Practice areas
Real estate
Leases, purchases and development projects for landlords, tenants and developers across Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Fixed fees for most lease work.
What we do
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Leases
New leases, renewals, rent increases, assignments and sub-leases for offices, shops, warehouses and restaurants, with Ejari registration handled.
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Buying and selling
Ready and off-plan property in Dubai’s freehold areas and in the DIFC, with a plain-English report on the title and the developer before you commit.
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Development land
Joint ventures with landowners, RERA project registration, escrow accounts and off-plan sales contracts.
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Portfolio management
Lease renewals, service charge disputes and asset management for investors with 5 to 500 units.
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Property finance
Acting for borrowers on investment and development loans, coordinated with the bank’s lawyers and the mortgage registration at the Land Department.
How we work
David Morrow and Hannah Pearce lead a team of six real estate lawyers in DIFC and Abu Dhabi. Most of our lease work is on a fixed fee, quoted in writing before we start, and we tell you at the outset which points are worth negotiating and which are market standard.
For development clients we work alongside your consultant and agent from the first heads of terms, so permit, escrow and handover risks are priced in before you sign rather than discovered after.
How a lease deal runs
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Heads of terms
We check the agreed terms in a free call and flag anything unusual before the draft arrives.
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Draft and negotiate
A short report on the draft lease, then negotiation with the other side. Usually two to four weeks.
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Checks
The title deed, the landlord’s ownership and the permitted use for your trade licence, scaled to the length and value of the lease.
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Complete
Signing, Ejari registration and the security deposit handled for you.
Fees
Published so you can compare. Your quote confirms the exact figure in writing.
Leases (fixed fees)
- Tenant: new lease of a single unitRent up to AED 500,000 a year
- AED 4,500
- Landlord: grant of a new leaseIncluding the heads of terms review
- AED 6,000
- Lease renewal with a rent increaseAgreed without the Rental Disputes Centre
- AED 4,000
- Consent to assign or sub-letActing for the tenant or the landlord
- AED 3,500
Buying and selling
- Purchase up to AED 5 millionReady or off-plan, includes title and developer checks
- AED 9,500
- Purchase AED 5 million to AED 20 million
- AED 14,000–24,000
- Development plot acquisitionQuoted after a free call
- From AED 25,000
All fees are plus 5% VAT and third-party costs such as Dubai Land Department transfer and registration fees, Ejari and trustee office fees, which we list in your quote.
Ask for a quoteFourteen units let through David’s team in six years, and every lease came in on the fixed fee they quoted.
Questions about real estate
How long does a new lease take?
Usually two to six weeks from heads of terms to signing and Ejari registration. The biggest variable is how quickly the other side responds; we chase weekly.
Is a fixed fee really fixed?
Yes, for the work described in your quote. If the deal changes, for example a second unit is added, we tell you the new fee before doing the extra work.
Do you act on home purchases?
Only for existing clients buying or selling property linked to a business or estate plan. For a straightforward home purchase we can recommend firms that specialise in it.
Talk to David Morrow
A free 20-minute call with David or a member of the team, usually within one working day.
Direct line +971 4 555 0385
