Form A, Form B and Form F in Dubai: The Property Sale Paperwork Explained

Direct answer. Form A, Form B, Form F and Form I are the names used for the standard contracts in a brokered Dubai property resale. In Dubai market practice, Form A is the agreement between the seller and the broker who lists the property, Form B is between the buyer and the broker who finds them a property, and Form I is between the two brokers when each side has its own. Form F is the sale contract itself, between buyer and seller, often called the MOU. The Dubai Land Department (DLD) publishes the Form F text as its "Real Estate Sale Agreement Template". That template sets the agreed rules for the deposit cheque, for a failed mortgage application and for what each side risks if it walks away. None of these forms transfers ownership. Under Dubai Law No. (7) of 2006, ownership passes only once the transfer is recorded in the DLD's Property Register, and that happens at a registration trustee office. This guide takes each form in turn, then walks through the sequence from Form F to the new title deed.

The four forms at a glance

Each form covers a different relationship, and they are signed in a rough order: brokers first, then the sale contract, then registration. The Form F row comes from the DLD's published template. The A, B and I rows describe how those forms are commonly used in Dubai, because their sale-side text is not on the DLD's downloads page.

Only Form F deals with the sale of the property itself. Forms A, B and I cover your relationship with a broker. If no broker is involved, you sign only Form F. The DLD's own template is the no-broker version: every page carries the note "There is no broker in this transaction."

Forms A, B and I: the brokerage contracts

These three forms are where most people meet the paperwork first. They are short, and that makes them easy to sign without reading.

One point first. Among the templates on the DLD's downloads page are the sale contract, two leasing brokerage agreements and a property viewing agreement. The sale-side Forms A, B and I are not among them. So ask your broker for the current version they are using, and read the version in front of you rather than a summary online.

Form A: seller and listing broker

In Dubai practice, Form A is the seller's agreement with the brokerage that will market the property. Before you sign as a seller, read:

• whether the appointment is exclusive or shared with other brokers;
• how long it lasts, and how either side can end it early;
• the brokerage fee, who pays it, and the exact event that earns it;
• what happens if you sell to a buyer you found yourself.

Form B: buyer and buyer's broker

In practice, Form B is the buyer's agreement with the broker who searches for them. A broker may ask you to sign it before showing you properties. Read the same points from the buyer's side: the fee, whether it is due only on a completed purchase, and how long the appointment runs.

Form I: broker to broker

In practice, Form I is used between the two brokerages when the seller and the buyer each have one. You do not sign it as a buyer or seller. It still matters to you, because it shows who is working for whom. If a single broker says they represent both sides, ask how they handle the conflict.

Check the broker before you sign anything

RERA brokerage forms, such as the DLD's Property Viewing Agreement, carry the brokerage office's ORN and the individual broker's BRN; these are registration numbers. The DLD runs two free checks:

• Licensed real estate brokers shows the list of brokers licensed by RERA in Dubai, on the DLD website and the Dubai REST app.
• Validate real estate licences and permits confirms the licences and permits the DLD issued, through the Trakheesi system.

Run both checks against the numbers on your form. A broker you cannot find on the official list is a reason to stop.

Form F: the sale contract (MOU) between buyer and seller

Form F is the contract that matters most. The DLD template is titled "Property Sales Contract between Seller and Buyer", and each page is marked "Contract F". Once both parties sign it, its terms bind them. The last clause says its provisions take effect "once both parties sign it".

What the template contains

The first part records the property: title deed number, location, type, area, project and master developer. It also records whether a developer NOC is attached. The financial section records the sale price, the original price, the amount paid and the balance. Two further sections record any mortgage on the property and any existing tenancy. The header carries a signature date and a contract expiry date.

The terms and conditions then set out the deal. The most important ones are summarised below.

The deposit cheque is held, not cashed

Under clause 6, the buyer gives the seller a deposit (security) cheque when signing. The balance is paid by manager's cheque, or by another guaranteed method the DLD accepts. The template leaves the deposit amount blank, so the figure is whatever you negotiate and write in.

Clause 7 controls what happens to that cheque. The deposit cheque "is kept as a trust". It may not be cashed without a written instruction from the seller and the buyer together. Without that joint instruction, the deposit goes to neither side until a court order decides who is entitled to it. Clause 8, which is subject to clause 7, adds that the seller may not cash it until registration is complete, if it counts as part of the price, or until the buyer fails to complete under clause 12.

Mortgage finance: the condition that can void the deal

Clauses 9 and 10 apply when the purchase depends on a loan. The buyer must make a written loan application within a set number of working days after signing. If the loan is not obtained within the period written into the contract, "this Sales Contract shall be void", and the full deposit goes back to the buyer.

Fill in both periods, and match them to what your bank tells you. A blank period leaves the deadline open to argument.

If the buyer defaults

Clause 12 covers a buyer who does not pay as agreed, or who fails to complete the transfer on the agreed date through their own act or omission. In that case the seller may terminate the contract and keep the deposit, unless both parties agree in writing to change those dates. The English text says "amicably"; the Arabic text, which prevails under clause 25, says in writing.

If the seller defaults

Clause 15 deals with the opposite case, and it is stricter. If the seller fails to complete the transfer on the agreed date through their own act or omission, the buyer may terminate the contract and recover the full deposit, plus the same amount again from the seller as compensation. Again, this applies unless both parties agree new dates in writing. Clause 14 covers late handover: the Arabic text obliges the seller to pay the buyer a fair-rent equivalent for the delay, until the buyer can fully use the property.

