Sakani guide

Dubai service charges: what owners pay and how to verify them

Annual service charges in Dubai explained — how they're set by RERA's Mollak system, typical AED/sqft by community tier, how to check yours and how to dispute an unfair charge.

Sakani editorial team 7 min readUpdated 4 June 2026

What are service charges

Annual fees levied on every owner to fund building maintenance, security, district cooling reserves, common-area cleaning, lifts, pools, gyms and amenities. They are mandatory and set by the building's owners association under RERA supervision. Non-payment can block your NOC at sale time and accrues penalties.

How they're set — the Mollak system

Mollak is RERA's mandatory service-charge management platform. The owners association (usually run by the developer's facilities arm) submits an annual budget; RERA reviews and approves the AED-per-sqft rate; Mollak issues invoices to every owner. Every charge is logged, auditable, and traceable. If a charge isn't on Mollak, it isn't enforceable.

Typical AED/sqft by community tier

Indicative ranges (always check the actual Mollak rate before buying): premium beachfront and Downtown towers AED 18–35/sqft (e.g. some Palm and Burj-area towers exceed AED 30). Established mid-market apartment towers AED 12–18/sqft. Newer suburban apartment communities AED 8–14/sqft. Townhouses and villas in master communities AED 3–6/sqft of plot area plus a community fee. Mid-rise JVC/JLT-style buildings AED 10–15/sqft.

How to check yours

Go to the DLD's Mollak service (or the Dubai REST app under 'Service Charges'), enter the unit reference or scan the title deed QR code, and the current rate, annual amount, and payment status appear instantly. Sakani pulls the latest verified figure into every listing so buyers see it before viewing.

Why it matters for buyers

Service charges directly hit rental yield. A two-bedroom unit in a luxury tower carrying AED 30,000+/year in fees can wipe 1.5–2% off gross yield versus a similar unit in a building at AED 15,000/year. Always benchmark service-charge cost against rental income before deciding which tower to buy in.

Disputing an unfair charge

If you believe the annual rate is excessive or the budget is misallocated, you can: (1) attend the owners association AGM and vote against the budget; (2) file a complaint via the RERA Rental Disputes Centre or the DLD's Owner Services portal; (3) request the full audited accounts (you have a right to see them as an owner). RERA does occasionally force budgets to be revised downward.

Outstanding balance at sale

On every sale, the seller must clear all outstanding service charges before the developer will issue the NOC. The Mollak ledger is checked. Any unpaid balance — including late penalties — must be settled or formally allocated to the buyer in Form F's additional conditions. Surprises here are the single most common cause of stalled NOCs.

Sakani is a property-technology platform. Brokerage services, Form A / Form B / Form F contracts and DLD trustee transactions are handled by our RERA-licensed brokerage partner, Cedara Core Realty L.L.C (RERA ORN 54063).

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