Dubai RERA Broker Exam key terms
Dubai RERA Broker Exam · Get comfortable with the vocabulary.
- Law No. 7 of 2013 (Real Estate Brokerage Law)
- Related: Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), Real Estate Broker, Brokerage Firm Licence
Dubai law that governs real estate brokerage. It requires brokers and firms to be licensed, defines their duties, addresses commission and advertising, and sets penalties for unlicensed or dishonest practice.
- Law No. 26 of 2007 (Tenancy Law)
- Related: Ejari, RERA Rental Index, Eviction Notice
Dubai law regulating relations between landlords and tenants. It covers lease terms, rent increases, deposits, maintenance duties, eviction and renewal, and it underpins the Ejari registration system.
- Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA)
- Related: Dubai Land Department (DLD), Escrow Account, Owners Association
A government agency under the Dubai Land Department. It licenses brokers and brokerage firms, regulates escrow accounts, owners associations and service charges, and issues the rules brokers must follow.
- Dubai Land Department (DLD)
- Related: Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), Title Deed, Oqood
The government authority that records property ownership in Dubai, registers sales, mortgages and leases, issues title deeds, and oversees RERA and the property register.
- Broker Registration Number
- Related: Broker Card, Brokerage Firm Licence
A unique number the Land Department issues to each licensed broker. It appears on the broker card and must be quoted on brokerage agreements, advertisements and marketing material.
- Broker Card
- Related: Broker Registration Number, Real Estate Broker
An official identity card issued to a licensed real estate broker. The broker must carry it and show it to clients, and it displays the registration number and expiry date.
- Brokerage Firm Licence
- Related: Real Estate Broker, Broker Registration Number
The permit that allows a company to carry out real estate brokerage in Dubai. Each branch needs its own licence, and only licensed brokers may act on the firm's behalf.
- Real Estate Broker
- Related: Brokerage Commission, Broker Card, Brokerage Firm Licence
A person licensed to mediate between buyers and sellers, or landlords and tenants, for a commission. Brokering property without a licence is an offence in Dubai.
- Brokerage Commission
- Related: Form F (Memorandum of Understanding), Real Estate Broker
The fee a broker earns for completing a brokerage transaction, agreed in writing before work starts. It is usually a percentage of the price or rent and must be disclosed clearly.
- Conflict of Interest
- Related: Confidentiality, Brokerage Commission
A situation where a broker's personal, financial or family interest could influence advice given to a client. The broker must disclose it and step back where impartiality is compromised.
- Confidentiality
- Related: Conflict of Interest, Client Money
The duty not to reveal a client's private information, such as price limits, financial position or reasons for selling, unless the law requires disclosure or the client consents.
- Misrepresentation
- Related: Real Estate Broker, Form F (Memorandum of Understanding)
Giving false or misleading information about a property, its price, size, condition or ownership. It may be negligent or deliberate and can lead to penalties and civil liability.
- Client Money
- Related: Brokerage Commission, Confidentiality
Funds a broker holds on behalf of a client, such as reservation deposits. They must be kept separate from the firm's own money and handled under specific controls.
- Form F (Memorandum of Understanding)
- Related: Title Deed, Developer No Objection Certificate, Brokerage Commission
The Land Department standard Memorandum of Understanding used for property sales. It records buyer, seller, price, payment terms, deposit and completion date, and is signed before transfer.
- Title Deed
- Related: Dubai Land Department (DLD), Strata Title
The official Land Department document proving ownership of a registered property. It states the owner, the property description and any registered mortgages or restrictions.
- Developer No Objection Certificate
- Related: Service Charges, Form F (Memorandum of Understanding)
A no-objection certificate a developer issues confirming there are no outstanding service charges or restrictions before a unit is sold or transferred to a new owner.
- Power of Attorney
- Related: Form F (Memorandum of Understanding), Title Deed
A written authority letting one person act for another in a property transaction. When notarised it allows signing, registration and related steps in the principal's absence.
- Ejari
- Related: Law No. 26 of 2007 (Tenancy Law), Security Deposit, Rent Dispute Settlement Centre
Dubai's mandatory tenancy registration system. It records lease details, links tenant and property, and is needed for utilities, visas and enforcement of tenancy rights.
