Escrow enforcement and developer compliance tightened

The Dubai Land Department and RERA have tightened the day-to-day mechanics of project-specific escrow accounts. Developer access to buyer funds is now tied more strictly to verified construction milestones, with clearer contractual penalties written in for delivery delays.

For off-plan buyers, this means fund releases are more closely audited against actual progress on site, rather than against a payment schedule alone. It's a meaningful protection given how large a share of 2026 transaction value has gone to off-plan — the same off-plan commitments that held up throughout the February war.

Brokers and buyers working through BlueLocale's agent platform will see these compliance checkpoints reflected in how we structure due diligence on new listings going forward.