Guide · updated 31.07.2026 · 9 min read · Lucent Legal team

How to Check a Developer's Escrow Account Before Buying Off-Plan in Dubai

Before you wire the first payment on an under-construction apartment, you want one thing confirmed: that the money isn't going to vanish. The good news is that in Dubai this isn't a matter of taking someone's word for it — it's a ten-minute check in the Dubai REST app or on the Dubai Land Department (DLD) website. Below is a step-by-step checklist: why an escrow account exists in the first place, how to verify project and developer registration, what should worry you, and where to go if money has already been sent outside the escrow account.

Why an escrow account matters

An escrow account is a separate bank account tied to one specific project, controlled not by the developer but by an independent bank acting as escrow agent (trustee). Buyers' payments go into that account rather than the developer's general funds, and are released in tranches as construction actually progresses — under RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Agency) oversight.

The legal basis is Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007, "Concerning Escrow Accounts for Real Estate Development." It requires developers to register a dedicated escrow account for each project with an authorized bank, and bars spending buyers' money on anything other than building that specific project. RERA inspects projects and monitors that funds are used as intended and timelines are kept.

Penalties for violations include financial fines (which escalate on repeat offenses), suspension of the right to withdraw funds from the account, and, in serious cases, revocation of the developer's license — exact figures for your specific project are best confirmed with a lawyer, since there's no single public fee table.

If you want to understand what happens to the escrow account when a handover deadline is missed, that's covered separately — see off-plan handover delays.

Step 1: Check project status and the escrow account via Dubai REST / DLD

The main free tool is DLD's "Real Estate Project Status" service, called Mashrooi inside the app. You can reach it two ways: the official dubailand.gov.ae website (e-services section) or the Dubai REST app (Android/iOS) — on the home screen or in the services menu.

1. Open the service. On the DLD website, look for "Real Estate Project Status"; in the Dubai REST app, it's "Check Project Status" (Mashrooi) on the home screen or in the services menu.
2. Enter the project name or number. Search works by project name or number; you can also filter by status and developer.
3. Open the project card. The result shows the developer and their contact details, start date and planned handover date, completion percentage, unit count, and a separate "Escrow Account" block naming the bank agent and the project's account details.
4. Cross-check against what the developer told you. The bank name and escrow account number in your contract or payment plan must match what DLD shows. If your contract lists a different account, or no escrow account at all, that's a reason to stop and ask a lawyer — not the sales team.

App wording and button names change occasionally between versions — but the core flow (search project → project card → Escrow Account block) has been stable at the time of writing.

Step 2: Check developer and broker registration via Trakheesi

Trakheesi is DLD's system for verifying the licenses and permits of everyone in the market: developers, brokers, offices, and listing permits.

1. Open Dubai REST or DLD's "Validate Real Estate Licenses and Permits" service — both run on Trakheesi data.
2. For a broker, find their BRN (broker registration number, printed on their business card) and check that the status is "Active," the name and firm match, and the license is current.
3. For a listing, cross-check the Trakheesi permit number shown in the ad on Bayut, Property Finder, or Dubai REST.
4. For a developer, registration is confirmed indirectly: if their project shows up in "Real Estate Project Status" (Step 1), they're registered — unregistered developers never appear there.

Broker licenses renew annually, so repeat this check before each payment installment rather than trusting a month-old screenshot of an "Active" status.

Red flags: when to stop

• A request to pay into a manager's personal account, a different company's account, or an offshore account "for speed" or "while the escrow account is being set up" — a direct breach of Law No. 8/2007; money outside escrow has no RERA protection at all.
• A "discount" for paying outside escrow — the same violation, politely repackaged. The bigger the discount, the bigger the alarm bell.
• The project doesn't show up in DLD's Project Status service under the name the developer gave you, or it appears under a different number or a different developer.
• A broker's BRN in Trakheesi shows "Not Found" or "Expired."
• The developer won't name the bank and escrow account number, or keeps dodging a direct question about it.
• The contract (SPA) doesn't match DLD's records — a different account number, a different bank, different dates.

If money has already gone outside escrow

If a payment has already been sent to a personal or third-party account instead of the escrow account, checking things yourself won't undo it — from here it's a matter of filing a complaint and, potentially, an investigation.

1. Gather evidence: payment orders, correspondence, the recipient's account number, and any promise of a "discount for direct payment."
2. File a complaint with RERA/DLD against the developer — the regulator can investigate the breach of Law No. 8/2007 and impose sanctions up to suspending account rights and revoking the license.
3. If there are signs of deliberate fraud (a fake project, a developer who's disappeared, forged documents), this stops being a regulatory matter and becomes potential criminal fraud — for where and how to report that, see reporting fraud in the UAE.
4. Don't expect a fast, guaranteed refund. Neither a RERA complaint nor a police report guarantees your money back — especially once funds have left the UAE. A lawyer can assess the actual odds and timeline for your specific situation.

This material is for information only and is not legal advice. UAE law changes — a lawyer will assess how it applies to your situation.