreed upon and relating to the remaining amounts.
• Pay to the Owners' Association all or part of any amounts not being spent appropriately if the Department ordered him so, according to the purposes for which they were collected in its favour.

1. The Department shall, before issuing the order by virtue of paragraph (c) of clause (5) of this Article, serve a notice to the Developer stating the specifics of the inappropriate agreement and the reasons why the Department has ordered the Developer to pay any amounts to the Owners' Association.

1. When the Developer collects the amounts referred to in clause (4) of this Article and spends the same for the purchase of goods and equipment, the Developer shall transfer Ownership thereof to the Owners' Association.

Article (56)

Notices

1. Any notice provided by the Law or this Regulation or the Statute to be served to the Owners' Association or from the Owners' Association to any other person, may be notified to the concerned person by a written document or electronic form to the adopted address or fax number or the e-mail address.

1. If the notice is served in a written document, it shall be sent by registered mail or handed over to the address adopted.

1. If a notice was faxed, the receipt of a transmission report confirming that it has been successfully sent shall be deemed a proof of receipt.

1. If the notice sent by e-mail the recipients shall be deemed a receiver once he read the receipt notice.

1. The necessary registers, where the date of notices' submission in addition to the fax transmission reports and notices of e-mails non-receipt are shown, shall be kept by the party concerned with the notification or by the Owners' Association, as the case may be.

Article (57)

Adjustment of Situations

1. The Main Developer or Sub-Developer shall register before the Department the Main or Subsidiary Development Plan, as the case may be, any Existing Real Estate Development Project before the effective date of the Law.

1. Developers shall register at the Department the Recurring Floor Plan or Site Plan of any Existing Real Estate Development Project before the effective date of the Law, which includes a Real Estate Unit or property jointly owned or used according to the following:
   a. Registration of a project that has been completed within a period of three months from the effective date of this Regulation.
   b. Registration of a project, which is still under construction at the end of the project and before the delivery of Real Estate Units.

1. For the purposes of implementation of clauses (1and 2) of this Article, the Developer shall submit a notification in the form adopted by the Department to the Unit Owner or Occupier requesting them to enable the accredited surveyor, to enter the unit in order to carry out the survey work, and in this case, the Owner or Occupier shall allow access to the Real Estate Unit in accordance with the instructions of the Department.

1. The Department may take action it considers appropriate for the implementation of the obligation imposed under clause (3) of this Article.

1. Any three Owners or more of Units in an existing project, may collectively, and during or after the three month period referred to in clause (2) of this Article, serve a notice to the Developer requesting him to deposit the Recurring Floor Plan or Site Plan to the Department and if the Developer refuses or fails to take the basic steps to deposit the plan within thirty (30) days from the date of the notice, the following provisions shall be applied:
   a. The Owners in person or their representatives shall deposit plans in addition to the existing project-related documents.
   b. The Owners or their representatives shall recover the costs and expenses they incurred during the preparation and filing of plans and related documents in addition to the costs of registration of the Owners' Association.
   c. The Owners' Association may recover the costs and expenses from the Developer.

1. In case the Developer has ceased his works, or in the event of his disqualification for any reason, the notice mentioned in clause (5) of this Article may be published in the concerned section of a daily newspaper issued in the Emirate.

1. The Department may refuse to register the Recurring Floor Plan or Site Plan and relevant documents that have been deposited by the Owners if it deems that the Developer did not refuse or fail to take basic steps to register the plans within thirty (30) days from the date of submission of relevant notification.

1. The provisions of this Article shall apply to the existing project, however the Disclosure Statement provisions prescribed under the present Regulation shall only apply on the existing project upon completion of its second phase.

Article (58)

Disclosure Requirements

1. within three months as of the effective date of the Regulation:

• The Developer shall, before the Purchaser's signature of a contract to purchase Real Estate Unit in the Existing Real Estate Development Project, attach to the contract a statement to the Purchaser in the form approved by the Department, comprising the requested Disclosure Statement.
• The Purchaser shall, before signing a contract to resell the Real Estate Unit he had bought in the Existing Real Estate Development Project, attach to the contract a statement to the new Purchaser in the form approved by the Department, comprising the requested Disclosure Statement.
• If the Developer fails to comply with paragraph (a) above, or the Purchaser fails to comply with paragraph (b) above, the injured party may terminate the contract.

1. During the subsequent six months following the three month period as of enforcement of the Regulations:

• The Developer shall, prior to the Purchaser's signature of a contract to purchase a Real Estate Unit in the Existing Real Estate Development Project, do the following:
• Attach to the contract a statement to the Purchaser in the form approved by the Department.
• Submit to the Purchaser a copy of the Interim Disclosure Statement in accordance with this Regulation.
• The Purchaser shall, before entering into a contract for the re-sale of Unit he had bought from the Developer or from another person, do the following:
• Attach to that contract a statement for the new Purchaser in the form approved by the Department.
• Hand the Purchaser a copy of the Interim Disclosure Statement he had received when he purchased the Real Estate Unit.

1. In the event of the failure of the Developer or the Purchaser in fulfilling the obligation imposed on them in clause (2) of this Article, the injured party may terminate the contract.

Article (59)

Requirements of the Interim Disclosure Statement

1. The Interim Disclosure Statement shall be signed by the Developer or his representative and shall include the following data:
   a. A description of the building or project, where the Real Estate Unit will be a part thereof, including:
   1- The land use in the building or project (apartments, services and retail stores).
   2- Any features or equipment or services included in the building or project and that contribute to sustainable environmental development.
   3- Any special use applied to the building (such as serviced apartments).
   4- Utilities on the Common Areas that will be available for use by Units Owners and Occupiers as of right
   5- Utilities within the building or project that will be available for the use of in the building or project for use by Units Owners and Occupiers on a commercial basis.
   6- Clauses on furniture and furnishings (if any) for the proposed Common Areas and Unit that the Developer commits to provide without any additional charges.
   b. A preliminary plan of the unit showing the Real Estate Unit areas required to be shown in the Recurring Floor Plan or the Site Plan under the instructions for registration purposes.
   c. A table of materials and finishes for each of the proposed Common Areas and Real Estate Units.
   d. Whether it is necessary to enter into any Supply Agreements proposed by the Owners' Association and to state such agreements.
   e. An estimate of paid services charges regarding the Real Estate Unit (if any) and statement thereof.
   f. Proposed agreements for the supply of public services to the Owners' Association and Real Estate Unit.
   g. When it is necessary to provide any public services by non-government agencies other than the Owners' Association, statement determining the services and methods of payment of such services fess shall be prepared.
   h. In the event the Owners' Association sells any public services to the Unit Owners, the specifics of the supply arrangements agreements shall be provided.
   i. Whether construction works are initiated or not, an estimate reasonable date shall be scheduled for the commencement of work
   j. A reasonable estimate date for the transfer of Ownership to the Purchaser.
   k. A statement indicating the Purchaser's obligation to register the contract in the Interim Real Estate Register in accordance with the Law, including a statement explaining the consequences of non-registration.

1. The Developer shall guarantee that the information in the Interim Disclosure Statement are correct and valid, and where the information are fundamentally incomplete or inaccurate, the Developer shall be liable, for a period of two years as of the date of transfer of the Unit from the Developer, for the damages the Purchaser had suffered whether the latter had purchased the Unit directly from the Developer or from a another Purchaser.

Article (60)

Powers of the Developer in Supply Agreements

1. A Developer who registers the Owners' Association may enter into a Supply Agreement on behalf of the Association being the Owners' Association's duly authorised agent, and such power shall only be applicable for a (30) day period as of the date of registration of the Association.

1. Regarding the Supply Agreement concluded in accordance with clause (1) of this Article, the following shall be taken into account:
   a. The Developer shall draft a minutes for the exercise of power entrusted to him in the minutes register of the Owners' Association.
   b. The Supply Agreement shall be binding to the Owners' Association.
   c. Disclosure of the Supply Agreement to the Units Owners on the first Annual General Meeting of the Owners' Association.
   d. Application of the provisions and procedures laid down in Article (38) of this Regulation as appropriate to the termination of the agreement concluded by the Developer during the control period.

Article (61)

Services Charges Due to the Developer

1. If a Unit Owner at the date of registration of the Owners' Association owes services charges to the Developer, the Developer may request the Department a certificate proving the service charges debt in relation with the amount due and the Department shall issue such a certificate if it is established that the amount or any other amount less than the amount agreed upon by the Developer has become outstanding.

1. Upon presentation of the certificate issued to the Owners' Association in accordance with clause (1) of this Article, the Owners' Association shall record the debt in its registers as an amount due to it by the concerned Unit Owner regarding the unpaid services fees, and upon registration of the debt, it shall become payable by the Unit Owner to the Owners' Association and shall be recovered in the same manner as other unpaid services fees, including attachment of the Real Estate Unit, pursuant to the Law.

1. If the Owners' Association has collected the debt registered in accordance with clause (2) of this Article, such amount shall be transferred to the Developer to whom the certificate was issued after deduction of any compensation or expenses recovered with respect to the debt.

1. For the purpose of this Article, services charges shall signify the fees imposed by the Developer on any Unit Owner or any Purchaser to cover the costs of management and maintenance of the building or site pending the registration of the Recurring Floor Plan or Site Plan with regards to that building or site.

1. For the purposes of application of clause (1) of this Article, the Department shall have the right to request any requirements or documents from the concerned parties.

Article (62)

The Department shall issue decisions, instructions and models necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this Decision.

Article (63)

This Decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force as of the effective date of the provisions of the Law.

The Chairman of the Department of Municipal Affairs,

• After perusal of Abu Dhabi Law No. 1/1974 on the Reorganisation of the Government Apparatus in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, as amended; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2005 on the Regulation of the Real Estate Registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and Abu Dhabi Law No. 19/2005 on Real Estate Property, as amended; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 9/2007 on the Establishment of the Department of Municipal Affairs; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015 on the Regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and Abu Dhabi Executive Council Decision No. 64/2010 on Provisions of Real Estate Ownership; and Based on the documents submitted to the Executive Council and its approval thereof; Has issued the following decision:

Article (1-3)

Article (1)

Definitions

In application of the provisions of these Regulations, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned hereto, unless the context otherwise requires.

Department: Department of Municipal Affairs.

Municipality: Abu Dhabi Municipality or Al Ain City Municipality or Western Region Municipality and any municipality that may be established in the future in the Emirate.

Law: Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015 on the Regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Disposition: Any deal that affects the existing rights on a real estate or results in new rights, including but not limited to the real estate sale, purchase; and mortgage, usufruct and long-term rent transactions; and deeds of assignment relating to any real estate disposition.

Off Plan Sale: Contract whereby the Purchaser is granted realty rights over a Real Estate Unit proposed on the strata or complex scheme.

Survey Requirements: Instructions issued by the Department under the Implementing Regulation on real estate common properties and owners associations in accordance with the Law.

Real Estate Register: Real Estate Register established according to the provisions of Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2005 referred to.

Real Estate Development Register: Written or electronic register prepared to save all data and documents pertaining to real estate development projects.

Interim Real Estate Register: Written or electronic register prepared for the registration of all dispositions and provisions related to real estate units sold off plan.

Property: Various types of real estate, including land, buildings, facilities and real estate by destination including the Real Estate Unit.

Real Estate Development Project: Project of construction of multi-storey buildings or complexes for residential or commercial or mixed-use purposes, in addition to their facilities, or construction of infrastructure and services facilities in the event of sale of vacant lands.

Developer: Master developer or sub-developer.

Master Developer: A person licensed to practice real estate development, sales, management and rental activities in a part of the main complex by virtue of an agreement signed between him and the master developer or another sub-developer.

Real Estate Unit: Apartments, storeys and shops or any part of the house (Villa) connected to another house or independent therefrom or a vacant land within a common property, whether existing or proposed on the strata plan or the complex scheme and allocated for a commercial or residential or mixed-use purpose.

Owners Association: Owners association formed under the provisions of the Law for the management and operation of common properties including repair, maintenance and good use thereof.

Article (2)

Obligation of Registration in the Interim Real Estate Register

1. Subject to Article 28 of the Law, the Alienator shall, immediately after conclusion of any real estate Disposition, submit to the Department an application for registration thereof in the Interim Real Estate Register according to the electronic or paper form approved by the Department, in which the following data shall be stated:
   a. Date of the contract.
   b. Data related to the Alienator and the Alienee.
   c. Price or value specified in the Disposition Contract (in AED)
   d. Name and registration number of the Real Estate Development Project and any relevant major development.
   e. The date expected for the completion of the Real Estate Development Project.
   f. Details of the property subject of (Disposition), including details of the suggested parcel of land or storey in the building when necessary, and a scheme determining its location and surface area (m2) according to the current registered title deed.
   g. Any other data or details determined by the Department at any time.

1. Subject to Article 28 of the Law, if the Alienator of the contract, subject of the off plan disposition, does not submit the application mentioned in clause (1) of this Article, the Department shall inform him to provide it with a copy of the Disposition Contract and relevant information, and the Alienator of the Real Estate Unit shall implement the content of such notice and pay the fees prescribed for the registration of the contract in the Interim Real Estate Register in addition to the Disposition registration delay fines.

