Some leading Dubai brokerages are charging buyers for in-house conveyancing or sales-progression services while also holding the sales mandate for the property being purchased.

The practice raises a broader question about how transaction roles should be structured: when a brokerage represents the seller and also provides the service responsible for progressing the buyer’s purchase, should the buyer be required to pay for that service?

The arrangement is visible across brokerage websites, while LinkedIn and Instagram profiles show sales-progression and conveyancing teams operating within some agencies.

The issue is not necessarily the competence of an in-house conveyancer. The more fundamental question is one of independence. A buyer paying for a transfer service may reasonably expect that the person handling the transaction is able to act without commercial considerations connected to the other side.

Consider a seller who has multiple properties listed with the same brokerage, or one who is selling a current home while planning to purchase another property through the same agency. In such cases, the brokerage may have a broader commercial relationship with the seller than with a buyer completing a single transaction.

That distinction can become important when a seller-side issue delays or complicates a transfer. The person responsible for resolving the bottleneck should be able to communicate the problem to the buyer clearly and objectively, without having to balance that responsibility against a wider commercial relationship.

There are parallels in other parts of the financial and property sectors. Banks, for example, commonly appoint independent valuers rather than relying on a valuation conducted by a party whose commercial interests are directly tied to the transaction. The separation of roles is intended to reduce potential conflicts and strengthen confidence in the process.

“The real test of a transfer service comes when the interests on each side stop aligning,” said Jan Baluyut, Director, Property Affairs at Cendale, which operates Conveyance.ae. “An independent transfer provider has no sales mandate to protect, no listing relationship to preserve and no sales commission dependent on completion. That is the procedural oversight buyers pay for.”

Functional separation is also well established internationally. In the UK, buyers and sellers commonly instruct separate solicitors, while in the US, attorneys, title companies and escrow providers can perform distinct roles depending on the state. Dubai does not need to replicate either system, but both demonstrate that transaction roles can be separated to provide greater clarity around responsibilities.

The question is relevant across both ready properties and secondary off-plan transactions. While the mechanics of each transaction can differ, the buyer’s need for accurate information, clear communication and independent oversight remains the same.

Where a brokerage offers an in-house conveyancing or sales-progression service, buyers should be clearly informed about the arrangement, including whether the service is optional and whether they are free to appoint an independent provider.

As Dubai’s property market continues to expand and attract investors from around the world, greater transparency around who represents whom — and who is paying whom — could become an increasingly important part of a mature transaction process.

Dubai’s new legislation governing shared accommodation officially came into effect on August 26. Applying across the entire emirate, including free zones and special development zones, the comprehensive framework is designed to eliminate dangerous, overcrowded, and unauthorised partition rentals while establishing formal licensing standards for communal living.

What qualifies as shared housing?

Under the law, shared housing is defined as any residential property where individuals or families occupy private designated living spaces while sharing common facilities like kitchens, bathrooms, and dining areas.

Who is permitted to rent out shared units?

The new framework strictly bans unauthorised subletting by tenants. A primary tenant can no longer rent out individual bedrooms, partitioned spaces, or bed spaces directly to roommates or third parties.

Only the following entities can legally offer shared housing:

• Registered Property Owners: Leasing spaces directly to occupants under formal contracts. 
• Licensed Management Companies: Authorised operators contracted by the owner to run and lease the property. 
• Licensed Operators Subletting Master Leases: Approved commercial entities leasing an entire property from the owner to sublet authorised units to tenants. 

Penalties for violations

Authorities have introduced strict financial and operational consequences for non-compliance:

• Initial Fines: Dh500 up to Dh500,000, depending on the severity of the violation.
• Repeat Violations: Fines double for repeat offences committed within one year, capped at Dh1,000,000.
• Operational Sanctions: Authorities may suspend operations for up to 6 months, revoke commercial licenses, cancel permits, disconnect utilities, seize equipment, or order the direct evacuation of non-compliant properties.

Grace period & tenant protection

• Compliance deadline: Existing shared housing operators and property owners have until August 26, 2027, to obtain permits and bring their properties into full compliance. 
• Protection from sudden eviction: If an operator’s permit is suspended or cancelled, authorities can grant occupants an interim stay period to secure alternative accommodation rather than facing immediate eviction. 

Approved property/resident categories

The regulation permits shared accommodation across six distinct property types:

• Residential apartments
• Detached/standalone houses
• Residential complexes
• Mixed-use buildings
• Attached / adjoining houses
• Multi-storey buildings

Permitted occupant groups include families, single men, single women, university students, government personnel, and private sector corporate employees. Corporate and student housing provided directly by employers or educational institutions does not require individual tenancy contracts.

One of Dubai’s most recognisable landmarks on Sheikh Zayed Road is set to disappear, with the Toyota Building scheduled for demolition in 2027.

The confirmation comes from the real estate division managing the property, following recent social media videos showing residents moving out and sharing memories of their time in the building.

Tenants with existing rental contracts are understood to be able to remain in the property until December 2026. However, a specified timeline for the demolition has yet to be set according to reports.

A Sheikh Zayed Road landmark since the 1970s

Officially known as the Nasser Rashid Lootah Building, the 15-storey residential building was completed in 1974, at a time when Sheikh Zayed Road looked dramatically different from the densely developed skyline seen today.

Standing at around 65 metres tall, the building was among the first three structures to rise in the area around what was then known as the First Roundabout.

Over the decades, it became an unmistakable part of Dubai’s cityscape.

Why was it called the Toyota Building?

The building earned its famous nickname thanks to the large Toyota sign that once illuminated its rooftop.

The bright red Toyota logo was installed in 1981 and remained a familiar sight above Sheikh Zayed Road for almost four decades.

The sign was eventually removed in 2018 after the advertising agreement ended, briefly changing the appearance of the landmark.

But Dubai residents got a nostalgic surprise in June 2022, when Toyota UAE brought the iconic logo back, restoring one of the building’s most recognisable features after nearly four years.

A piece of old Dubai

The building has housed generations of residents in its one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and has watched Dubai transform from a relatively low-rise city into the global metropolis it is today.

For many people who have lived in or travelled along Sheikh Zayed Road over the years, the Toyota Building has been more than just a residential property — its rooftop sign became part of the visual identity of the road.

With residents preparing to leave by the end of 2026 and demolition planned for 2027, another piece of old Dubai is set to make way for the city’s next chapter.

The demolition will mark the end of more than five decades for a building that became an unlikely icon of Dubai’s rapidly changing skyline.