Leaving Dubai as a homeowner: sell, rent out or keep it empty

Decide whether to sell, rent out through a property manager or keep the home empty, and who will act for you once you’ve left. If you rent it out, keep one UAE bank account open as a non-resident for rent and service charges.

When
3 months to 4 weeks before your flight
Time
Several days
Cost
If you sell: the Land Department fee is 4% of the sale value (your sale agreement says who pays it), plus AED 4,000 plus VAT at the Trustee centre for sales of AED 500,000 or more, and your agent’s commission

Official source: Dubai Land DepartmentFor the rules. You don’t do this step there.

Have ready

  • Title deed
  • Service-charge statements
  • Passport or Emirates ID
  • Mortgage statement, if the home is mortgaged

How to do it

  1. Decide: sell, rent out through a property manager, or keep empty.
  2. If someone will act for you, sign a power of attorney at a notary in the UAE before you leave. It must name the exact acts, such as selling, leasing or collecting rent. One signed abroad needs UAE embassy legalisation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation and an Arabic legal translation, and the Land Department accepts it for two years from issue.
  3. If you sell: get the developer’s no-objection certificate through the Dubai REST app, then you or your attorney complete the transfer at a Real Estate Registration Trustee centre.
  4. If you rent it out: the tenancy must be registered in Ejari. Keep one UAE bank account open as a non-resident for rent and service charges; ask your bank before your visa is cancelled.
  5. If you keep it empty: service charges still fall due and unpaid charges can lead to a claim against the unit. Decide whether to keep DEWA active, and ask someone to check the home.
  6. If your residence visa is linked to this property, ask the Dubai Land Department (800 4488) and GDRFA before you sign a sale agreement.

Questions people ask

Can I keep a UAE bank account to receive rent after I leave?

Ask your bank about keeping one account open as a non-resident; you’ll need it for rent and service charges.

My visa is linked to this property. What happens if I sell?

The visa depends on you owning the property. Ask the Dubai Land Department and GDRFA before you sign a sale agreement, so the visa is cancelled or moved in the right order.

Do I have to be in Dubai to sell?

No. A person holding a valid power of attorney that names the sale can complete the transfer for you at a Trustee centre.

Sources

Official: Dubai Land Department: property sale registration

Also checked against: The National: keeping a UAE account as a non-resident · BSA Law: Land Department standards for powers of attorney

Outro is an independent guide, not a government service or legal advice. If an official page says something different, follow it and .