1. Subject to Article 28 of the Law, if the Alienator of the Real Estate Unit refuses or fails to register the Disposition in the Interim Real Estate Register within 21 days as of the date of its conclusion, the Alienee may submit the application for registration to the Department and shall have the right to recover the costs he incurred from the Alienator, and in the case of non-payment of such costs by the Alienator, the Alienee may deduct their amount from the purchase price specified in the contract.

1. In the event the Alienator of the Real Estate Unit submits an application for registration of the Real Estate Disposition after expiry of the period specified in clause (3) of this Article, the Department shall register such Disposition and impose a delay fine of (AED 10,000) ten thousand Emirati Dirham to be collected from the Real Estate Unit Alienator.

Article (3)

The Application for Registration Documents

1. The application for registration of the Off Plan Disposition Contract shall include the following:
   a. The receipt of payment of the prescribed fees.
   b. A signed copy of the Contract.
   c. The details of the Real Estate Unit Alienee and Alienator.

1. If the Alienee is a physical person, the following documents shall be attached to the application for registration of the Off Plan Disposition Contract:
   a. A copy of a valid passport.
   b. A residence visa for the Alienee resident in the state.
   c. A copy of the identity card of the Alienee resident in the state.
   d. An identification document accepted by the Department for the Alienee resident outside the state.
   e. The address of the current residence and phone numbers.
   f. The e-mail, which can be used by the Department for the purposes of notification.

1. If the Alienee is a juristic person, the following documents shall be attached to the application for registration of the Off Plan Disposition Contract:
   a. A copy of a valid commercial licence at the date of application.
   b. The Statute and the Articles of Association.
   c. The names and nationalities of the directors and shareholders of the Company.
   d. The e-mail, which can be used by the Department for the purposes of notification.
   e. A copy of the Board of Directors' decision, which includes the delegation of one of its members or the Director to represent the company, and a copy of the passport of the person authorized to sign for the company.

1. After completion of the Disposition registration, the Department shall notify the Alienee and Alienator of the registration and number of the registered contract and shall hand them a notice thereof in accordance with the form adopted by the Department.

Article (4-6)

Article (4)

Registration of Completed Real Estate Development Projects

1. In the event the Real Estate Development Project is completed and has been granted a certificate of completion from the concerned municipality, the Developer shall observe the following:
   a. Register the completion of the real estate development project in the Real Estate Register at the Department.
   b. Register and transfer the ownership of the real estate unit subject of disposition to the Real Estate Register on behalf of the Purchaser, who paid the purchase price.

1. The Developer shall submit the application for registration of the completed Real Estate Development Project to the Department in accordance with the approved form, accompanied by the receipt of the payment of the prescribed fees in addition to the following:
   a. Copies of the current certificates and title deeds of all land parcels comprising the Real Estate Development Project.
   b. Copies of approvals of authorities concerned with the Real Estate Development Project.
   c. Completion certificate from the concerned municipality and the approved project consultant confirming the completion of the Real Estate Development Project.
   d. A letter of no objection from the Master Developer if the project Developer is a sub-developer.
   e. A table showing the details related to each real estate unit or parcel of land in the project and stating the entry references in the Interim Real Estate Register, which include the following:

• The number of the Real Estate Unit or parcel of land.
• The surface of the Real Estate Unit or parcel of land measured in the manner required by the Survey Requirements.
• The number and surface of the parking or storage space or additional Real Estate Unit spaces that are part of or related to the real estate unit or parcel of land, when necessary.

1. The Department shall register the completion of the Real Estate Development Project and details of the Real Estate Units or parcels of land in the Real Estate Register.

Article (5)

Transfer to the Real Estate Register

1. If the Purchaser has fulfilled his contractual obligations and paid the full purchase price under the Agreement registered in the Interim Real Estate Register, the Developer shall within 21 days as of the payment of the purchase price, submit an application to the Department for the transfer of the ownership of the Real Estate Unit or parcel of land, subject of the agreement, to the Purchaser, as well as all real estate rights associated with the ownership right, if any.

1. The Developer shall submit, to the Department, the application for the transfer of the ownership of the Real Estate Unit to the Real Estate Register in accordance with the form adopted by the Department and accompanied by the following documents:
   a. The receipt of payment of the prescribed fees.
   b. A certificate confirming redemption of the mortgage on the property subject of disposition to which the transfer relates.
   c. Any new or alternative mortgage registered immediately after registration of the transfer.
   d. Any other documents or requirements established by the Department.

1. The Department shall register the transactions according to the following order:
   a. Redemption of the mortgage on the property subject of Disposition.
   b. The transfer of ownership; the ownership right may be transferred along with the mortgage in the absence of redemption thereof, subject to the consent of the mortgagee creditor.
   c. The new or alternative mortgage of the Off Plan Disposition.

1. The transfer of the ownership right and the new or alternative mortgage, if any, shall be registered and all Dispositions associated with the Real Estate Unit shall be transferred from the Interim Real Estate Register to the Real Estate Register as need may be.

Article (6)

Transfer of the Ownership Right by the Purchaser

1. If the Developer does not transfer the ownership of the real estate unit or the parcel of land in accordance with Article (5) of these Regulations, the Purchaser, under the Disposition, or the mortgagee creditor, may submit to the Department a request to enforce the transfer, and provide it with copies of the documents and information to prove his right in the transfer of the Disposition from the Interim Real Estate Register to the Real Estate Register.

1. The Department shall notify the Developer of the request referred to in clause (1) of this Article, and grant him (21) days as of the date of his notification to state the reasons that prevented him from transferring the Disposition of the Real Estate Unit or parcel of land to the Alienee.

1. The Department may, after considering any reports provided by the Developer, transfer the Disposition of the Real Estate Unit or parcel of land from the Interim Real Estate Register to the Real Estate Register on behalf of the Alienee, and the Developer shall bear the Disposition transfer costs unless otherwise agreed with the Purchaser.

1. If the Developer fails to respond to the notification within the period prescribed in clause (2) of this Article, the Department may proceed with the transfer of the Real Estate Unit or parcel of land disposition from the Interim Real Estate Register to the Real Estate Register on behalf of the Alienee without further notice to the Developer, at the expenses of the Developer.

1. The Department shall notify the Developer of its decision on the registration issued pursuant to clauses (3) and (4) of this Article.

1. The Developer may file a grievance before the Chairman of the Department against the decision referred to in clause (5) of this Article within two weeks as of the date of his notification thereof.

1. The Chairman of the Department shall decide on the grievance within thirty days from the date of its registration before the Department.

1. The concerned party shall have the right to appeal the decision mentioned in clause (7) of this Article before the competent court within sixty days as the date of his notification thereof.

Article (7-8)

Article (7)

Transfer of Ownership by the Department

1. If the Department finds out that the Developer did not comply with the provisions of Article (5) of these Regulations, it may, at its sole discretion and after conducting a research and investigation, transfer the Real Estate Unit or parcel of land disposition from the Interim Real Estate Register to the Real Estate Register on behalf of the Alienee under the Disposition Contract, and may recover any costs and expenses it incurred in the implementation of the Disposition transfer, including the prescribed fees from the Developer.

1. The Department shall exercise its powers by virtue of clause (1) of this Article after satisfaction of the following:
   a. Completion of Real Estate Development Project registration after its achievement.
   b. Registration of the relevant partition schemes (strata scheme and complex scheme).
   c. Registration of any Owners Association.
   d. The Alienee's fulfilment of all his contractual obligations established under the Disposition Agreement.

Article (8)

Disposition of the Registered Real Estate Units

1. Subject to the registration requirement provided for in Article 27 of the Law and the provisions of these Regulations, the Real Estate Units registered in the Interim Real Estate Register may be disposed of as well through sale or mortgage or any other dispositions.

1. The Department shall register all security mortgages imposed on real estate units registered in the Interim Real Estate Register in accordance with the procedures governing the security mortgages in general pursuant to the provisions of the Law and the Implementing Regulations on security mortgages.

1. Any security mortgage imposed on Real Estate Units registered in the Interim Real Estate Register shall not be deemed valid unless registered in the Interim Real Estate Register and such mortgage shall be binding on any of its parties or on third parties.

1. The Department shall issue the instructions and controls when necessary to regulate the registration of security mortgages related to Real Estate Units registered in the in Interim Real Estate Register.

Article (9-10)

Article (9)

Executive provisions

The Department shall issue its decisions, instructions, directives and models necessary to implement the provisions of these Regulations.

Article (10)

This Decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall take effect as of the date of entry in force of the provisions of the Law.

The Chairman of the Department of Municipal Affairs,

• Pursuant to the perusal of Abu Dhabi Law No. 1/1974 on the Reorganisation of the Government Apparatus in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and its amendments;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2005 on the regulation of the real estate registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; Abu Dhabi Law No. 19/2005 on real estate ownership and its amendments;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 9/2007 on the establishment of the Department of Municipal Affairs;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015 concerning the regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and Based on the proposal made to the Executive Council and its approval by the Council,

Issued the following Decision:

Article (1)

Without prejudice to the Table of fees annexed to the aforementioned Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2005, the fees specified in the following Table shall be collected in return for the services provided by the Department and the concerned Municipalities according to the aforementioned Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015 and the Implementing Regulations issued by virtue thereof.

Table of Fees in Return for Services

Article (2)

The present Decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force from the date of entry into force of the aforementioned Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015.

The Chairman of the Department of Municipal Affairs,

• Pursuant to the perusal of Abu Dhabi Law No. 1/1974 on the Reorganisation of the Government Apparatus in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and its amendments;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2005 on the regulation of the real estate registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Law No. 19/2005 on real estate ownership and its amendments;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 9/2007 on the establishment of the Department of Municipal Affairs;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015 concerning the regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and Based on the proposal made to the Executive Council and its approval by said Council,

Issued the following Decision:

Article (1-3)

Article (1)

Definitions

In application of the provisions of the present Regulation, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned thereto unless the context requires otherwise:

Emirate: Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Department: Department of Municipal Affairs.

Municipality: Municipality of Abu Dhabi City, Al Ain City Municipality, Western Area Municipality and any Municipality that would be established in the Emirate in the future.

Law: Law no. (3) of 2015 concerning the regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Licensees: Persons who work in the real estate sector and who are licensed by the Department. Those persons are: the developer, the broker, the broker's employee, the auctioneer, the owners' association manager, the appraiser and the surveyor.

Licence: Authorisation issued by the Department to permit the licensees to exercise their activities in accordance with the provisions of the Law and the Implementing Regulation.

Person: Natural or juridical person.

Director General: Director General of the concerned municipality.

Office: Real Estate Registration Office at the Municipality.

Director of the Office: Director of the Real Estate Registration Office.

Real Estate Appraiser: Person who takes charge, in return for remuneration, of appraising and estimating the value of a real estate or any other property rights on said real estate and giving opinion thereon.

Real Estate Appraisal: Specialised activity exercised by the Real Estate Appraiser to set a value for the real estate on a specified date through a written report.

Real Estate Development Register: Paper or electronic Register for keeping all data and documents related to the real estate development projects.

Real Estate Appraisal Standard: Real estate valuation standards that are approved by the Department, constitute technical reference for the real estate appraisers/valuators, which are intended for helping the real estate appraiser provide trusted appraisals and full reports containing the necessary data and requirements that are based on scientific principles, to reach the highest degree of accuracy and transparency of real estate appraisal in the Emirate.

Article (2)

Real Estate Appraisers Register

1. A special register, annexed to the Real Estate Development Register, called Real Estate Appraisers Register shall be established for the registration of the persons licensed to exercise the real estate appraiser profession in the Emirate. Every change or modification that occurs to the data related to said persons and all information including disciplinary penalties imposed on them shall be written down in said Register.

1. Whoever obtains the required licence, registers his name in the Register mentioned in Clause (1) of the present Article and obtains the practitioner card for the real estate profession from the Municipality shall be considered a Real Estate Appraiser.

1. No one may practice the real estate profession in the Emirate or present a report to this effect to any private or public authority, unless they are licensed and registered in the Register mentioned in Clause (1) of the present Article.

Article (3)

Duties and Powers of the Real Estate Registration Office

In addition to the administration duties and powers, the Office shall have the following duties and powers:

1. Setting the principles required for the regulation of work of the real estate appraisers and the control of their abidance by the provisions of the present Regulation.

1. Proposing the conditions of licensing Real Estate Appraisal Committees and submitting them to the Department. The Office may propose amending said conditions in the future as required.

1. Registering the real estate appraisers in the concerned register and issuing the practitioner card.

1. Issuing a bulletin containing the names of its accredited real estate appraisers.

1. Examining the complaints submitted to the Office against the real estate appraisers and taking the appropriate decision on said complaints.

1. Supervising the training programs and the tests required for raising the efficiency of real estate appraisers.

1. Proposing the amendments required for the real estate legislations related to real estate appraisal and submitting them to the director general to take decisions thereon as he deems appropriate.

