Buying an apartment in Dubai? Check the service charges before making an offer

A striking entrance or landscaped courtyard can make an apartment feel like the right choice. Before turning that impression into an offer, ask for the service-charge information for the exact unit. An attractive asking price is easier to evaluate when the recurring building cost is visible.

Start with the official calculation

Dubai Land Department explains that an owner can multiply the RERA-approved service-charge rate by the unit’s title-deed area. It also notes that charges differ between projects. These are Dubai-specific references; do not apply them automatically elsewhere in the UAE.

Dubai Land Department · 2026-10-29

Match the project and the budget year

Use the official Mollak Service Charge Index to identify the relevant project, usage and budget year. Save the result with the date of your check. An older budget should not silently stand in for the period you are assessing.

Dubai Land Department — Mollak · 2026-10-29

Check the units before multiplying

For an entirely fictional example, an annual rate of AED 15 per chargeable square foot applied to 1,000 square feet gives AED 15,000 per year. This is arithmetic, not a quoted Dubai rate or a bill for a real apartment.

The area and the rate must use the same measurement basis. Ask the building manager to reconcile the calculation with the unit documents and itemized annual statement. Do not treat an advertised floor area or an unexplained monthly figure as a substitute.

Request a small building-cost file

Ask the seller or manager for documents that let you understand both the annual expense and the payment timing.

• The applicable approved budget and the unit’s itemized statement.
• The area and rate used, including an explanation of any separate components.
• The payment schedule and a current account statement.
• Details of any proposed works or additional amounts mentioned in the sale discussion.
• A written explanation of what is included and what you would pay separately.

Compare cost with what you actually receive

Inspect the shared spaces you expect to use and note any maintenance questions. Ask how unresolved items are being handled. A lower charge is only one part of the comparison; the service package and condition matter too.

Keep the annual total, payment dates and unanswered questions beside each shortlisted apartment. An index result helps check a rate, but it does not by itself establish that a particular account is settled. Resolve discrepancies before relying on a quotation in your purchase budget.

Official pages checked on 29 October 2026; neither provides a current article publication date. No live unit quote was retrieved. The example and document checklist are original editorial guidance. Verify the applicable unit documents and obtain advice on any contractual allocation of charges.

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