Dubai property news and guides

Property guide

Buyer’s guide to Dubai property (2026)

Who can buy, the full cost of buying with a worked example, mortgages, and the resale and off-plan steps.

• Budget about 7% to 10% on top of the price for fees
• DLD transfer fee is 4% of the price
• A cash resale usually completes in 2 to 4 weeks

Property guide

Seller’s guide: selling property in Dubai (2026)

Pricing in a cooler market, Form A, selling with a tenant or a mortgage, your costs and the steps to transfer.

• Agency commission is usually about 2% plus VAT
• The buyer normally pays the 4% DLD fee
• Allow 4 to 8 weeks from offer to transfer

Property guide

Tenant’s guide to renting in Dubai (2026)

What renting really costs on day one, documents, Ejari and DEWA, rent increase rules and your rights.

• Budget about 35% to 40% of a year’s rent on day one
• Rent changes need 90 days’ written notice
• Disputes go to the Rental Disputes Centre

Property guide

Landlord’s guide to letting property in Dubai (2026)

Setting the rent, vetting tenants, your legal duties, notice rules and a gross-to-net yield example.

• Rent increases are capped by the rental index
• 12 months’ notice to end a tenancy for sale or own use
• Every tenancy must be registered on Ejari

Free download

The Dubai Property Investor’s Playbook 2026

Ten chapters for investors: the 2026 market, where to buy, off-plan risks, true costs, financing, Golden Visa, letting and exit, plus a 12-point checklist.

Guide 1 of 5

How to buy Dubai property from the UK

The purchase step by step, the costs on top of the price, buying without visiting, and what to check before buying off-plan.

• 4% Dubai Land Department transfer fee, usually paid by the buyer
• Buy without flying out, through a UK power of attorney
• Off-plan payments held in the project’s escrow account

Guide 2 of 5

UK tax on Dubai property

How the UK taxes Dubai rent, gains and inheritances for UK residents, and the points owners most often miss.

• 0% UAE tax on rent, gains and inheritances
• UK residents report Dubai rent and gains to HMRC
• 22%, 42% or 47% on property income from April 2027

Guide 3 of 5

Dubai mortgages and moving money from the UK

What UAE banks lend to UK residents, the documents you need, and how to send money to Dubai safely.

• 50–65% typical loan for UK residents
• Mortgage terms of up to 25 years
• Dirham pegged to the US dollar at 3.6725

Guide 4 of 5

Owning and letting Dubai property from the UK

Dubai landlord rules, managing from the UK, the Golden Visa through property, and moving to Dubai or back.

• Every tenancy registered on Ejari
• Rent rises limited by the official rental index
• AED 2 million+ of property can qualify for a Golden Visa

Guide 5 of 5

Inheritance, wills and selling from the UK

What happens to Dubai property when an owner dies, how British owners plan with UAE wills, and how to sell from the UK.

• No UAE inheritance tax, but no automatic transfer either
• UAE-registered wills, for example with the DIFC Courts
• Sell from the UK through a power of attorney