Passing on Dubai Real Estate to Your Heirs
Freehold, leasehold, and off-plan property - how each type is treated when planning your estate.
Dubai property is one of the largest assets in many expat estates. The good news: a properly drafted will makes transfer to your chosen beneficiaries straightforward, and the Dubai Land Department routinely accepts both DIFC and ADJD wills as the basis for re-registering title.
Freehold property
Freehold property in designated investment zones can be passed to anyone you choose. You can leave a whole unit to one beneficiary, split shares between several, or direct that the property be sold and the proceeds distributed. Whichever approach you take, name the property clearly in your will using its unit number, building and community, and reference the title deed.
Leasehold and off-plan
Leasehold arrangements transfer the remaining lease term, not the underlying land, and the developer or landlord may have notification requirements. Off-plan units that have not yet been handed over are governed by the sale-and-purchase agreement and the developer's process for change of buyer - your will should refer to the contract and the payment schedule so executors can step into your shoes.
Mortgaged property
If a property is mortgaged, the loan does not disappear on death. Some expats hold mortgage life insurance that clears the balance; others leave instructions for the property to be sold and the mortgage discharged from the proceeds. A will is the right place to make those instructions explicit.
Practical tips
Keep a simple property schedule alongside your will: address, unit number, title deed reference, mortgage details and any rental arrangements. Update it whenever you buy, sell or refinance. With that schedule in place, your executors can transfer or sell each holding without guessing - and your heirs get what you intended, in months rather than years.