1. Proposing the real estate evaluation standards and the modifications to be made thereto according to the requirements of the real estate sector in the Emirate.

1. Setting special system for keeping the registers required for the Office's work.

1. Setting the code of conduct of the real estate appraisal profession and proposing the required amendments to be made thereto.

Article (4-7)

Article (4)

Card and Registration Number of the Real Estate Appraiser

1. Under the provisions of the present Regulation, the Office shall issue the real estate appraiser card which authorizes its holder to practice the real estate appraisal profession.

1. The real estate appraiser card contains the appraiser's name and the authority to which he reports in addition to the appraiser's registration number in the Real Estate Appraisers Register. The appraiser shall have his name associated with his registration number in all the correspondences and reports issued thereby.

Article (5)

Renewal of licences and Registration in the Register

Without prejudice to the licensing conditions, the renewal of licence, registration of the real estate appraiser and the re-registration thereof in the concerned register require the following:

1. The real estate appraiser shall provide a certificate proving that he has attended training sessions, in case such certificated is requested by the Department.

1. The real estate appraiser shall not have been subject to any of the disciplinary penalties specified in Article (10) of the present Regulation.

Article (6)

Real Estate Appraisal Training

1. The application for attending Real Estate Appraisal Training, for the purposes of licensing and registration in the Register in order to practice the real estate appraisal profession, shall be submitted to the Office upon the fulfilment of the following conditions:
   a. The required documents mentioned in the prescribed registration instructions shall be attached.
   b. A no objection certificate shall be provided by a licensed and registered real estate appraiser to indicate that the latter approves that the applicant receives the training.

1. The real estate appraiser who in is charge of training the new appraisers shall submit to Office each 3 months, to show the extent of perseverance and assiduity of the trainee.

1. The real estate appraiser who is in charge of training the appraisers shall bear all the responsibility for the reports prepared by said appraisers and shall sign them formally.

Article (7)

Duties of the Real Estate Appraiser

1. If the real estate appraiser develops a health condition that prevents him from performing his duties based on a report issued by a competent medical authority, he shall notify the Office of the matter.

1. The real estate appraiser shall perform real estate appraisal works only on behalf of the authority for which he works or by which he is assigned.

1. Before commencing real estate appraisal works, the real estate appraiser shall receive from the party requesting appraisal a written assignment request showing the task entrusted to him and the purpose sought from the real estate appraisal.

1. The real estate appraiser shall abstain from performing any real estate appraisal task if he finds out that such task requires special expertise or knowledge that are not met by him to perform it efficiently.

1. After receiving all data and information needed thereby, the real estate appraiser shall perform the task entrusted to him with high professional efficiency.

1. The real estate appraiser shall fulfil the requirements of the real estate appraisal standards, the code of conduct, code of professional ethics as well as the technical and administrative instructions related to the profession issued by the Department.

1. The real estate appraiser shall comply with the international scientific methods set forth in the real estate valuation policy applicable in the Emirate to determine the value of the real estate.

1. The real estate appraisal tasks and duties shall be based on a written contract wherein the names of the contracting parties and the description of the real estate to be appraised shall be specified.

Article (8-15)

Article (8)

Mechanism of Action of the Real Estate Appraiser

1. When the real estate appraiser has recourse to external services to carry out his task, he shall make sure that the parties who are assisting him have the required skills and he shall obtain the approval of the employer to this effect and mention any party who has assisted him upon drafting the final assessment report.

1. The real estate appraiser shall prepare a paper and electronic work file for each real estate appraisal task carried out thereby and upon completion of said task the file shall contain valid copies in addition to all written reports, correspondences and memorandums for the purposes of the required real estate appraisal.

1. The real estate appraiser shall keep the records of the reports and files related to the real estates appraised thereby during the last five years.

1. Should the work of the real estate appraiser require entering to the real estate subject-matter of appraisal, he shall give prior notice to the owner of the real estate, his agent or its occupant. For that purpose, he shall have the right to enter the real estate within the working hours with any of his assistants.

Article (9)

Preparing Reports and Registers

1. The real estate appraiser shall undertake to draw up the requested report according to the form adopted by the Department and the Office in this regard and in a timely manner, taking into account the form, basic requirements and data concerning the real estate and the right related thereto, which shall be contained in said report, and shall deliver same to the concerned party with a soft copy thereof to be submitted to the Department.

1. The Chairman of the Department or any delegate thereof my commission any employee of the Department or the Municipality to inspect the records mentioned in Article (8) of the present Regulation to verify that the real estate appraiser has abided by the provisions and instructions issued by virtue of the present Regulation.

1. Every real estate appraiser who is licensed and registered in the concerned register shall be granted the competences required for the use of his electronic transactions register in case it is set by the Office for the purpose of identification of characteristics of each real estate appraiser operation carried out thereby.

Article (10)

Cancelation or Suspension of the Licence

1. Without prejudice to Article 79 of the Law, the Department may cancel or suspend the licence of the real estate appraiser in the following cases:
   a. In case of insolvency or bankruptcy of the real estate appraiser.
   b. If he is convicted for an offence involving moral turpitude or dishonesty or if his conduct and reputation become bad.
   c. If he no more fulfils any of the conditions set forth in the provisions of the Law and its Implementing Regulation and any regulations, decisions or instructions issued by virtue thereof.
   d. If he commits any acts, practices or violations that makes him a person who is unfit to continue to act as a licensee in the field of real estate appraisal, or if becomes no more able to efficiently perform his duties.
   e. If he violates any provision of the Law and its Implementing Regulation and the decisions issued in implementation of said Law or if he violates any code of ethics that applies to him.

1. Before cancelling or suspending the licence, the Department shall send a written notice to the real estate appraiser containing the reasons behind such procedure.

1. Subject to Clause (2) of the present Article, the real estate appraiser may reply to the abovementioned notice within 21 days.

1. Should the Department decide to cancel or suspend the licence, it shall take into consideration the reasons (if any) stated by the concerned party in the reply to the notice.

1. Instead of cancelling or suspending the licence, the Department may send a warning taking into account the professional register of the real estate appraiser.

1. The Department shall register the information related to the violations committed by the real estate appraiser and the disciplinary penalties in the Real Estate Development Register.

1. The real estate appraiser who is affected by the Department's decision of cancellation or suspension of the licence or the warning sent to him may challenge the Department's decision before the competent court within 60 days from the date of issuance of the Department's decision.

Article (11)

Notification with Respect to the Decisions Concerning the Real Estate Appraisers

1. The Department shall notify the concerned parties including banks, financial institutions, the Ministry of Justice, the Judicial Department and other authorities concerned with the decisions issued with respect to real estate appraisers, including the disciplinary penalties issued against the real estate appraiser.

1. The Department or the Office shall notify the official authorities such as the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Labour, the Department of Economic Development, the Judicial Department/and the Expert's Department in case any person is caught while practicing the real estate appraiser profession without being licensed and registered in the concerned register, to take appropriate measures against such person.

Article (12)

Real Estate Appraisal Standards

1. Based on the recommendation of the Office, the Department shall issue the instructions regulating the real estate appraisal standards, which are considered as the professional reference for all the real estate appraisers/valuators in the Emirate.

1. The real estate appraisal standards shall contain the rules and provisions to be observed by all the real estate appraisers /valuators to act based on scientific principles in order to reach the highest level of accuracy and transparency in the practice of their work, which leads to the promotion of the real estate market standing in the Emirate.

1. The real estate appraisal/valuation standards shall contribute positively to the fulfilment of the following:
   a. Creating a trusted database for the prices of real estates that are considered as a historical documentation that may be referred to when needed for the purpose of finding information concerning a specific area.
   b. Giving a true description of the prices of real estates in the Emirate to allow the real estate appraiser/valuator to gain a useful experience on the real estate market through knowing the true values of the real estates.
   c. Applying an international real estate appraiser system that goes in line with the modern and agreed-upon standards according to the international practices, based on the International Valuation Standards Counsel (IVSC).
   d. Promoting trust of the real estate appraisers/valuators which leads to avoiding random valuation, in a manner ensuring transparency in dealing with the market partners and guaranteeing their rights.

Article (13)

Rectification of Situations

Without prejudice to Article (84) of the Law, the persons who practice real estate appraisal activity in the Emirate shall rectify their situations according to the provisions of the present Regulation.

Article (14)

The Department shall issue the decisions, instructions, directives and forms required for the execution of the provision of the present Regulation.

Article (15)

The present Decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force from the date of enforcement of the provisions of the Law.

The Chairman of the Department of Municipal Affairs,

• Pursuant to the perusal of Abu Dhabi Law No. 1/1974 on the Reorganisation of the Government Apparatus in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and its amendments;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2005 on the regulation of the real estate registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi,
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 19/2005 on real estate ownership and its amendments;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 9/2007 on the establishment of the Department of Municipal Affairs;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015 concerning the regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi;
• Federal Law No. 5/1985 on the promulgation of the Civil Transactions Law and its amendments; and
• Based on the proposal made to the Executive Council and its approval by said Council,

Issued the following Decision:

Article (1-3)

Article (1)

Definitions

In application of the provisions of the present Regulation, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned thereto unless the context requires otherwise:

Department: Department of Municipal Affairs.

Municipality: Municipality of Abu Dhabi City, Al Ain City Municipality, Western Area Municipality and any Municipality that would be established in the Emirate in the future.

Law: Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015 concerning the regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi;

Initial Real Estate Register: Paper or electronic register prepared for the registration of all acts and provisions related to real estate units that are sold off-plan.

Registrar: Director of the Real Estate Registration Department at the Municipality and any employee delegated for the Real Estate Register or the Initial Real Estate Register.

Mortgage on Real Estate: Contract by virtue of which the debtor acquires, on the mortgaged property designated for the settlement of his debt, an in-kind right or contract benefit by virtue of which he may surpass the ordinary debtors and those following him in ranking.

Mortgagor: debtor holding the property right or contractual right, including the in-kind surety, who is a mortgage debtor.

Mortgagee: Debtor having fulfilled the conditions set forth in Article (32) of the Law, who lends the mortgagor, and the loan is secured to him by mortgage on real estate.

Mortgaged property: Real estate, property right or contractual right associated to a property right that is mortgaged in favour of the mortgagee.

Mortgage Bond: Bond issued by the Department by virtue of Article (3) of the present Regulation.

Preference Bond: Bond, among an number of mortgagee creditors who hold the mortgage right for the same real estate, by virtue of which one or more mortgagees accept to give priority to another mortgagee over them.

Article (2)

Registration of mortgage and documents to be offered

1. The mortgage on real estate shall be registered in the Initial Real Estate Register or the Real Estate Register as the case may be, according to the form prepared for that purpose by the Department.

1. The application for registration of a mortgage on real estate shall be submitted to the Registrar after being signed by the mortgagor (creditor or in-kind surety), the mortgagee or the in-kind surety.

1. The applicant for registration of a mortgage on real estate shall attach the following documents:
   a. Three copies of the real estate mortgage contract that shall be drafted according to the form adopted by the Department.
   b. If the mortgagee creditor is a bank, a company or a finance institution, the application shall be submitted along with an evidence proving that the mortgagee creditor is licensed and duly registered at the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates according to the provisions of Article (32) of the Law.
   c. The original title deed or the initial registration certificate of the mortgaged property in addition to an evidence proving the registration of said property in the Real Estate Register.
   d. A no objection notification by the mortgagee creditor should there be any existing mortgage, according to the form adopted for that purpose by the Department.
   e. Receipt of payment of the fees prescribed for the submission and registration of the application.
   f. Any other document or information requested by the Department.

1. If the mortgager is a natural person in the State, he/shall submit the following documents in addition to what was specified in Clause (3) above:
   a. Copy of the ID or of a valid passport and a resident visa for non-resident foreigners as the case may be.
   b. Current address as well as the land and telephone line numbers.
   c. E-mail for the purpose of sending other notifications and correspondences by the Department.

1. If the mortgager is a juridical person, the latter shall submit the following documents in addition to what was specified in
   Clause (3) above:
   a. Copy of a commercial licence that is valid at the time submission of the application (if it is a company registered in the State).
   b. Copy of the registration certificate that is valid at the time of submission of the application (if it is a non-resident company /registered in the State).
   c. Articles of Incorporation and Statute of the Company.
   d. Names of the directors and shareholders of the Company and the nationality of each of them.
   e. Email for the purpose of sending notices and other correspondences by the Department.

1. All the documents required to be attached to the application for registration of the real estate on mortgage shall be endorsed, approved and translated into Arabic as specified by the Department in case of a foreign company.

1. Each of the contracting parties or their legal representatives shall appear to sign the contract before the Registrar. If any of the owners is a minor, an approval of the mortgage shall be submitted by the competent court.

Article (3)

Real Estate Mortgage Bond

1. After its registration, the real estate mortgage contract drafted according to the form adopted by the Department shall be deemed as a writ of execution of the mortgage, according to the provisions of Article 57 of the Law.