- Security Deposit
- Related: Ejari, Law No. 26 of 2007 (Tenancy Law)
Money a tenant pays at the start of a lease as protection for the landlord. It is refundable after the tenancy if the property is returned in the agreed condition.
- RERA Rental Index
- Related: Law No. 26 of 2007 (Tenancy Law), Rent Dispute Settlement Centre
The RERA-published benchmark of average rents by area and unit type. It is used to judge whether a proposed rent increase is allowed under the tenancy law.
- Eviction Notice
- Related: Law No. 26 of 2007 (Tenancy Law), Rent Dispute Settlement Centre
A landlord's formal notice, usually given twelve months ahead through a notary, stating a lawful reason for ending a tenancy and requiring the tenant to vacate.
- Rent Dispute Settlement Centre
- Related: Law No. 26 of 2007 (Tenancy Law), RERA Rental Index
A Dubai body that hears disputes between landlords and tenants, such as over rent, repairs or eviction, and issues decisions enforceable without first going to court.
- Sublease
- Related: Ejari, Law No. 26 of 2007 (Tenancy Law)
A lease granted by a tenant to another person for part or all of the remaining term. In Dubai it requires the landlord's written consent and proper registration.
- Oqood
- Related: Off-Plan Sale, Project Registration, Escrow Account
The Land Department system for registering off-plan sales before a project is completed. It records the buyer's interest and protects it until a title deed can be issued.
- Escrow Account
- Related: Off-Plan Sale, Project Registration, Oqood
A bank account, controlled under RERA rules, where off-plan buyers' payments are held for construction. Funds are released against certified building progress rather than to the developer freely.
- Off-Plan Sale
- Related: Oqood, Escrow Account, Project Registration
The sale of a unit that does not yet exist or is still under construction. It is registered in Oqood and buyer payments are protected through a project escrow account.
- Project Registration
- Related: Escrow Account, Off-Plan Sale, Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA)
The developer's registration of an off-plan project with RERA before selling units. It covers escrow arrangements, government approvals and details of the units to be built.
- Strata Title
- Related: Owners Association, Service Charges, Title Deed
Ownership of an individual unit together with a share of the common areas. It is registered with the Land Department and creates rights and duties toward the owners association.
- Owners Association
- Related: Service Charges, Strata Title
A body of unit owners, registered under RERA and managed through the Mollak system, responsible for maintaining common areas and collecting service charges from owners.
- Service Charges
- Related: Owners Association, Developer No Objection Certificate
Annual fees owners pay toward maintenance and management of common areas, budgeted and approved under RERA rules and collected through the owners association.
- Property Valuation
- Related: Market Value, Comparative Market Analysis
An independent, written opinion of a property's value prepared by a licensed valuer using recognised methods such as the comparison, income or cost approaches.
- Market Value
- Related: Property Valuation, Comparative Market Analysis
The estimated price a property would fetch on the open market between a willing buyer and seller, neither under pressure, with both reasonably well informed.
- Comparative Market Analysis
- Related: Market Value, Property Valuation
An estimate of price built from recent sales and current listings of similar properties in the same area, adjusted for size, condition and date of transaction.
- AML/CFT
- Related: Customer Due Diligence, Suspicious Transaction Report, Beneficial Owner
Anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing rules. Real estate brokers must assess clients and transactions, keep records for the required period, and report suspicions promptly to the authorities.
- Customer Due Diligence
- Related: AML/CFT, Beneficial Owner, Suspicious Transaction Report
The checks a broker performs to identify a client, verify identity documents, understand the source of funds and assess risk before or during a transaction.
- Suspicious Transaction Report
- Related: goAML, AML/CFT, Customer Due Diligence
A confidential report a broker files with the financial intelligence unit when a transaction may involve criminal proceeds, without informing the client that a report was made.
- Beneficial Owner
- Related: Customer Due Diligence, AML/CFT
The natural person who ultimately owns or controls a company or property, even if another name appears on the documents. Brokers must identify this person.
- goAML
- Related: Suspicious Transaction Report, AML/CFT
The secure online platform run by the UAE financial intelligence unit through which brokers file suspicious transaction reports and other required disclosures.