Dubai RERA Broker Exam study materials
Dubai RERA Broker Exam study resources

Dubai RERA Broker Exam key terms

Dubai RERA Broker Exam · Get comfortable with the vocabulary.

Law No. 7 of 2013 (Real Estate Brokerage Law)

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.

Related: Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), Real Estate Broker, Brokerage Firm Licence
Law No. 26 of 2007 (Tenancy Law)

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.

Related: Ejari, RERA Rental Index, Eviction Notice
Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA)

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.

Related: Dubai Land Department (DLD), Escrow Account, Owners Association
Dubai Land Department (DLD)

The government authority that records property ownership in Dubai, registers sales, mortgages and leases, issues title deeds, and oversees RERA and the property register.

Related: Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), Title Deed, Oqood
Broker Registration Number

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.

Related: Broker Card, Brokerage Firm Licence
Broker Card

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.

Related: Broker Registration Number, Real Estate Broker
Brokerage Firm Licence

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.

Related: Real Estate Broker, Broker Registration Number
Real Estate Broker

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.

Related: Brokerage Commission, Broker Card, Brokerage Firm Licence
Brokerage Commission

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.

Related: Form F (Memorandum of Understanding), Real Estate Broker
Conflict of Interest

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.

Related: Confidentiality, Brokerage Commission
Confidentiality

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.

Related: Conflict of Interest, Client Money
Misrepresentation

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.

Related: Real Estate Broker, Form F (Memorandum of Understanding)
Client Money

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.

Related: Brokerage Commission, Confidentiality
Form F (Memorandum of Understanding)

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.

Related: Title Deed, Developer No Objection Certificate, Brokerage Commission
Title Deed

The official Land Department document proving ownership of a registered property. It states the owner, the property description and any registered mortgages or restrictions.

Related: Dubai Land Department (DLD), Strata Title
Developer No Objection Certificate

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.

Related: Service Charges, Form F (Memorandum of Understanding)
Power of Attorney

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.

Related: Form F (Memorandum of Understanding), Title Deed
Ejari

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.

Related: Law No. 26 of 2007 (Tenancy Law), Security Deposit, Rent Dispute Settlement Centre
Security Deposit

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.

Related: Ejari, Law No. 26 of 2007 (Tenancy Law)
RERA Rental Index

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.

Related: Law No. 26 of 2007 (Tenancy Law), Rent Dispute Settlement Centre
Eviction Notice

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.

Related: Law No. 26 of 2007 (Tenancy Law), Rent Dispute Settlement Centre
Rent Dispute Settlement Centre

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.

Related: Law No. 26 of 2007 (Tenancy Law), RERA Rental Index
Sublease

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.

Related: Ejari, Law No. 26 of 2007 (Tenancy Law)
Oqood

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.

Related: Off-Plan Sale, Project Registration, Escrow Account
Escrow Account

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.

Related: Off-Plan Sale, Project Registration, Oqood
Off-Plan Sale

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.

Related: Oqood, Escrow Account, Project Registration
Project Registration

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.

Related: Escrow Account, Off-Plan Sale, Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA)
Strata Title

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.

Related: Owners Association, Service Charges, Title Deed
Owners Association

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.

Related: Service Charges, Strata Title
Service Charges

Annual fees owners pay toward maintenance and management of common areas, budgeted and approved under RERA rules and collected through the owners association.

Related: Owners Association, Developer No Objection Certificate
Property Valuation

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.

Related: Market Value, Comparative Market Analysis
Market Value

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.

Related: Property Valuation, Comparative Market Analysis
Comparative Market Analysis

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.

Related: Market Value, Property Valuation
AML/CFT

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.

Related: Customer Due Diligence, Suspicious Transaction Report, Beneficial Owner
Customer Due Diligence

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.

Related: AML/CFT, Beneficial Owner, Suspicious Transaction Report
Suspicious Transaction Report

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.

Related: goAML, AML/CFT, Customer Due Diligence
Beneficial Owner

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.

Related: Customer Due Diligence, AML/CFT
goAML

The secure online platform run by the UAE financial intelligence unit through which brokers file suspicious transaction reports and other required disclosures.

Related: Suspicious Transaction Report, AML/CFT