RERA escrow
Also known as: Escrow account · Off-plan escrow
A RERA escrow is a bank-held account where off-plan buyer payments go. The developer can only draw from it as construction milestones are verified.
An escrow is a bank account held by a neutral third party. In Dubai, every off-plan escrow account must be held at a RERA-approved bank.
When you buy off-plan in Dubai, your deposit and instalments are paid into the escrow — not to the developer.
The developer can only withdraw funds from the escrow as construction progresses. An inspector verifies each milestone, and a set percentage of the escrow is released.
If a project is cancelled, buyers get their escrow funds back under RERA rules. This is the single biggest protection Dubai off-plan has over most other global markets.