1. A copy of the mortgage bond shall be delivered to each of the mortgager and the mortgagee and it shall be signed and sealed by the Registrar, on the sooner date following the registration of the mortgage.

1. The real estate mortgage bond may be electronic and have the binding force of a legal instrument in matters of proof.

Article (4-6)

Article (4)

Transfer of Real Estate Mortgage Rights

1. A mortgager who wishes to dispose of the mortgaged property either by sale, donation or other dispositions, or give rise to any in-kind or personal right as a result thereof, shall obtain the approval of the mortgagee unless otherwise agreed according to the provisions of Article 38 of the Law.

1. The mortgager shall conclude a deed of transfer of real estate mortgage rights with the mortgagee and the transferee and shall expeditiously deposit the aforementioned deed at the Department.

1. The application for transfer of real estate mortgage rights shall be submitted according to the form adopted for that purpose by the Department. The application shall be submitted along with four copies of the transfer documents, an original copy of the real estate mortgage bond that shall be signed and sealed, in addition to all the documents mentioned in Article (2) of the present Regulation as the case may be.

Article (5)

Sealing and Signing the Transfer Document and Transferring the Mortgage

1. After its registration, the application for transfer of mortgage on real estate, that is drafted according to the form adopted by the Department, shall be deemed as writ of execution of the mortgage according to the provisions of Article 57 of the Law.

1. A copy of the deed of transfer of the real estate mortgage shall be delivered to each of the mortgager, the mortgagee and the transferee after being signed and sealed by the Registrar, on the sooner date following the registration of the mortgage.

1. The deed of transfer of the real estate mortgage shall may be electronic based on the decision of the Department, and it shall have the binding force of a legal instrument in matters of proof.

Article (6)

Assignment of Real Estate Mortgage Rank

Without prejudice to the provisions of Clause (2) of Article (43) of the Law, the mortgagee creditor who wishes to assign the real estate mortgage rank thereof to another mortgagee who holds a security right for the same real estate, may conclude a preference bond with that mortgagee and other mortgagee whose rank would be affected. The first mortgagee shall submit an application to the Registrar, with the following attached thereto:

1. Mortgage deferral document (number of copies equal to the number of parties), according to the form adopted by the Department.

1. Preference Bond (number of copies equal to the number of parties), according to the form adopted by the Department.

1. Original copy of the real estate mortgage documents that are signed and sealed for each of the debts that are affected by the reduction of ranking.

1. A no objection notification according to the form adopted by the Department by the mortgagee creditor having the highest ranking for any mortgages in the preference bond in case there were any existing mortgage, whereby the mortgagee creditor accepts the reduction of rank of his mortgage.

1. An evidence proving the payment of the prescribed fees.

1. Any other document or information requested by the Department.

Article (7-9)

Article (7)

Payment of a mortgage debt

1. If the debt secured by the real estate mortgage is paid, the mortgager or the mortgagee may jointly or severally submit an application to the Registrar according to the form adopted by the Department for redeeming the mortgage, along with the following documents:
   a. A notification of no objection to the redemption of the real estate mortgage by the mortgagee creditor, according to the form adopted by the Department.
   b. Proof of payment of the debt secured by the real estate mortgage.
   c. Proof of payment of the prescribed fees.
   d. Any other document or information requested by the Department.

1. The application for redemption of the real estate mortgage, that is drafted according to the adopted form and that is mentioned in Clause (1) of the present Article, shall be deemed a legal instrument for the redemption of the mortgage.

1. A copy of the deed of redemption bond shall be delivered to each of the mortgager and the mortgagee after being signed and sealed by the Registrar.

Article (8)

Write off from the Real Estate Register and the Title Deed

Upon registering the redemption of the real estate mortgage, the Department shall remove the mortgage lien from the Initial Real Estate Register or the Real Estate Register as the case may be. The mortgage lien shall be written off form the title deed of the mortgaged property or a part thereof that relates to the mortgage.

Article (9)

Mortgages Related to Musataha/Usufruct/Long - term lease

1. Subject to Articles (49,50 and 52) of the Law, the holder of the usufruct right or musataha right for a period exceeding 10 years or the right of long-term lease, or the purchaser of the property right, may deposit his right as real estate mortgage according to the conditions and terms prescribed by law.

1. Subject to Article (51) of the Law and upon the extinguishment of the secured debt or the termination of the agreement on the right of musataha, usufruct, or long-term lease on which a real estate mortgage is registered, the Registrar shall remove the records of the mortgage lien from the Initial Real Estate Register or the Real Estate Register, as the case may be. The mortgage lien shall be written off from the title deed of the mortgaged property.

1. The terms and conditions prescribed in Article (7) of the Regulation shall be applicable during the examination of the application for write off of the real estate mortgage lien in case of extinguishment of the mortgage or of the rights related thereto.

Article (10-13)

Article (10)

Before the commencement of the procedures of execution on the mortgaged property and before the submission of an application to the magistrate of summary justice for the seizure of the mortgaged property and its sale at auction, the mortgagee shall send a written warning to the mortgager and the surety (if any) according to the form adopted by the Department by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt whereby he notifies him of the default and requires him to pay the debt and other dues within a period of no less than 30 days from the warning's date.

Article (11)

Right of the Real Estate Registration Department to Request Documents and Information

1. Should the Real Estate Registration Department at the Municipality find that any attachments to the application for registration of any document under the provisions of the present Regulation, including any documents or information to be attached to the application, are incomplete, it may ask the applicant to complete them.

1. The Real Estate Registration Department at the Municipality may set a time limit for the correction and completion of the attachments to the application mentioned in Clause (1) of the present Article. Should the applicant fail to comply with the Department's request within the time limit set, it may reject the application for the registration of the Document.

1. Should the Real Estate Registration Department at the Municipality issue a correction order with respect to the application for registration of any document under the provisions of the present Regulation, it shall collect the prescribed fees.

Article (12)

The Department shall issue the required decisions, instructions, directives and forms required for the application of provisions of the present Regulation.

Article (13)

The present Decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force as of the effective date of the provisions hereof.

The Chairman of the Department of Municipal Affairs,

• Pursuant to the perusal of Abu Dhabi Law No. 1/1974 on the Reorganisation of the Government Apparatus in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and its amendments;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2005 on the regulation of the real estate registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi,
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 19/2005 on real estate ownership and its amendments;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 9/2007 on the establishment of the Department of Municipal Affairs;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015 concerning the regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and Based on the proposal made to the Executive Council and its approval by said Council,

Issued the following Decision:

Article (1-5)

Article (1)

Definitions

In application of the provisions of the present Regulation, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned thereto unless the context requires otherwise:

Emirate: Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Department: Department of Municipal Affairs.

Municipality: Municipality of Abu Dhabi City, Al Ain City Municipality, Western Area Municipality and any Municipality that would be established in the Emirate in the future.

Law: Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015 concerning the regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Competent Authority: Government authority having competence, according to the provisions of the Law, to approve the establishment and development of real estate development projects.

Real Estate Development Project: Project of construction of multi-story buildings or compounds for residential or commercial purposes or for both purposes and their outbuildings or the construction of infrastructures and service facilities in case of sale of vacant lands.

Licensees: Persons who work in the real estate sector and who are licensed by the Department. Those persons are: the developer, the broker, the broker's employee, the auctioneer, the owners' association manager, the appraiser and the surveyor.

Developer: Main Developer or sub-developer.

Main Developer: Person licensed to practice the activities of development, sale, management and lease of real estates as main developer of the real estate development project^[1 p.10].

Sub-Developer: Person licensed to practice the activities of development, sale, management and lease of real estates in a part of a main compound by virtue of an agreement between him and the main developer or another sub-developer.

Escrow Account of the Project: Bank account of the real estate development project, wherein shall be deposited the amounts paid by the purchasers for the real estate units sold off plan or the payments of loan instalments paid by the financers for the purpose of financing the real estate development project.

Custodian: Bank or financial institution accredited by the Department to manage the escrow account of the project according to the provisions of the Law.

Real Estate Register: Real estate register established according to the provisions of the aforementioned Abu Dhabi Law No. 3 /2005.

Initial Real Estate Register: Paper or electronic register designated for the registration of all the acts and provisions related to the real estate units sold off plan.

Broker: Person who, by virtue of a brokerage contract, seeks finding a second party to conclude a certain contract though brokerage in contracting negotiations in return for a commission.

Article (2)

Chapter 1 - Escrow Account of the Project
Accreditation of the Custodian at the Department

1. The Custodian should be a bank or a financial institution that is duly licensed by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates.

1. The custodian who wishes to be accredited by the Department shall submit an application according to the form adopted by the Department, along with the following documents:
   a. Certificate proving that he is licensed and registered at the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates to perform real estate financing activities in the State.
   b. An undertaking by the person empowered to sign for the custodian to abide by the provisions of the agreements of the project's escrow accounts that are signed thereby pursuant to Article (18) of the Law.
   c. A certificate proving the payment of the prescribed fees.
   d. Any other documents or information requested by the Department.

After verifying the validity and adequacy of the information and documents submitted with the application, the Department shall issue a certificate of accreditation of the custodian.

Article (3)

Opening an Escrow Account for the Project

Without prejudice to the provisions and procedures prescribed by virtue of Article (18) of the Law, the following shall be taken into account:

1. The developer who wishes to open an escrow account for the project shall submit an application to the Department according to the adopted form, along with the following documents:
   a. Certificate of registration of the real estate development project at the Department.
   b. Certificate of registration and licensing of the developer, issued by the Department.
   c. Certificate of ownership, by the developer, of the real estate subject of the real estate development project.
   d. Certificate proving the submission of the specifications of the units and the real estate in the real estate development project at the Department and registration thereof in the Initial Real Estate Register.
   e. Certificate of accreditation of the custodian at the Department.
   f. Copies of all the approvals required to be obtained from the competent authority for the real estate development project.
   g. Three copies of the project's escrow account agreement concluded between the developer and the custodian according to the form adopted by the Department.
   h. Certificate proving the payment of the prescribed fees.
   i. Any other documents or information requested by the Department.

1. After verifying the validity and adequacy of the information and documents submitted with the application, the Department shall issue a certificate of approval of opening of the project's escrow account, proving that the developer is authorised, after the opening of the account, to sell units or real estates in the real estate development project.

1. The custodian may not open the project's escrow account before receiving the approval certificate issued by the Department according to Clause (2) of the present Article.

1. No real estate unit may be sold off plan unless the project's escrow account is opened.

1. Without prejudice to the above provisions and according to the mechanisms and terms specified by the Department, the conditions of the present Article shall not cover the real estate development projects preceding the date of enforcement of the Law and the present Regulation, provided that all the approvals required for the commencement of the project are obtained according to the following:
   a. In case the real estate units were sold off plan before the issuance of the Law and the present Regulation, the Developer shall submit statements to the Department showing all the amounts received from the purchasers and the financers as well as all the amounts spent on the project and the ratio of actual achievement of the project.
   b. The Department shall examine the documents submitted and inspect the project for the purpose of specifying the ratio of actual achievement of the preceding real estate development projects preceding according to Article (4) of the present Regulation.
   c. Every existing real estate development project shall be exempt from the requirement of opening an escrow account in case the ratio of achievement of the real estate project exceeds (70%) of the actual achievement according to the mechanisms and provisions determined by the Department in the decision of exemption from opening an escrow account for the project.

Article (4)

Estimation of the achievement ratio

1- Before commencing the real estate development project, the Developer shall undertake to present the data specified in the below Table “minimum”, after being approved by the project consultant and the Department may adopt the Table for the purpose of estimating the achievement ratios of the real estate development project or have recourse to any person it deems appropriate to verify the accuracy of the ratios compared with the nature of the project, and it may modify them for that purpose.

2- The achieved ratio of the construction works of the real estate development project shall be estimated by a consultant appointed by the Department at the expenses of the Developer taking into account the ratio consisting of the expenses borne compared with the total construction expenses appropriated in the budget of the concerned project. The Department may require the Developer to present a statement of said expenses after being audited by a certified accountant to verify the validity of the expenses borne.

3- For the purposes of Clause (2) above, the expenses borne for the construction works of the real estate development project do not include the value of the land to be developed in addition to the project's marketing expenses.

Article (5)

Management of the Project’s Escrow Account

1. The developer shall deposit all the amounts related to the purchase of the real estate units sold off plan in the project's escrow account.

1. The custodian shall give a reference number for each payment in the project's escrow account, and the real estate unit number as well as the project number shall be mentioned according to the details mentioned in the sale and purchase agreement concluded between the developer and the purchaser.

1. The custodian may receive the payments in cash or through cheque, electronic transfer or credit cards or any method accepted by the banks and according to the applicable instructions of the Central Bank.

1. The custodian shall abide by the terms of the project's escrow account agreement and no amounts may be paid from the account before verifying that the developer as achieved 20% at least of the construction works of the concerned real estate development project, provided that the remaining payments are made by virtue of the project's escrow account agreement.

