Reading an SPA Before You Sign: 12 Clauses Every Off-Plan Buyer Should Check

An off-plan Sale and Purchase Agreement is the document that turns a reservation into a binding property purchase. The brochure may explain the lifestyle, but the SPA sets out what the buyer and developer are actually agreeing to. Before signing, read the contract slowly and compare it with the unit, price and payment plan you were sold.

Dubai Land Department’s Oqood service requires the signed sale and purchase contract for provisional registration, and DLD states that the contract should be registered in the provisional register within 90 days of signing.

1. Buyer, developer and unit details — Check names, passport or ID details, unit number, floor, property type, parking allocation and the stated area. A small error at the start can create unnecessary problems later.
2. Total price and payment schedule — Confirm the full purchase price, booking amount, instalment dates and handover balance. Check whether payments are fixed by date or tied to construction milestones.
3. Oqood and provisional registration — The SPA should match the information used for provisional registration. Keep the registration certificate with your contract and payment records.
4. Construction and completion date — Look for the expected completion date and any separate long-stop or extended completion date. These dates matter if construction takes longer than expected.
5. Force majeure and extensions — Read what events allow the timetable to change. Understand this wording before a delay happens, not after.
6. Changes to plans and specifications — Check what may change in layouts, finishes, amenities or building specifications and whether limits are stated.
7. Unit area adjustments — Some contracts explain what happens when the final measured area differs from the area sold. DLD rules specifically address differences between registered and contracted unit areas.
8. Buyer default — Understand late-payment provisions, notice periods and what may happen after a missed instalment. DLD has a formal deregistration process where purchasers breach payment obligations under an off-plan contract.
9. Developer default and termination — Read the provisions covering serious developer failure, termination and refunds. These should be considered alongside applicable Dubai property law.
10. Assignment or resale before handover — If you might sell before completion, check approval requirements, administration charges and any payment threshold that applies.
11. Handover, defects and warranties — Check how handover notice works, when the final balance becomes due and how defects must be reported.
12. Service charges and disputes — Understand when service charges begin and how contractual disputes are handled. DLD describes service charges as approved annual charges covering management, operation, maintenance and repair of jointly owned property.

A buyer should not sign an SPA simply because a booking amount has already been paid. Compare the contract with the sales offer, ask about anything unclear and get qualified UAE legal advice where the wording may affect your rights.

For buyers who keep seeing terms such as Oqood, NOC, escrow and SPA, the Dubai real estate glossary is a useful starting point before reviewing a contract in detail.