Short answer
- When a Dubai developer goes quiet, check the Dubai Land Department record first: project status, completion percentage and escrow details in Dubai REST.
- Send short, numbered, dated emails timed for Dubai office hours; the UAE is UTC+4 all year, 8 to 9 hours ahead of Toronto and 11 hours ahead of Vancouver.
- Under Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007, Article 12, buyers may see their own escrow accounting records and ask for copies.
- The DLD can attempt an amicable settlement; termination or compensation claims go to the Dubai Courts or arbitration.
- If you suspect fraud, report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and your local police.
A Dubai developer not responding is a hard problem for off-plan buyers in Canada, where the time gap makes every unanswered email feel longer. Silence is not a legal event in itself, but it is the moment to build a paper trail that will hold up later.
An escalation ladder for a silent developer
What should buyers in Canada check when a Dubai developer is not responding?
Check whether the project itself has changed before you assume the worst. Dubai REST's Project Status (Mashrooi) service shows project and developer details, escrow account details and inspection details for registered projects.
Before you send anything
I tried contacting the company's office in South Korea but there was no reply.
How do you write to a Dubai developer ignoring emails from Canada?
Make each message short, dated and easy to forward to a lawyer. A Dubai developer ignoring emails today may have to answer a court later, and your messages become the record.
Email rules that hold up later
What can you ask for when you can't reach the developer from Canada?
Ask for documents you have a right to see. Under Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007, Article 12, depositors or their representatives may view their own accounting records in the escrow account and ask for copies.
- Escrow records
- Your right to copies
- Source: Law No. 8 of 2007, Art. 12
- Completion letter
- From project consultant
- before paying a request
- Source: DLD FAQ
- Independent audit
- AED 15,000
- per unit, RERA technical auditor
- Source: DLD FAQ
- Registration complaint
- DLD section
- Real Estate Registration Assurance
- Source: DLD FAQ
If the developer will not complete your Oqood registration, the DLD FAQ says you can apply to the Real Estate Registration Assurance section with supporting documents. Oqood is the DLD's interim register for off-plan sales.
When does silence become a dispute?
Silence becomes a dispute when it blocks something you are owed: a registration, a refund, a document, or a handover. The DLD can try an amicable settlement but cannot cancel a contract at your request; termination goes to the real estate court.
| Body | Can do | Cannot do |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai Land Department | Attempt amicable settlement; registration assurance | Cancel your contract |
| Dubai Courts or arbitration | Decide termination and damages | Act without a filed claim |
| Canadian consulate in Dubai | Give a list of local lawyers | Intervene in private legal matters |
| Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre | Record fraud reports | Recover funds from Dubai |
Canadian consular officials cannot "intervene in private legal matters", says the Consular Services Charter. For the court route, see how a dispute with the developer proceeds.
When should you contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre?
Contact the CAFC if the silence comes with signs of deception: a vanished sales contact, payments outside escrow, or a project that does not appear in the DLD record. The CAFC takes reports online or at 1-888-495-8501 (weekdays 10:00–16:45 ET) and advises victims to also contact local police.
Canada has no national scheme that refunds authorized payments made under deception, so a report documents the loss rather than returning money. If the unit was marketed in British Columbia, BCFSA can investigate complaints about that marketing under the Real Estate Development Marketing Act.
Related reading: checking a changed handover date, the global guide to an unresponsive developer and the Canadian buyers' hub. Before your next email, pull the project's registry record.
What should I do if my Dubai developer stops answering emails?
Can I see my escrow payments if the developer won't reply?
Can the Canadian consulate contact the developer for me?
Is a silent developer a reason to report fraud in Canada?
Related guides
- GuideDeveloper not responding on your off-plan unit in Dubai: build the paper trail
- Country hubDubai off-plan problems for Canadian buyers: find your stage, then your guide
- Canada guideOff-plan dispute with a developer in Dubai: where Canadian buyers can take it
- Canada guideDubai handover date changed: a checking routine for off-plan buyers in Canada
Sources
- Frequently asked questions (Dubai Land Department)
- Project Status (Mashrooi) service guide, Dubai REST (Dubai Land Department)
- Time zones and daylight saving time (National Research Council Canada)
- B.C. adopts permanent Pacific time (Government of British Columbia)
- Report a scam or fraud (Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre)
- Canadian Consular Services Charter (Government of Canada)
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.