1. The developer may withdraw the profits related to the project from the project's escrow account in three stages including the following:
   a. Upon the completion of achievement of 60% of the real estate development project.
   b. Upon completion of achievement of 100% of the real estate development project.
   c. In case of obtainment of approval of the Department.

1. The developer shall have the right to withdraw all the profits related to the project from the project's escrow account based on the Department's approval.

1. The Developer may not pay the value of the land that is subject to development and the project's marketing expenses from the project's escrow account.

1. The Developer shall provide the custodian with all the details related to the real estate units that are sold off plan, the prices of the units and the amounts received.

Article (6-10)

Article (6)

Project’s Escrow Account Agreement

1. The Developer and the custodian shall conclude an agreement to create the project's escrow account in the name of the concerned real estate development project according to the form adopted by the Department.

1. The project's escrow account agreement shall at least include the below conditions and standards:
   a. Condition requiring the developer to directly deposit the amounts paid by the purchaser of the real estate units off plan and the payments offered by the financers of the real estate development project at the project's escrow account.
   b. Standards to be met before the payment of any amounts to the developer from the project's escrow account, including the amounts due according to the provisions of the law.
   c. The method of distribution of the account's balance in case of cancelation of the real estate in accordance with the provisions of the Law.
   d. The conditions of management of the project's escrow account by the custodian as well as his authorities and powers to pay to the Developer from the account.
   e. Setting a condition requiring the association of the purchasers' payments to the ratios of actual achievement of the construction works that are counted according to the provisions of Articles (4 and 5) of the present Regulation.
   f. The conditions, procedures and implementing mechanisms regarding the project's escrow account agreement that would be set by the Department as it deems appropriate.

Article (7)

Obligations of the Custodian

1. Every three months, the custodian shall provide the Department with periodic statements of the revenues and payments of the project's escrow account. Moreover, he should provide the Department with an annual report audited by a certified accountant on the account, the paid amounts and the extent of their consistency with the provisions of the Law and the present Regulation and the project's escrow account agreement.

1. The Department may require the custodian to provide it with the statements of revenues and payments or any information or data it deems necessary to be checked.

1. The Department may order the custodian to stop the payment of any amounts from the project's escrow account in case the Department finds that the Developer has violated the law and its implementing regulation or the Department's instructions. Moreover, the custodian shall abide by the Department's instructions.

1. If the custodian committed any violation of the provisions of the Law, the present Regulation or the terms and conditions of the projects' escrow account agreement, the Department shall notify him of the violation and grant him a delay to rectify it. The custodian shall abide by the notification's conditions and implement them within the period specified therein.

1. The custodian shall not close the project's escrow account agreement before obtaining the approval of the Department.

1. Subject to the provisions of Article (21) of the Law, the Department shall set, as it deems appropriate, the implementing conditions, procedures and mechanisms to the implementation of the custodian's obligations in the project's escrow account.

Article (8)

Checking the Particulars of the Project’s Escrow Account

1. Every person having deposited any funds in the project's escrow account according to the provisions of the Law may check the account's particulars that belong to him and that are kept with the custodian and may obtain copies of said particulars.

1. The Custodian shall undertake to give the persons who have purchased from the Developer details and statements of account concerning the account's particulars that belong to them and the amounts paid thereby.

1. The custodian shall undertake to provide the developer with all the statements, data and information related to the real estate project.

Article (9)

Auditors of the Project’s Escrow Account

1. The auditor of the project's escrow account shall be a certified accountant accredited and licensed in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and by the UAE Accountants and Auditors Association (AAA).

1. The accredited auditors shall show their reports according to the International Standards on Auditing (ISA) and the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

Article (10)

Marketing of Real Estate Development Projects

1. Subject to Article (14) of the Law, the Developer may submit an application for the obtainment of an authorisation to declare the off plan sale and marketing of real estate units, real estates and real estate development projects after the issuance of a certificate, from the Department, approving the opening of the project's escrow account according to Clause (2) of Article (3) of the present Regulation.

1. The application for authorisation to declare the marketing of real estate development projects shall be submitted according to the form adopted by the Department.

1. After verifying the validity and adequacy of the information mentioned in the application and the documents submitted along therewith, the Department shall issue the authorisation to declare the marketing of the real estate development projects.

1. Subject to the provisions of Clause (3) of Article (14) of the Law, the Department shall set in the authorisation mentioned in Clause (3) of the present Article the implementing conditions, procedures and mechanisms as it may deem appropriate with respect to the regulation of the conditions of declaration of marketing of the real estate development projects in the local and foreign media and in those participating in local and foreign expos.

Article (11-15)

Article (11)

Delay of Commencement or Delivery of the Real Estate Development Project

Subject to the provisions of Article (25) of the Law, if the Developer fails to commence the construction works of the real estate development project after the lapse of 6 months from the date on which he is granted the approval to sell off plan without any acceptable excuse, the purchasers who own no less than (5%) of the sold real estates may file a complaint to the Department to investigate the matter according to the following:

1. The complaint shall be filed according to the form adopted by the Department along with the following documents:
   a. A copy of the sale and purchase agreement concluded between the developer and the purchaser.
   b. A written abstract of the most important facts that prove the developer's failure to commence the project.
   c. Copies of the correspondences sent between the purchaser and the developer regarding the progress of construction and any matters that affect the timing of commencement or achievement of the project.
   d. Any other document that support the complaint.
   e. Any other information or documents requested by the Department.

1. Upon the receipt of the complaint by the Department, it may carry out the following:
   a. Reject the complaint should it appear to it that the complaint is invalid based on the investigation and examination of what is presented by the purchaser.
   b. Send a copy of the Complaint to the Developer to reply within 21 days.

1. Should it appear to the Department that the developer has delayed the commencement of the project with no acceptable excuse in violation to the provision of the Law, the present Regulation or his contractual obligations, the Department may cancel the project. In such case, the developer shall refund all the funds received thereby from the purchasers in return for the real estate development project according to the provision of Article (25) of the Law and the Department shall notify the developer of its decision.

1. The developer or the purchaser may file a grievance before the Chairman of the Department against the decision issued according to the above clause within 15 days from the date of notification thereof of the decision.

1. In case of objection against the decision of the Chairman of the Department concerning the grievance filed according to the abovementioned clause, the developer or the purchaser may challenge said decision before the competent court within 60 days from the date notification thereof of the decision.

1. The Department may impose on the developer a delay penalty to be paid in favour of the purchaser of the real estate units in case the developer has delayed the delivery of the real estate development project for a period exceeding 6 months from the expected date of delivery of the project according to the time schedule to which the developer has committed towards the Department. The delay penalty shall be calculated according to the standards and practices applied with respect to the delay of achievement of real estate development projects.

Article (12)

Failure to Achieve the Real Estate Development Project

1. Subject to the provisions and procedures prescribed in Article (26) of the Law and in case the developer fails to complete the real estate development project, the custodian shall propose, after consulting the Department, the conditions, procedures and measures he deems appropriate for protecting the rights of the depositors in a manner to guarantee the completion of the real estate development project.

1. If after conducting the investigation mentioned in Article (11) of the present Regulation, the Department finds that there are circumstances that are preventing the developer from completing the real estate development project, it may take into account any depositions related to the real estate development project made by the purchaser, the financer, the investor, the developer and the custodian and may contact the interested parties when needed.

1. After exhaustion of the measures referred to in Clauses (1, 2) of the present Article and if it was impossible to find a solution to complete the project within a period of 6 months from the date of consultation with the Department, the custodian shall refund the remaining amounts deposited in the project's escrow account according to the order specified in Article (26) of the Law and under the supervision of the Department.

Article (13)

Claiming the Funds Deposited in the Project’s Escrow Account

Subject to the provisions of Articles (17 and 26) of the Law and the cancellation of the real estate development project is decided, the purchaser of the real estate unit off plan may request getting back his share of funds he has in the project's escrow account according to the following conditions:

1. The off-plan purchaser of the real estate unit may submit an application to the Department according to the adopted form, along with the following documents:
   a. A copy of the off-plan sale agreement.
   b. A copy of the correspondences exchanged between the off-pan purchaser and the developer concerning the development agreement.
   c. Details of the funds paid by the off-plan purchaser to the developer.
   d. A certificate from the custodian confirming the amount paid in the project's escrow account for the off-plan sale agreement.
   e. Certificate proving the payment of the prescribed fees.

1. The Department shall, after verifying the validity and adequacy of the information mentioned in the application and the documents submitted along therewith according to Clause (1) of the present Article, the Department shall sent a letter to the custodian wherein it shall specify the amount to be refunded to the off-plan purchaser from the project's escrow account without prejudice to the purchaser's right to recover the difference if the amount to be refunded is lesser that the one deposited by the purchaser at the project's escrow account, taking into consideration the following:
   a. The amount released from the project's escrow account to the developer.
   b. The other amounts over-deducted from the project's escrow account.
   c. The amount deposited in the project's escrow account by the financer of the real estate development project.
   d. The guarantee kept by the financer of the real estate development project.

Article (14)

Correction Request

1. If it appears to the Department that any application submitted by virtue of the provisions of the present Regulation, inter alia any documents or information to be submitted along with the application, is incomplete, it may require the applicant to complete it.

1. The Department may specify a time limit for the required correction to be done. If the applicant fails to comply with the Department's request within the specified time limit, it may reject the request.

1. The Department may collect the fees prescribed for the correction request issued according to the provisions of the Implementing Regulation with respect to the fees.

Article (15)

Chapter 2 - Funds received by the Broker
Deposition of Funds in the Project’s Escrow Account

1. The broker who receives funds from the parties with who he contracts shall deposit them in the project's escrow account.

1. The broker shall undertake to conclude a written brokerage contract according to the form adopted by the Department before performing any brokerage activity and he shall submit said contract to the Department to register it in the Real Estate Development Register within 15 days at most from the date of signature thereof. By virtue of a decision issued by the Chairman of the Department, the Department shall specify the maximum remuneration or commission that the broker may receive from the contractor.

1. The broker shall deposit all the amounts received thereby during the performance of his works according to the provisions of the Law and the Implementing Regulation in the project's escrow account separately from his own funds such as his remunerations and commissions.

1. The broker may not get any personal benefit from the amounts deposited in the project's escrow account and he may not withdraw any amounts from said account unless in the cases approved by the Department.

Article (16-22)

Article (16)

Records of the Project’s Escrow Account and Auditing of said Records

1. All the records and regular accounts required to be kept by virtue of the present Regulation or any instructions issued by the Department shall be kept by the broker in his principle headquarters according to the forms, drafted in Arabic or in English, adopted by the Department provided that the Arabic version prevails.

1. In case the computer system is used for the purpose of registering, storing or processing any data related to the project's escrow account, the following shall be taken into account:
   a. The data shall be professionally and securely stored in a place other than the principal headquarters of the broker, provided that they may be checked in said headquarters.
   b. The broker shall keep the computer records required under the provisions of the present Regulation.

1. The Department shall issue instructions and recommendations to the broker concerning the project's escrow account, and the broker shall undertake to implement them mainly the following:
   a. Sending receipts of the received funds and depositing them in the project's escrow account.
   b. In case of payment of any funds from the project's escrow account, said payment shall be made through cheques or electronic transfer and the powers related to such payments shall apply.
   c. Depositing the funds in the project's escrow account as well as the records to be kept for such deposition.
   d. Registering the transactions of the project's escrow account in a cash book and settling the balances listed in the cash book at the bank's registers.
   e. Keeping the general ledger and entering records therein.
   f. Registering the transfers between the accounts of the general ledger in the journal.
   g. Preparing monthly approximate balances of the general ledger's accounts.

Article (17)

Controlling Computer Systems

1. The provisions of the present Article shall apply to the computer system used by the broker for the storage of the transactions related to the project's escrow account.

1. The broker shall take into account to keep all the records and books that are kept according to a chronological order with all changes (whether created, modified or omitted) that are made to any of the following data in addition to a statement of the data before and after the change (name of the client, address of the client, reference number of the client's code if any, number of the project's escrow account).

1. The Broker shall verify the following for each journal:
   a. That the records match before entering them to the general ledger.
   b. That any reference numbers in the journal are kept in a chronological order subject to the control of the program.

1. The broker shall verify the following with respect to any general ledger:
   a. That the program does not allow the omission of an account unless the account's balance is zero and the account shall be kept upon its omission (as it was directly before omission) in a readable form that may be accessed upon request.
   b. The program cannot accept a record of a transaction resulting from a debit account unless a simultaneous record is issued for the transaction in a manner allowing the issuance of a separate report based on a chronological order for all said transaction in a readable form that may be accessed upon request.

