Oqood and Escrow Accounts in Dubai: What Buyers and Agents Should Check

An off-plan buyer needs answers to two separate questions: has the relevant sale been registered, and are payments being directed correctly? Oqood and project escrow checks help address different parts of that purchase file.

What you will learn: Separate registration evidence from payment verification and organise the checks for both.

What does Oqood record?

DLD provides an initial-sale registration service through the Oqood portal for relevant off-plan units. The issued registration record should be checked against the purchaser, project, unit and transaction details.

Ask for the appropriate registration confirmation and check discrepancies promptly. A marketing brochure, reservation acknowledgement or internal developer statement does not perform the same function as an official registration record.

What is a project escrow account?

An escrow account is connected to a particular development and the legal framework governing off-plan purchaser payments. Dubai’s escrow legislation establishes requirements around these accounts and their operation.

The practical buyer question is whether the payment destination corresponds to the correct project and contractual instructions. An account described casually as “the developer’s account” should not be accepted without understanding its role and verified details.

What problems should prompt a pause?

Pause if the unit details do not match, the recipient cannot be explained, registration information is missing, or someone discourages verification because an offer is supposedly expiring.

Also distinguish an unresolved administrative question from a conclusion that a project is fraudulent. Request clarification and supporting records, then escalate through the appropriate official or professional channel if necessary.

What do these protections not tell you?

Registration and regulated payment arrangements do not establish that the purchase price is attractive, future rents will meet expectations, or resale will be easy. Those are separate commercial questions.

Evaluate delivery uncertainty, payment obligations and the buyer’s ability to fund the purchase alongside the registration checks. A properly documented transaction can still be unsuitable for a particular investor’s circumstances.

Keep two verification tracks

Track	What you are establishing	Supporting material
Sale registration	The relevant buyer, project, unit and transaction are correctly recorded	Official registration confirmation matched to the agreement
Payment destination	The request belongs to the purchase and the beneficiary is correct	Verified developer instructions, payment schedule and relevant project-account information

A document in one track does not complete the other. Checking a registration reference does not verify an unexpected bank-account change.

Handle a changed payment instruction

1. Pause the payment while the discrepancy is unresolved.
2. Compare the new request with the agreement and earlier verified instructions.
3. Contact the developer through established contact details obtained independently of the unexpected message.
4. Obtain confirmation of the beneficiary, amount, purpose and account role.
5. Retain the confirmation with the purchase file before proceeding through the authorised process.

Practise the distinction

Start by reading DLD’s initial-sale registration guidance and identifying what it records. With a purchase file available to you, sort its documents into registration evidence, contractual obligations and payment records. Identify anything missing or inconsistent. Your summary should explain what has been established and what still needs confirmation.

Common questions

Is Oqood the same as a completed-property title deed?

No. Initial registration of an off-plan sale and ownership documentation for completed property represent different stages and records.

Is a screenshot enough to verify an account or registration?

A screenshot may help identify what to check, but verification should use the appropriate official service and authenticated communications.

Key takeaway

Check registration and payment destination separately. Clear records, verified instructions and a well-understood agreement are essential habits throughout an off-plan purchase.