How handovers work
RERA, escrow, and the keys.
Off-plan in Dubai is unusually well-regulated: every project has a public RERA file, every dirham of buyer money sits in escrow, and the law gives buyers strong remedies for delay.
RERA completion %
Every off-plan project must register with RERA and report quarterly construction progress. The RERA percentage is the official figure used to release escrow funds to the developer.
What happens at handover
Final instalment (typically 20–40% of the price) becomes due. You receive keys, the title deed transfers, and the unit can be listed for rent or resale immediately.
Buyer rights on delay
Under UAE Law No. 8 of 2007, if a developer delays handover by more than 12 months from the RERA-registered date, buyers may demand full escrow refund or continued performance.
Early-delivery upside
Top-tier developers (Binghatti, Damac, several Emaar masterplans) routinely beat the RERA date by 2–6 months — turning paper appreciation into actual rent or resale earlier.