1. The broker shall verify the following:
   a. That any record entered in the register that is kept in a readable form to be accessed upon request appears in a chronical order.
   b. That the report or each page or record in the report is numbered based on a chronological order under the control program in a manner that allows the completion of the records to be kept according to the provisions of the present Regulation, which will be verified and examined appropriately.
   c. The impossibility of making any modifications to any previously entered data of any transaction except for the following separate transaction related to the modification.
   d. That every data program requires an entry in each area in the data entry screen that is meant to receive the required data according to the provisions of the present Regulation that will be kept in the regular registers and books of accounts.
   e. Setting a backup version for all the registers and regular books of accounts referred to in the present Article on a diskette or a CD-ROM, or through any electronic means at least once per month.
   f. Keeping the most updated version of the registers and the regular books of accounts in a separate place to avoid any damages that may occur to it (such as fire, power outage, or failure of the disk).

Article (18)

Period of Keeping and Examination of the Records

1. The broker shall keep all the registers and the regular books of accounts to be kept by virtue of the provisions of the present Regulation for a period of five years at least ad of the date of the last record entered therein.

1. The broker shall deliver all the registers and regular books of accounts based on a written notification issued by the Department, including the computer reports to be kept by him or by virtue of the provisions of the present Regulation to an accredited official of the Department. The accredited official may copy any of said registers, books or reports or search for data related to them that are kept with the broker. Moreover, he shall immediately provide the data requested by the accredited official.

Article (19)

Notification of Disadvantage

The licensee and the custodian shall immediately notify the Department of any disadvantage or mistrust or any act that prejudices the project's escrow account in violation of the Law and its implementing regulations.

Article (20)

Unclaimed Funds of the Project’s Escrow Account

1. The broker who keeps funds in the project's escrow account shall submit to the Department an annual statement during the month of January of every year on the funds received by the broker for more than 2 years before the aforementioned month. The statement shall contain the following:
   a. The value of the kept funds.
   b. A document showing the identity of the persons to who the funds belong.
   c. The last address, of said persons, that is known by the broker.

1. When the Department receives the statement mentioned in Clause (1) of the present Article, it shall send a letter to each concerned person to the last address thereof and ask them to get their funds back from the broker. If the broker fails to return said funds, the Department may claim them from him and they shall be paid to the concerned party.

1. Subject to the provisions of Clause (2) of the present Article, the Department shall, as it deems appropriate, keep the unclaimed funds pending any future claim by the person entitled to claim them.

Article (21)

The Department shall issue the decisions, instructions and forms required for the implementation of the provisions of the present Decision.

Article (22)

The present Decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force as of the date of enforcement of the provisions of the Law.

The Chairman of the Department of Municipal Affairs,

• Pursuant to the perusal of Abu Dhabi Law No. 1/1974 on the Reorganisation of the Government Apparatus in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and its amendments;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 9/2007 on the establishment of the Department of Municipal Affairs;
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015 concerning the regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi;
• and Based on the proposal made to the Executive Council and its approval by said Council,

Issued the following Decision:

Article (1-5)

Article (1)

Definitions

In application of the provisions of the present Regulation, the following terms and expressions shall have the meanings assigned thereto unless the context requires otherwise:

Department: Department of Municipal Affairs.

Municipality: Municipality of Abu Dhabi City, Al Ain City Municipality, Western Area Municipality and any Municipality that would be established in the Emirate in the future.

Law: Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015 concerning the regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Licensees: Persons who work in the real estate sector and who are licensed by the Department under the provisions of the Law.

Those persons are: the developer, the broker, the broker's employee, the auctioneer, the owners' association manager, the appraiser and the surveyor.

License: Authorisation issued by the Department to permit the licensees to exercise their activities in accordance with the provisions of the Law.

Person: Natural or juridical person.

Broker: Person who, by virtue of a brokerage contract, seeks finding a second party to conclude a certain contract though brokerage in contracting negotiations in return for a commission.

Broker Employee: Natural person who works for the Broker and in his name to act as broker.

Auctioneer: Person registered at the Department and authorised to sell real estates at auction.

Surveyor: Person who, in return for remuneration, determines the dimensions and limits of any real estate to present same for registration at the Department, with the exception of any person who performs the same work for any government body.

Appraiser: Person who takes charge, in return for remuneration, of appraising and estimating the value of a real estate or any other property rights on said real estate and giving opinion thereon.

Real Estate Development Project: Project of construction of multi-story buildings or compounds for residential or commercial purposes or for both purposes and their outbuildings or the construction of infrastructures and service facilities in case of sale of vacant lands.

Developer: Main Developer or sub-developer.

Main Developer: Person licensed to practice the activities of development, sale, management and lease of real estates as main developer of the real estate development project.

Sub-Developer: Person licensed to practice the activities of development, sale, management and lease of real estates in a part of a main compound by virtue of an agreement between him and the main developer or another sub-developer.

Owners' Association: Owners' association formed by virtue of the provisions of the Law for the management and operation of the common parts including their reparation and maintenance, proper exploitation.

Owners' Association Manager: Person appointed by the developer or the owners' association to manage the daily activities of the owners' association.

Chamber: Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Statutes of the Owners' Association: Rules and provisions regulating the Owners' Association.

Article (2)

Categories of the Licensees

1. The Department may issue a licence based on a request submitted by the concerned party according to the form adopted by the Department for the categories covered by the licensees' definition as per the Law and the present Regulation.

1. The issuance of licences to each of the main developer and the sub-developer shall be limited to the juridical persons.

1. The licences related to the broker, the auctioneer the owners' association manager and the surveyor may be issued to juridical and natural persons.

1. The licence applicant shall undertake not to submit any incorrect, misleading or incomplete data to the Department in relation to the licence application as per the Law and the present Regulation.

1. The licence applicant shall pay the fees prescribed according to the implementing regulation concerning the fees.

1. Being licensed according to the provisions of the present Regulation does not exempt the licensee from the requirement of obtaining any other licences, authorisations or approvals required by any other government body to enable him to perform his works according to the applicable legislations.

Article (3)

Developer’s licence

1. The application for obtainment of a developer's license shall be submitted to the Department along with the following documents:
   a. A commercial licence that shall be valid on the date of submission of the application or a preliminary licensing approval authorising the concerned party to work in the real estate development projects.
   b. Certificate of membership in the Chamber, which shall be valid on the date of submission of the application for the existing licence.

1. If the applicant is a developer who was a practitioner before the enforcement of the present Regulation, the application for the licence shall be submitted along with the following documents:
   a. The statements of the adopted real estate development projects, whether existing or proposed.
   b. Main plans and architectural designs for the adopted real estate development projects.
   c. Property deeds of the lands of the adopted real estate development projects.
   d. Feasibility study for the real estate development project that shall be issued by an accredited auditor.
   e. Sale and purchase agreements with real estate sub-developers as for the main developer.
   f. Any other documents or data requested by the Department.
   g. Models of sale and purchase agreements of the real estate unit purchaser, that are listed in the adopted real estate development projects as for the sub-developer or main developer in case the sale is made directly through the latter.
   h. Project marketing agreement concluded with the brokers, if any.

Article (4)

Licence of the Owners’ Association Manager/the Appraiser/the Surveyor

1. A natural person who applies for a licence to work as Owners' Association manager, appraiser or surveyor shall fulfil the following conditions:
   a. Be a resident of the State.
   b. Not have been convicted of any offence involving moral turpitude or dishonesty or declared bankrupt.
   c. Shall have successfully passed the training session and the tests set for the licence subject matter of the application according to the standards adopted by the Department.
   d. Shall have previous experience of no less than 3 years in the works related to the licence subject matter of the application, as the case may be.

1. The licence application shall be submitted along with the following documents:
   a. Copy of a valid ID.
   b. Copy of a valid residence visa.
   c. 2 copies of a personal photo having appropriate size.
   d. Any other documents or data requested by the Department.

1. A juridical person that submits an application for the obtainment of a licence to work as Owners' Association manager, appraiser or surveyor, shall be a company registered according to Federal Law no. (2) of 2015 on Commercial Companies, provided that the commercial company meets the following conditions:
   a. Be licensed and registered in the Emirate.
   b. Have a licensed branch in the Emirate should it be licensed in any other Emirate of the UAE.
   c. Have a financial capacity that meets the standards set by the Department.
   d. Neither the manager of the company nor any member of a board of managers thereof shall have been declared bankrupt or convicted for an offence involving moral turpitude or dishonesty.
   e. Shall have a professional risks insurance accepted by the Department.
   f. Copies of the following documents shall be submitted:

• Commercial licence that shall be valid on the date of submission of the application and a certificate of membership in the Chamber that shall be valid on the date of submission of the application.
• A lease agreement or property deed for buildings that are used as principle headquarters of the company.
• Any other conditions or documents required by the Department.

Article (5)

Broker’s Licence

1. A natural person who submits an application to obtain a licence to work as a broker shall fulfil the following conditions:
   a. Shall be a national of the State.
   b. Shall not have been convicted of any offence involving moral turpitude or dishonesty or declared bankrupt.
   c. Shall have successfully passed the training session and the tests set for the developer's licence subject matter of the application according to the standards adopted by the Department.
   d. Shall have previous experience of no less than 2 years in the brokerage works.
   e. Shall obtain the appropriate educational qualification as specified by the Department.

1. The licence application shall be submitted along with the following documents:
   a. Copy of a valid ID.
   b. 2 copies of a personal photo having appropriate size.
   c. Any other documents or data requested by the Department.

1. A juridical person that submits an application for the obtainment of a licence to work as broker shall be a company registered according to Federal Law no. (2) of 2015 on Commercial Companies, provided that the commercial company meets the following conditions:
   a. Be licensed and registered in the Emirate, or
   b. Have a licensed branch in the Emirate should it be licensed in any other Emirate of the UAE.
   c. Have a financial capacity that meets the standards set by the Department.
   d. Neither the manager of the company nor any member of a board of managers thereof shall have been declared bankrupt or convicted for an offence involving moral turpitude or dishonesty.
   e. Shall have a professional risks insurance accepted by the Department.
   f. Copies of the following documents shall be submitted:

• Commercial licence that shall be valid on the date of submission of the application and a certificate of membership in the Chamber that shall be valid on the date of submission of the application.
• A lease agreement or property deed for buildings that are used as principle headquarters of the company.
• Any other conditions or documents required by the Department.

1. A natural person who works as broker at the brokerage company may not practice brokerage activities on his own behalf.

Article (6-10)

Article (6)

Licence of the Broker’s Employee

A natural person who submits an application to obtain a licence of broker's employee shall fulfil the following conditions:
a. Shall be a resident of the State.
b. Shall not have been convicted of any offence involving moral turpitude or dishonesty.
c. Shall have successfully passed the training session and the tests set for the broker's employees, which are adopted by the Department.
d. The licence application shall be submitted along with the following documents:

• Copy of a valid passport and a valid ID.
• Copy of a valid residence visa.
• 2 copies of a personal photo having appropriate size.
• Any other conditions, documents or data required by the Department.

Article (7)

Auctioneer’s Licence

1. A natural person who applies for an auctioneer's licence shall fulfil the following conditions:
   a. Shall provide a copy of the commercial licence of the firm through which he practices the profession of brokerage or auction sale.
   b. Shall have successfully passed the training session and the tests set for the auctioneers, which are adopted by the Department.

1. A juridical person that applies for the obtainment of an auctioneer's licence shall hold a broker's licence or at least one of the partners shall hold an auctioneer's licence.

1. The Department may impose other conditions and requirements for the licensing of natural and juridical persons as auctioneers.

Article (8)

Powers of the Department

1. The Department shall have the right either to accept or deny the licensing application and it shall decide upon such application within a period of no more than 30 days from the date of completion of all the application procedures, provided that it notifies the applicant of the matter in writing.

1. If it appears to the Department that any of the data or documents submitted for the obtainment of the licence are incomplete, the concerned party shall be required to complete them within a period set for him under penalty of write off of the application.

1. In case the Department rejects the issuance of the licence, its decision shall be justified and the concerned party shall be notified thereof.

1. The concerned party may file a grievance to the Chairman of the Department against the decision rejecting the licensing application or requiring him to complete the data or documents as mentioned in Clause (2) of the present Article, within 14 days from the date of notification of said decision to said party.

1. The Chairman of the Department shall decide upon the grievance within 30 days from the date of registration thereof at the Department. Should he fail to decide upon the grievance within the aforementioned period, it shall be deemed rejected.

1. The concerned party may challenge the decision issued under Clause (5) of the present Article before the competent court within 60 days from the date of notification of said decision to said party.

Article (9)

Licence’s Term and Renewal Method

1. The term of all the licenses referred to in the present Regulation shall be of one Gregorian year starting from the date of issuance of the licence.

1. All licences shall be renewable on a yearly basis.

1. The Department may renew the licence based on the licensee's request within a period of four months at most from the date of expiry of the previous licence, after the payment of the prescribed additional fine.

1. The licence renewal application shall be submitted according to the form adopted by the Department, along with the documents and data required under the present Regulation.

1. The applicant for renewal of the licence under the provisions of the Law and the present Regulation shall pay the fees prescribed according to the implementing regulation regarding fees.

