Short answer
- The RERA Service Charge Index lets buyers in Australia look up the approved service fee for a Dubai jointly owned project by project, use and year, with immediate results.
- RERA launched the index on 15 October 2014, and rates are shown in AED per square foot.
- You can reach it on the Dubai Land Department (DLD) website through Mollak, or in the Dubai REST app.
- Dubai REST's version 7.0.0 restricts foreign investors to UAE PASS or title deed logins, and UAE PASS has a Visitor path that uses a passport.
- Article 27(a) of Law No. 6 of 2019 bars collection of service charges without RERA approval.
The right way in depends on what you already hold: a title deed, a UAE PASS account, or neither. For the project behind the building, you can also see its registry facts.
Start
Need your approved rate
Decision
Using a phone?
- No
DLD website: Mollak index
Outcome
Rate x area = yearly figure
- Yes
Decision
Hold a title deed?
- Yes
Dubai REST: title deed login
- No
Decision
Have UAE PASS?
- Yes
Dubai REST: UAE PASS login
- No
Outcome
Register as UAE PASS Visitor
- Yes
- Yes
How does the RERA Service Charge Index work for buyers in Australia?
The RERA Service Charge Index is a public lookup of approved service fees for jointly owned projects in Dubai, searchable by project, use and year. Buyers in Australia use it as a resident would; only the login and the hour differ.
RERA is the Real Estate Regulatory Agency, the DLD's regulatory arm. Mollak is the DLD system, run through RERA, that regulates jointly owned properties and service charges.
- Index launched
- 15 Oct 2014
- Announced by RERA at GITEX
- Unit of measure
- AED per sq ft
- Multiply by your unit's area
- Search by
- Project, use, year
- Results are immediate
- Where
- Mollak or Dubai REST
- DLD website or the official app
Route A: the DLD website and Mollak
The DLD says the index is available on its website through Mollak. This route suits a laptop session and avoids the app's login rules for foreign investors.
Route B: Dubai REST with a title deed
If your unit has been handed over and registered, you may already hold a title deed. The Dubai REST v7.0.0 release notes say foreign investors can log in with UAE PASS or title deed details, so a registered owner has a direct path into the app.
Route C: Dubai REST with UAE PASS, or registering as a Visitor
Off-plan buyers usually have only an Oqood pre-registration, not a title deed. Our reading of the app's login options is that such a buyer will in practice need UAE PASS; the DLD does not state this itself. UAE PASS offers a Visitor path: download the app, create an account, choose Visitor, then choose Passport. Press coverage from 2022 says a home-country mobile number is accepted and identity is confirmed by facial recognition.
Mollak service charge check for Australian buyers: reading the result
The index result is a rate, not a bill, so turn it into an annual figure to set against the invoice. Article 25(a) of Law No. 6 of 2019 divides charges by unit area.
Match the year and use
Pick the budget year printed on your invoice and the correct use category, such as residential.
Find your unit's area
Take the area from your SPA, Oqood certificate or title deed, in square feet.
Multiply
Example: a hypothetical 800 sq ft unit at an approved AED 20 per sq ft comes to AED 16,000 for the year.
Compare and write down the gap
If the invoice differs, note the index screenshot, the date and your calculation. That record is the basis of any query.
Can the developer increase service charges a few years after the handover?
When the arithmetic does not reconcile, our decision guide for a service charge higher than expected sets out the next steps.
How to check approved service charges in Dubai from Australia without losing a day
Checking from Australia is mostly about timing and records, because no Australian agency holds Dubai service-charge data.
Dubai REST also shows a project's escrow account number before handover, as explained in verifying an escrow account from Australia. For the full explainer, read the global RERA Service Charge Index guide, and for every related topic see the Australia hub on Dubai off-plan problems.
FAQ
Can buyers in Australia use the RERA Service Charge Index without a UAE visa?
Buyers in Australia can look up the RERA Service Charge Index on the DLD website through Mollak, and the DLD describes the index as available to the public. Using the Dubai REST app instead needs a UAE PASS or title deed login for foreign investors, and UAE PASS has a Visitor registration path that uses a passport rather than residency.
What does a Mollak service charge check actually show?
A Mollak service charge check through the Service Charge Index shows the RERA-approved service fee for a jointly owned project, filtered by project, use and year. The figure is in AED per square foot. It does not show your personal invoice, so multiply the approved rate by your unit's area to get the yearly amount to compare.
Why does the approved rate matter if the management company has already billed me?
The approved rate matters because Article 27(a) of Law No. 6 of 2019 bars management entities in Dubai from collecting service charges without RERA approval. If the billed amount does not match the approved rate multiplied by your area, the index gives you a documented basis to ask the management company for an explanation in writing.
When is the best time to call Dubai about service charges from Sydney or Perth?
The best time to call Dubai from Sydney or Melbourne during AEDT is late afternoon, because the UAE is 7 hours behind; 4pm in Sydney is 9am in Dubai. Perth is 4 hours ahead of the UAE all year, so a Perth owner reaches Dubai's morning around 1pm local time. The UAE does not change its clocks.
Related guides
- GuideHow to use the RERA Service Charge Index and Mollak to check your building's rate
- Country hubDubai off-plan problems for Australian buyers: every stage, every guide
- Australia guideService charge higher than expected in Dubai: a decision guide for Australia investors
- Australia guideHow Australian buyers can verify an escrow account for Dubai off-plan before transferring
Sources
- Dubai Land Department: Service Charge Index overview
- RERA launches Service Charge Index at GITEX (Dubai Land Department)
- Mollak: about the system (Dubai Land Department)
- Dubai REST app listing (Apple App Store)
- UAE PASS registration without an Emirates ID (Ministry of Health and Prevention)
- Law No. 6 of 2019 Concerning Ownership of Jointly Owned Real Property in Dubai (Dubai Legislation Portal)
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws and procedures change; check the official source before acting. Published 12 October 2026, last updated 12 October 2026.