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After purchase · Q&A · For buyers in United Kingdom

How British buyers can check construction progress on Dubai off-plan before paying

Check construction progress on Dubai off-plan before payment, British buyers: a routine for completion %, escrow details and dates before each instalment.

By HomeProof Research TeamUpdated 6 min readDubai law · every fact with a source

Short answer

  • British buyers can check construction progress on Dubai off-plan before payment in the DLD's Dubai REST app, which shows a project's completion percentage, site photos and escrow account number.
  • Its Project Status (Mashrooi) service adds developer details, inspection details and, per Gulf News, the projected completion date and last inspection date.
  • The DLD FAQ says payments follow completion rates, and a buyer can ask for a letter from the DLD-approved project consultant confirming the current completion percentage; your SPA still sets the schedule.
  • A UK-to-UAE instalment is an international transfer and sits outside the UK APP reimbursement scheme, so verify before you send.

Each instalment request arrives with a deadline, and from Britain it is hard to see what is happening on site. You can use the same official data a Dubai resident would, once access is set up.

How can British buyers check construction progress on Dubai off-plan before payment?

Use the DLD's Project Status data, then match it against the request. The Dubai REST app, the Dubai Land Department's official platform, lets off-plan investors see the percentage of completion, actual project photos and the project's escrow account number.

…stop paying the installment because the developer has stopped building?
a buyer who had paid 60 per cent, writing to Gulf News' Ask the Law · Gulf News, Oct 2023

The DLD website also lets you check completion percentage and status by plot number, project number or project name through its real estate project status service.

What does Dubai REST show on project status and completion percentage for UK buyers?

The Project Status (Mashrooi) service shows project and developer details, escrow account details and inspection details, according to the DLD's own user guide. Gulf News (August 2023) adds that each project carries an active, finished or cancelled label.

Completion
Percentage shown
Dubai REST, per the DLD
Source: dubailand.gov.ae
Status label
Active / finished / cancelled
Gulf News, Aug 2023
Inspection
Last date + report
Downloadable, with site photos (Gulf News)
Independent audit
AED 15,000
RERA technical auditor, per unit or villa (DLD FAQ)
Source: dubailand.gov.ae

RERA periodically reviews registered projects and asks developers to update the expected completion date and completion rate. If the technical report is more than three months old, the developer pays a technical report fee, which is one reason to note the inspection date, not just the percentage.

Can I log in to Dubai REST from the UK?

Yes, with the right ID. The app is listed on the UK App Store, but its version notes say foreign investors can log in only with UAE PASS or a title deed, and off-plan buyers rarely hold a deed yet. UAE PASS offers a Visitor registration using a passport, and a UK mobile number is accepted.

Should I pay the next off-plan instalment from the UK? What to check first

The decision is yours, and your SPA sets the schedule; the point is to pay with the facts in front of you. The DLD FAQ notes that payments follow completion rates and that, before paying a developer's request, an investor can ask for a letter from the DLD-approved project consultant confirming the completion percentage.

Before every instalment

Example: a payment plan links a hypothetical 10% instalment to a construction milestone. If Dubai REST shows the project well short of that stage, ask the developer in writing which milestone the request relies on and request the consultant's letter.

What if I stop paying while I wait for answers?

Know the rules first. If a buyer defaults, Dubai law lets the developer start a DLD notice process with 30 days to perform, and the amount it may keep on termination depends on the whole project's completion: up to 25% of the unit value below 60%, up to 40% from 60% (Article 11 of Law No. 13 of 2008, as amended by Law No. 19 of 2020). Our UK page on missed instalments covers the process.

Does my UK bank protect an instalment sent to Dubai?

Not under the reimbursement scheme. The APP rules introduced on 7 October 2024 cover UK-to-UK Faster Payments and CHAPS, with a cap of £85,000, so an international payment to a Dubai escrow account is outside them.

Before you transfer, compare the developer's request with the registry data. Our UK guide to verifying the escrow account covers that step in depth, the global progress-check guide has the full Dubai detail, and the UK buyers' hub links every UK guide.

Where do UK buyers see Dubai REST project status and completion percentage?
UK buyers see the project status and completion percentage in the Dubai REST app's Project Status (Mashrooi) service, or on the DLD website by plot number, project number or project name. Dubai REST also shows site photos and the escrow account number. Foreign investors need UAE PASS or a title deed to log in to the app.
Should I pay the next off-plan instalment from the UK if progress looks slow?
Your SPA sets the payment schedule, so the decision rests on your contract and the facts. Before paying, compare the Dubai REST completion percentage with the milestone in the request, and ask for a letter from the DLD-approved project consultant confirming completion. Stopping payment can trigger Dubai's default process under Article 11.
Can I get an independent construction report on my Dubai project?
Yes. The DLD FAQ says an investor can obtain a completion report from RERA's technical auditor for AED 15,000 per unit or villa. The report is separate from the developer's own figures and from the completion percentage shown in the Dubai REST app.
How often is the completion percentage in Dubai REST updated?
RERA periodically reviews registered projects and asks developers to update the expected completion date and completion rate. If the technical report is more than three months old, the developer pays a technical report fee. Check the last inspection date shown in Dubai REST alongside the percentage itself.
Is an off-plan instalment sent from a UK bank covered by APP reimbursement?
No. The UK APP reimbursement scheme, in force since 7 October 2024, covers UK-to-UK payments by Faster Payments or CHAPS. An off-plan instalment sent from a UK bank to a Dubai account is an international payment, so it falls outside the scheme, and a SWIFT recall depends on the receiving bank.

Related guides

Sources

  1. Dubai REST (Dubai Land Department)
  2. Project Status (Mashrooi) user guide (Dubai Land Department)
  3. DLD frequently asked questions
  4. Track your Dubai property's progress on your phone (Gulf News)
  5. Dubai REST on the UK App Store
  6. APP fraud reimbursement protections (Payment Systems Regulator)
HomeProof Research TeamFacts from Dubai law and official registries. HomeProof sells no property and takes no commission. About HomeProof

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.

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