Article (10)

Renewal of the Developer’s Licence

The main developer or the sub-developer shall attach the following documents to the licence renewal application:

1. Commercial licence that shall be valid on the date of submission of the application.

1. Certificate of membership in the Chamber that shall be valid on the date of submission of the application.

1. Information related to the adopted real estate development projects whether existing or proposed.

1. Any other documents or data requested by the Department.

Article (11-15)

Article (11)

Renewal of the Licence by Natural Persons

The natural person shall attach the following documents to the required licence renewal application:

1. Copy of a valid passport and a valid ID.

1. Copy of a valid residence visa.

1. 2 copies of a personal photo having appropriate size.

1. Proof of completion of any training session or training program the applicant is required, by the Department, to attend as a condition for renewal of the licence.

1. Any other documents or data required by the Department.

Article (12)

Renewal of the Licence by Juridical Persons

The juridical person shall attach to the required licence renewal application the documents proving the following:

1. Submit a financial report endorsed by an accredited auditor.

1. A document proving that the firm has a general manager who has obtained the required licence as the case may be.

1. A document proving that it has a manager or a board of managers that have not been declared bankrupt or convicted of any offence involving moral turpitude or dishonesty.

1. Copies of the following documents shall be submitted:
   a. A commercial licence that shall be valid on the date of submission of the application and the certificate of membership in the Chamber, that shall be valid on the date of submission of the application.
   b. Lease agreement or property deeds of buildings that constitute the headquarters of the firm.
   c. Auditing certificate for the project's escrow account in case of renewal of the Broker's licence.
   d. Evidence proving the requirement that the employees hold the licences of licensed broker's employees in case of renewal of the broker's Iicence.
   e. Any other documents or data requested by the Department.

Article (13)

Provisions Concerning Delay of Renewal of the Licence

1. The Department may close the premises of a person whose licence has ended for a period of no more than 3 months.

1. The Department ma exempt the licensee from the licensing fees for the renewal period as long as the latter provides what proves that he has not practiced the activity throughout the suspension period.

1. All the preceding licensing-related provisions shall apply to the cases of acceptance or rejection of the licence renewal application, inter alia the grievance and challenge before the competent court as the case may be.

Article (14)

Cancellation or Suspension of the Licence

1. The Department may cancel or suspend the licence in the following cases:
   a. Upon insolvency or bankruptcy of the licensee.
   b. If the licensee is convicted of any offence involving moral turpitude or dishonesty.
   c. In case the licensee violates any code of conduct applicable at the time of commission of the violation.
   d. If the broker fails to justify the funds received for a transaction in which he has participated.
   e. If the licensee has mixed his personal funds with those of other persons for which he works in his ordinary course of activity.
   f. If the owners' association manager has breached any of his obligations that are set forth in the Law, the Statutes of the owners' association or the implementing Regulations.
   g. In case of violation of any provision of the Law, the implementing regulation and the decisions issued in implementation of said Law.

1. Before the cancellation or suspension of the licence, the Department may send the licensee a written notice containing the reasons necessitating the cancellation or the suspension. The licensee shall have the right to reply to the aforementioned notice within (21) days.

1. If the Department decides to cancel or suspend the licence, it shall take into consideration the reasons stated by the concerned party in his reply to the notice, if any.

1. The Department shall enter the data related to the violations committed by the licensees in the Real Estate Development Register.

1. The person affected by the Department's decision of cancellation or suspension of the licence shall have the right to file a grievance and challenge against the Department's decision before the competent court according to the provisions prescribed in Article (8) of the present Regulation.

Article (15)

Showing the Business Name and the Licence Number

1. The licensees shall deliver a copy of the license when requested by the responsible official of the Department, the Municipality or the police or any agent in relation with the licensee.

1. The licensees shall show the business name and the licence number as well as its registration number in the real estate development register as the case may be on each of the following:
   a. The headquarters and any branch office of the licensee.
   b. The stationary and the business cards.
   c. Any advertising or marketing materials.

1. The number of license of the broker's employee and the one of the broker employer licence shall appear on the business card of the broker employer.

Article (16-22)

Article (16)

Branch Offices

1. The licensee may open one or more branch offices in addition to the principal headquarters for the licensed activity.

1. Before opening a branch office, the licensee shall notify the Department of his desire to open a branch office according to the form adopted by the Department.

1. In case of a broker, the branch office shall remain at all times under effective supervision of the broker's employee.

Article (17)

Supervising the Employees

1. The licensee shall supervise the employees thereof on continuous basis and take all the appropriate and necessary procedures to verify that they are abiding by the Law, the regulations and the instructions issued by virtue thereof and any code of conduct related to the licensee's activity.

1. The licensee shall bear civil responsibility for any violating act or abstention from performing an act imposed by the Law or its implementing regulation or the decisions issued in implementation thereof by any of the licensee's employees when performing the duties of his job.

Article (18)

Agreement on the Licensee’s Services

1. Any licensee in any of the categories mentioned in the licensees' definition according to the Law and the implementing regulation shall conclude a written contract with the client.

1. The Department shall set a model for the contract mentioned in Clause (1).

1. In all cases, the contract shall contain all the main contracting elements including the determination of the type of work required to be performed and the duties, obligations and rights of each party.

Article (19)

Distribution of Commissions or Fees

Should the principal assign more than one broker for the same work, the contractor shall conclude a main brokerage contract with said brokers and the brokers shall conclude a written brokerage subcontract between/among them according to the form adopted by the Department, where the brokers shall distribute the commission or the fees among them according to the method specified in the subcontract.

Article (20)

Code of Conduct

1. During the ordinary course of activity, all the licensees shall abide by the provisions of any code of conduct and ethics of the profession issued by the Department under the provisions of the Law or the Implementing Regulation.

1. The Department shall set a code of conduct and ethics of the profession according to the practices adopted thereat and as it deems appropriate.

Article (21)

The Department shall issue the decisions, instructions, directives and models required for the application of the provisions hereof.

Article (22)

The present Decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force from the date of enforcement of the provisions of the Law.

After perusal of:

• Abu Dhabi Law No. 1/1974 on the Reorganisation of the Government Apparatus in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and its amendments; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2005 on the regulation of the real estate registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and its implementing regulations; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 19/2005 on real estate property, and its implementing regulations; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 10/2006 on the Western Area Municipality and Municipal Council in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 9/2007 on the establishment of the Department of Municipal Affairs; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 10/2007 on Abu Dhabi Municipality and Municipal Council in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 11/2007 on Al Ain Municipality and Municipal Council in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 11/2013 on the regulation of Expropriation for Public Benefit, and its implementing regulations; and
• Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015 on the regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi;

We have decided as follows:

Article (1-3)

Article (1)

Definitions

Emirate: Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Department: Department of Municipal Affairs.

Property: Various types of properties, including land, buildings, facilities and real estate by destination.

Concerned Municipality: Municipality of Abu Dhabi or Al Ain Municipality and Western Region Municipality or any municipality may arise in the future in the emirate.

Real Estate Appraisal / Valuation: The process that includes the collection and analysis of public and private data of the property, subject of appraisal, at a certain time and for a certain purpose, taking into account all the factors that may affect the property value through the use of the appraisal standards set forth in this Decision at a minimum.

Appraiser: The authorized person who possesses the necessary qualifications, skills and experience to carry out the appraisal process.

Register: The Real Estate Register established in accordance with the provisions of Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2005 on the regulation of the Real Estate Registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the Interim Real Estate Register, pursuant to the provisions of Abu Dhabi Law No. 3/2015 on the regulation of the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Article (2)

Objective of this Decision

The present Decision aims without limitation to achieve the following objectives:

1. Developing clear procedures and policy for the real estate appraisal.

1. Establishing a reliable real estate price database as a historical documentation to be referred to when need be in order to obtain information about a particular area.

1. Providing a legislative framework that enables the Real Estate Appraiser to evaluate the properties in an accurate and certified way.

1. Enhancing the confidence of appraisers so as to avoid indiscriminate appraisals.

1. Promoting the principle of transparency in dealing with concerned parties in the market and guaranteeing their rights.

1. Helping appraisers to provide a reliable appraisal and to complete reports comprising all necessary data and requirements, so as to help the investor make the right decision while reducing the risk to the lowest level.

1. Instructing all appraisers in the Emirate to work under a scientific basis so as to reach the highest possible degree of accuracy and transparency in the conduct of their work which leads to the enhancing of the position of the real estate market in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Article (3)

Book I - Appraisal Procedures
Scope of application of the Decision

The appraiser shall apply all the appraisal rules set forth in this Decision to all the real estate in the Emirate, under an authorisation granted by the government or a person authorised by virtue of law or a contract.

Article (4-7)

Article (4)

Application for Appraisal

Unless the appraisal is based on a government action, the appraiser shall obtain the written consent of the landlord to carry out the appraisal procedures through:

1. Obtaining all the documents related to the property and the application of all criteria specified in this Decision at a minimum.

1. Reviewing the Real Estate Register in the Municipality by the appraiser in order to verify the conformity of the data provided by the applicant with the Real Estate Register.

1. Keeping relevant registers and data submitted to him and the appraisal reports prepared by him.

1. Complying with all the forms issued by the Department and the Municipality on the appraisal in the Emirate.

Article (5)

Procedures of Property Data collection

The appraiser shall, with regards to the real estate appraisal, examine the data of the property, subject of the appraisal, according to the following steps:

1. Ensure that the appraisal applicant has an authority or a power over the property, according to a certified document.

1. Obtain the register of the property subject of the appraisal.

1. Examine all the data contained in the register and compare the same with those provided by the appraisal applicant in terms of:
   a. The provision of a copy of the identity card.
   b. The Property number and address, according to the register.

1. In the event the property is owned by a juristic person, the property data shall comply with the Articles or the Memorandum of Association of the entity or the commercial register.

1. The procedures taken over the property such as the mortgage insurance and effect thereof on the property appraisal whenever required.

1. Obtain the approved urban development plans in the real estate area if any.

1. Draw up a detailed description of the property pursuant to the data and documents that have been collected.

Article (6)

Procedures of Inspection of the Property

The property inspection shall be considered as a key step in the real estate appraisal process, since it provides the appraiser with a realistic picture and the necessary information he shall use in the calculation of the value of the property to be appraised. The appraiser shall inspect the property subject of the appraisal according to the following controls:

1. He shall obtain the consent of the owner on the property inspection and physical examination, and agree with him on the appropriate date to conduct them.

1. He shall inspect the property physically, describe its condition and prepare a detailed report that shall include the following:
   a. The valuation method or methods he followed.
   b. The date of submittal of the application for the appraisal and inspection.
   c. The type of the property construction materials, i.e. iron reinforced concretes or walls, or any other materials and the percentage of each of the property's material.
   d. The additions to the property, for example, the adornment columns and decoration.
   e. The building age in terms of the foundation, as well as in every part of the property.
   f. The overall appearance of the building in terms of its deterioration compared to surrounding properties.
   g. The efficiency of the facility and plantation in the property.
   h. The geographical description of the property in terms of the flow and other descriptions.
   i. The full measurements of the property (in the absence of official data thereof).
   j. The notes taken on the finishing level of the real estate internally and externally and the type of the material used therein.
   k. The observations on the general condition of the property and a statement of any current internal and external flaws.
   l. The observations on the systems provided to the property (air conditioning, fire, security systems, etc.).
   m. The observations on the surrounding and nearby properties.
   n. The observations on the factors affecting the property whether positively or negatively.

1. He shall attach the property illustrations from all angles.

1. He shall prepare the property file that shall contain, for example, official data such as the land plan, the buildings' completion certificate, and a document indicating the property's income.

1. He shall provide the equipment necessary for the inspection and physical examination of the property and the dimensions' measurements (measuring device, a camera).

Article (7)

Book II - Methods of the Real Estate Appraisal
 The Sales Comparison Method

The appraiser shall take into account that the real estate prices vary for several reasons, and thus he shall make adjustments to the available prices in order to assess the value of the property subject of the appraisal by way of comparison, and such differences may be in the concrete specifications, the condition of the properties, the properties areas, the properties sites, the terms of the leases, and the dates comprising evidence, and in order to apply the comparison method, the appraiser shall follow a set of procedures organised as follows:

1. Collect appropriate information to compare the properties, subject of the appraisal, with similar properties recently sold or currently offered for sale in an open market; as well, request the concerned person to provide information on the lease, the terms of the contract and the specifications of the property.

1. Make sure that the information is correct and collected from transactions that reflect the market situation, so as to exclude the prices that reflect unnatural incentives to the seller and the buyer in the market, such as deals whereby the buyer pays a certain increase in the desire to acquire a certain asset, or those made through the sale transactions between parties in unusual circumstances (such as kinship or a forced sale due to a loan or debt or expropriation or other).

1. Compare the sale price of properties and analyse the same by using specific comparison items, such as the property type, the date of sale, the land area, the building area, the market conditions, the location, the region, the land price per square foot, and the cost of the square foot construction and then amend the same due to the differences between them and the property subject of appraisal.

1. Compare the sold properties to the property under sale by using the comparable elements and verify the conformity of the price of each comparable element with the property subject of the appraisal.

