Dubai Service Charges — Verify the Actual Project Budget
Check approved charges for the exact Dubai project and budget year, review arrears and planned works, and model net income using documented costs.
Check the actual approved budget: Use DLD’s Service Charge Index for the exact project and applicable year. Obtain the unit invoice and ask management what chargeable area and billing period apply. Apartment and villa arrangements vary; a neighbourhood average is not a legally applicable unit charge.
What is included: Review common-area maintenance, cleaning, security, amenities, insurance, management and reserves where included. Confirm whether cooling, utilities, parking or particular services are separate. Do not assume a fixed reserve percentage or that every project uses the same governance structure.
History and future work: Ask management for available prior budgets, accounts and planned major works. Investigate reasons for changes and reserve adequacy, rather than declaring a particular annual increase proof of bad management. Public access to every financial document is not guaranteed.
Arrears and transfer: Request a current statement and confirm the developer’s NOC and clearance requirements before transfer. Record which party pays any outstanding amount. A service-charge invoice alone does not establish that all obligations are cleared.
Income analysis: Subtract verified service charges and other owner costs from achieved rent, then allow for vacancy, maintenance and management. Rent minus service charges alone is not a full net yield. No annual charge range or normal increase percentage is endorsed here.
Can charges change? Yes. Consult the applicable approved budget and current service-charge process; there is no universal normal annual increase percentage here.
Where can I check charges? DLD’s Service Charge Index is the official lookup. Match the project and budget year and obtain your unit’s statement.
Last reviewed 2026-10-19 by PropertyConnect Editorial
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