Jointly Owned Real Property, Excluding DIFC
The developer must register jointly held real estate with the Dubai Land Department in a specific property register (DLD). The site layout, the jointly owned property declaration (JOPD), and the owners association's bylaws are included in the registration paperwork (OA).
The building plans, the number of units, the usage type(residential, retail, commercial, or a combination of these), and the description of the common areas are included in the JOPD. In addition, the allocation and recording of each unit's "unit entitlement," the rules that will apply to the use of the common areas or the community rules, and information on waste management, water, and energy use are all included in the JOPD of Joint ownership of property in Dubai. Parking spaces, for example, may be designated as exclusive portions of the common areas, with one owner having the only right to use them. Each apartment in Dubai must have a corresponding parking space.
The unit entitlement, which is represented as a percentage and represents an owner's undivided share of the common spaces, is determined by dividing the size of the owner's unit by the total size of all the units in the development. The amount of the yearly service costs each owner must pay to the OA is then determined using this percentage. Naturally, the OA will have a yearly budget that it must adhere to; this is a responsibility shared by all owners.
Each owner has a representative and can participate in the OA's decision-making. According to the unit entitlement, each owner has a certain number of votes concerning their part in a jointly held real estate. Each year, the owners must choose a board of managers to oversee the upkeep and repair of common spaces and the supply of utility services, security, and other associated building management duties.
An OA is recognized as a non-profit entity with a legal personality separate from its members, according to Article 18 of the Jointly Owned Property Law in Dubai, and it is allowed to bring or receive lawsuits in its name. However, not all OAs have access to this status, and the DLD needs specific permission.