1. Unify the different value indicators obtained from the analysis of comparisons to obtain a single value representing the value of the property by way of comparison.

Article (8-11)

Article (8)

The Income Method

To apply the Income Method of Appraisal, the appraiser shall adopt the following procedures:

1. The income method shall depend on the anticipated profit and not on the real profit.

1. Requesting the concerned party to provide evidence on the property's revenues and expenses as recorded in the accounting registers, usually based on the account of the past three-year period in accordance with the accounting standards, to determine the income stream, and thus the real accounts can be viewed as a guide to the expenses and revenues that can be collected.

1. The appraiser shall deduct the percentage of risks of vacancy and collection loss from the total revenues in order to obtain the gross income.

1. in order to calculate the net income The estimated percentage of operating expenses shall be deducted from the gross income, such expenses include, for example: (a) the Fixed expenses: real estate fees (direct and indirect), (b) variable expenses (maintenance costs, management costs, other), (c) reserve for replacement (such as adding a new floor, or parking...).

1. The appraiser shall divide the net income by the total interest rate (on the land and building).

Article (9)

The Cost Method

To apply the cost method, the appraiser shall adopt the following procedures:

1. The cost method depends on an economic principle: the price to be paid by a certain buyer for the property subject of the appraisal shall not exceed what someone would have to pay to build an equivalent building providing the same services.

1. The cost method requires the provision of:
   a. The Construction Cost per Square Foot for similar buildings (the cost shall include, for example, the value of the land, the infrastructure costs, the design fees and the financing costs, etc.)
   b. The total area of the building.
   c. The buildings life span (estimated at 35 years), where the annual consumption percentage of the building shall be determined (approximatively 3% per annum).
   d. The construction year of the current building to determine the value of the building total depreciation (around 3% per annum).
   e. The price per square foot to know the value of the land by multiplying the land area with the square foot price.

1. The appraiser shall calculate the construction cost by multiplying the total built-area with the construction cost per square foot or square meter.

1. The appraiser shall calculate the value of the building after depreciation thereof and multiply it with the construction cost per square foot or square meter.

1. The appraiser shall calculate the building value after depreciation.

1. To obtain the value of the property by the cost method, the value of the land shall be added to the value of the building.

Article (10)

The Discounted Cash Flow Method

To apply the discounted cash flow method, the appraiser shall adopt the following procedures:

1. A number of data shall be determined to do some calculations (such as the annual income, the property use rate or the occupancy rate, the operating expenses, and the interest rate for a certain number of years).

1. The actual income shall be calculated by subtracting the vacancy rate (the vacancy rate shall be equivalent to the occupancy rate - 100%) of the property total annual income of and such process shall be repeated by the number of years.

1. The net operating income shall be calculated by subtracting the operating expenses from the actual income.

1. The present net value which is the final result of the Discounted Cash Flow process (DCF) shall be calculated through the following steps:
   a. Find the current value of the AED by applying the equation of the current value of the AED.
   b. (Present value PV AED) h (1 + i) 1 / where: i= the interest rate, h= the number of years, for each year separately.
   c. Multiply the net operating income with the current value of the AED per year.
   d. Find the total property values during the assumed years.
   e. The net current market value of the investment is equal to (the property's value at the end of the assumed duration + the current values during the assumed years).

Article (11)

The Residual Method

To apply the remaining method, the appraiser shall adopt the procedures organised as follows:

1. Before starting the establishment of a development project

1. Before starting the redevelopment of a certain area

1. In order to assess the value of the land space, especially large area lands.

1. Calculating the potential profit for the development in terms of the cost construction for the project and the costs resulting therefrom in terms of fees and profits.

1. The equation of the residual method is:

Residual = (total value of the development - the total cost of the development + fees + required profit).

Article (12-15)

Article (12)

The Appraisal Certificate

The appraiser shall issue a certificate called (the Property Appraisal Certificate) that includes the following data:

1. The date of issuance of the certificate.

1. The purpose of the appraisal.

1. The type of the Property subject of the appraisal.

1. The data of the Property subject of the appraisal.

1. The value of the appraisal.

1. The authentication of the Real Estate appraiser.

1. The certificate validity is of 30 days.

Article (13)

Book III - Final Provisions
Disclosure

The appraiser shall only disclose the appraisal report in whole or in part, or any reference or any estimated figures to the appraisal applicant.

Article (14)

Criteria of appraisal in the event of compensation

Subject to this Decision, the appraiser shall comply with the standards and appraisal methods stipulated in the applicable legislation in the emirate.

Article (15)

This Decision shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force three months after the date of its issuance. Issued in Abu Dhabi

Chairman of the Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport,

Having reviewed:

• Law No. (1) of 1974 Reorganizing the Government Structure in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, as Amended;
• Law No. (13) of 2016 Establishing the Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport; and
• Law No. (3) of 2015 Regulating the Real Estate Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and
• Based on the powers and competences assigned to us and in the best interest of business ,

Hereby resolves as follows:

Article (1)

The Commission of the Real Estate Broker

• The commission of the Real Estate Broker shall be set at two percent (2%) of all sale and purchase contracts, up to a maximum of AED (500,000) five hundred thousand UAE Dirhams.
• The commission of the Real Estate Broker with regard to the conclusion of a lease brokerage agreement shall be agreed upon by the parties thereto. In the absence of such agreement between the two parties, the commission received by the Real Estate Broker from the party which contracted thereof may not exceed (5%) five percent of the annual rent mentioned in the property lease agreement. the Real Estate Broker shall not combine between the commission received from the lessee and that received from the property owner.
• The approved brokerage contracts forms, annexed hereto, shall be applied.

Article (2)

The Administrative Fees of Real Estate Developers

Developers shall be prohibited from charging any fees, whether registration fees or any other fees, expenses or charges pertaining to any dispositions taken in respect of the real estate, except for the administrative fees they receive from third parties, up to a maximum amount of AED (5,000) five thousand Dirhams.

Article (3)

This Resolution shall enter into force as of the date of publishing thereof in the Official Gazette.

We, Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi,

• Having reviewed Law No (1) of 1974 reorganizing the Abu Dhabi government body as amended; and Law No
• (2) of 1971 concerning the national consultative council as amended; and
• Law No (2) of 1994 concerning the rent of places and regulation of the Lessor-tenant relations and the
• amendments thereto; and
• Law No (6) of 2004 reorganizing the financial control agency; Law No (3) of 2005 regulating the land
• registration in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and
• Law No (19) of 2005 concerning the property ownership; and
• Federal Law No (5) of 1985 promulgating the civil transactions law of the United Arab Emirates and the
• amendments thereto; and
• Federal Law No (11) of 1992 promulgating the civil procedure law and the amendments thereto; and
• Pursuant to the proposals laid before and approved by the Executive Council;

Have promulgated the following law:

Article (1-5)

Article (1)

Part One-Definitions

In applying the provisions of this law, the following words and expressions shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them, unless otherwise required by the context:
Emirate: Abu Dhabi.
Executive Council: The Emirate Executive Council.
Relevant Municipality: The Municipalities and Agriculture Department and its dependant municipalities or any other future municipality that may be formed in the emirate.
Leasehold: The rented residence, rested unit, rented place or any other property rented in utility according to the provisions hereof.
Necessary repairs: Urgent repairs necessary for protecting the leasehold from destruction and repairs necessary for the tenant to utilize the leasehold that the Lessor undertakes to carry out.
Rental repairs: Minor repairs the tenant undertakes to carry out customarily.
Committee: The rental disputes committee formed pursuant to the present law.
Appeal Committee: The appeal committee formed pursuant to the present law.
Rent: The consideration for utilizing the leasehold including the charges for utilizing the services of the leasehold.

Article (2)

Part Two- General Provisions

The provisions of this law shall be applicable to real estate, premises and parts thereof of all types - rented for habitation or for industrial, commercial, professional or vocational purposes in the Emirate, as well as to existing rental relations or those arising after the date of its implementation - the following shall be exempt from the application of the provisions of this Law:

1. Agricultural land and affiliated buildings.

1. Land and property owned by the government leased for residential purposes.

1. Land and property allocated to ADNOC which is being leased for the purposes specifically related to services to the petroleum industry.

1. Real estate leased to the hotel and tourism industry, including furnished apartments.

1. Housing occupied for working conditions.

Regulations governing cases mentioned in items 1, 2, 3 and 4 above shall be set by resolution issued by the Executive Council.

Article (3)

• As of the effective date of the provisions hereof, tenancy contracts shall be concluded in writing. Contracts shall also be concluded concerning the rentals existing on the date of application hereof if they have not been executed.

• The tenant may prove the rental fact and all the contract conditions by any means of proof.

Article (4)

• If the contracting parties do not agree on the rental charge or a method for estimation or fail to prove the rental amount, a similar rental shall apply.

• The similar rental shall be determined by the committee competent to determine the dispute in accordance with the provisions hereof.

Article (5)

Part Three- Effect of Tenancy Contracts

The Lessor shall hand over the leasehold and its additions in a suitable condition to fulfill the utility for which it has been prepared as agreed or according to the nature of the leasehold.

Article (6-13)

Article (6)

If the leasehold and its additions are handed over to the tenant in a such bad condition that it does not fulfill the utility for which it has been prepared or such utility falls significantly, the tenant may ask the committee to rescind the contract refund or reduce the rental charge to the extent of the fall in utility as appropriate.

Article (7)

The Lessor shall maintain the leasehold to keep it fit for utility and carry out all necessary repairs excluding rental repairs during the rental period unless otherwise agreed.

Article (8)

If after being notified the Lessor delays performing the obligations set forth in the above article or can not be contacted, the tenant may obtain permission from the committee to carry out the same himself and deduct the expenses he spends from the rental charge, without prejudice to his right to ask for rescinding the contract or reducing the rental charge to the extent to the fall in utility.

Article (9)

The tenant may not prevent the Lessor from carrying out any urgent repairs necessary for conserving the leasehold. If such repairs result in total or partial breach of the leasehold utility, the tenant may, as appropriate, rescind the tenancy contract or reduce or drop the rental charge for the periods of lost utility or extend the rental period to the extent of lost utility period.

However, if the tenant continues to occupy the leasehold for not less than one month from the date of lost utility without resorting to the committee, he shall forfeit his right to ask for rescinding the contract, reducing or dropping the rental charge or extending the rental period unless he gives an acceptable excuse to the committee.

Article (10)

The Lessor may increase the number of units in, make additions to or elevate the rented building, provided however that the tenant may ask for rescinding the contract or reducing the rental charge if such works reduce the leasehold utility.

Article (11)

The tenant shall pay the agreed rental charge to the Lessor as follows:

• Within a period not exceeding twenty one days from the due date agreed in writing if the leasehold is rented is for residential purposes unless otherwise agreed.
• Within thirty days from the due date agreed in writing if the leasehold is rented for a commercial, industrial or vocational purpose against a receipt indicating payment unless otherwise agreed.
• Payment of the rental charge due for a specific period against a receipt showing the rental value shall serve as a presumption of payment of the rental for the periods preceding such period unless the contrary is proved.
• If no written agreement exists, the due date shall fall at the beginning of each month.
• If the Lessor abstains from receiving the rental charge or fails to appoint a place for payment, the tenant may deposit the rental charge in the name of the committee with a national bank. The deposit receipt shall be considered a release for the tenant to the extent of the deposited amount. The tenant shall notify the committee of the deposit, without being permitted to withdraw such deposit without the consent of the Lessor or the decision of the committee.
• The Lessor may at his own request and subject to the consent of the committee chairman without the amount deposited in his favor.

Article (12)

The tenant shall use the leasehold as agreed. If no agreement exists, he shall use the leasehold for the purposes for which it has been prepared or according to common practice.

Article (13)

• The tenant may not make any change to the leasehold without written permission from the Lessor except if such change does not cause any damage to the leasehold.

• If the tenant makes a change to the leasehold beyond the limits of the obligation in the above article, the Lessor shall have the right to compel him to reinstate the leasehold and pay compensation if required.

• If the tenant cultivates plants or makes improvements in leasehold, he shall abandon the same when the rent expires unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Article (14-20)

Article (14)

The tenant shall carry out any custom-required or agreed rental repairs.

Article (15)

The tenant shall pay for the consumption of water, electricity, telephone of the leasehold, any damages he may cause to the leasehold and any other fees he is legally required to pay as of the date he takes over the leasehold till the date of surrender to the Lessor unless otherwise agreed.

Article (16)

1. Without prejudice to the landlord's right to claim the annual increment prescribed by the law, the rent agreed upon in the lease shall bind the contractors for the duration of the period of lease as specified in the contract.

1. he landlord may not increase the rent specified in the contract except once each year by no more than five percent (5%) of said rent. It is permissible, by decision of the Chairman of the Executive Council, to increase, to decrease or cancel this percentage as deemed appropriate, and individuals concerned may resort to the committee if the landlord has exceeded the defined percentage.

1. The previous provision shall apply to leases which are current at the time that the provisions of this law came into force, applying to current tenants upon renewal of the lease, or to new tenants upon signing the lease with them.