The seller's other promises

The template also has the seller confirm or undertake that:

• they own the property, or act under a power of attorney authorised by the competent authorities (clause 2);
• they will transfer immediately after receiving the price, and by the date written in (clause 4);
• they will settle outstanding penalties, taxes, charges and unpaid developer or third-party fees before transfer (clause 17);
• the property has no lease or restriction that is not written into the contract (clause 18);
• it is free of disputes, mortgages and debts (clause 19).

In return, the buyer confirms they inspected the property and accept it in its current condition (clause 20). The price is fixed and cannot change with the market (clause 16). Any extension of the deadlines must be in writing and signed by both parties (clause 5). Terms in another document that contradict Form F do not bind the parties (clause 3). Where the Arabic and English texts differ, the Arabic prevails (clause 25).

If a representative signs for the seller, check the authority behind it. Our guide to powers of attorney in the UAE explains how to read one.

What Form F does not do: it does not transfer ownership

Signing Form F creates obligations between buyer and seller. It does not make the buyer the owner.

Ownership passes only when the transfer is recorded in the DLD Property Register (Dubai Law No. (7) of 2006, Article 9); our freehold guide explains the register. That is why you should check the title deed with the DLD before you sign Form F, not after.

Article 10 matters if the deal goes wrong. If someone breaches an undertaking to transfer a real property right, the law limits their liability to paying an indemnity, whether or not the contract mentions one. That is the context for the deposit and double-deposit clauses in Form F. They set the agreed consequence of a party walking away. How a court applies them to your facts is a question for a lawyer.

Off-plan units sit in the DLD's interim register under Dubai Law No. (13) of 2008, so the steps below are for ready property.

From Form F to the title deed: the sequence

A typical brokered resale of a ready property runs like this:

1. Brokers appointed. In the usual practice, the seller signs Form A, the buyer may sign Form B, and the brokers sign Form I between them.
2. Title checked. The buyer confirms ownership, and any mortgage, on the DLD register.
3. Form F signed. Price, deposit, transfer date and any finance condition go in writing. The buyer hands over the deposit cheque.
4. Developer NOC. In freehold areas, the DLD requires a no-objection e-certificate (e-NOC) from the developer through the Dubai REST app.
5. Mortgage settled, if any. The DLD's service for selling a mortgaged property asks for a liability letter from the bank (or a letter from the developer stating the remaining amount). It also asks for three manager's cheques: one to the bank or developer for the debt, one to the seller for any balance, and one to the DLD for the 4% fees. The sale completes once the mortgage release letter is submitted. See what a bank liability letter is.
6. Transfer at a trustee office. Both parties, or their attorneys, attend a Real Estate Registration Trustee office, which issues an electronic title deed in the buyer's name. The DLD lists 2% of the sale value from the seller and 2% from the buyer, plus fixed charges; Form F's clause 11 records how the parties split that 4%. Our trustee office guide covers the full fee table and documents.

Fees and requirements are set by the DLD and can change. Check the current figures on the DLD's property sale registration page before transfer day.

Form F and the Dubai Land Department: which version you sign

People searching "Form F Dubai Land Department" usually want one of two things: the official text, or proof that their contract matches it.

The official text is the "Real Estate Sale Agreement Template" on the DLD downloads page, in English and Arabic. That published version is the one with no broker. In a brokered deal, your broker usually produces the Form F, and the brokers' details appear on it. Either way, compare three things with the official template:

• The clause numbers and wording. Changes to the core deposit and default clauses deserve a question.
• The "Additional Conditions" box. The template allows extra terms, but says they "should not be conflict with the above conditions". Read every added line.
• The blanks. Deposit amount, transfer deadline, loan periods and the split of the 4% fee should all be filled in before anyone signs.

Property conveyancing services: who handles the paperwork

In Dubai, the paperwork is spread across several hands. In a brokered deal, the brokers usually prepare Forms A, B, I and F. The developer issues the NOC. The bank handles any mortgage release. The trustee office executes the registration for the DLD.

The DLD's sale registration page lists the documents and fees for that registration. It does not list a conveyancer among them. Many buyers still pay someone to manage the steps, and that can save time. A service that manages steps is not the same as advice on the terms, though. If you want someone to read the contract for your side, that is legal work. Ask whoever you hire which of the two they are providing, and get it in writing.

Before you sign: a short checklist

• The broker appears in the DLD's licensed-brokers service, and the details there match your form.
• The title deed and any mortgage have been checked on the DLD register.
• Your Form F matches the DLD template, and every blank is filled in.
• The deposit amount, the transfer date and both loan periods suit your actual timeline.
• You know which party pays which share of the 4% transfer fee.
• Any tenancy on the property is written into the contract.
• Anyone signing for someone else holds a valid power of attorney.

When a dispute starts

Form F sets a short first step. Clause 22 asks the parties to try to settle within seven days of one side notifying the other. If that fails, the dispute goes to the competent courts in Dubai. The DLD also runs an online service that gives automated answers to enquiries about contractual disputes or a party's refusal to perform the contract. A held deposit cheque is released by joint written instruction or by court order (clause 7), so neither party should try to cash or stop it on their own.

When to get legal help

Many resales go through on the standard forms without trouble. Get advice before signing if the property is mortgaged or the seller is a company or an heir. The same applies if someone is signing under a power of attorney, the deal depends on finance, or the contract has added conditions you do not fully understand. Get advice straight away if the other side has missed a deadline. You can find a real estate lawyer in Dubai on LEXAI and contact them directly. Our guide on choosing a real estate lawyer in Dubai covers what to ask first. To understand your position before you call, try the LEXAI AI legal assistant.

This is general legal information, not legal advice. Confirm current forms, fees and procedures with the Dubai Land Department or a licensed UAE lawyer.