Dubai Service Charge Index 2026: Check Any Building’s Fees (DLD / Mollak)

What a service charge is

Every owner of an apartment, villa or office in a jointly owned property in Dubai pays an annual service charge to the owners’ association for running the building: cleaning, security, landscaping, lifts, pools and gyms, insurance, utilities of common areas, management fees and a contribution to the reserve (sinking) fund for major repairs. The budget is prepared by the management company, audited, approved by RERA and published in the Dubai Land Department’s service charge index (Mollak). It is a legal obligation — vacant units pay too.

How the charge is calculated

The approved budget is divided by the total chargeable area of the building and expressed in AED per square foot per year. Your bill is that rate multiplied by the area on your title deed, which already includes your share of common areas. Two funds are approved separately: the general fund (day-to-day running) and the reserve fund (future replacement of lifts, façades, chillers). Some buildings also approve additional charges — fixed items such as district cooling capacity or chiller fees — shown separately on this page.

Typical rates in 2026

Across Dubai the median residential rate is about 16 AED per square foot a year. Villas in master communities usually pay 2–6 AED (charged on the plot), standard apartment towers 10–20 AED, premium towers in Downtown, Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah 25–45 AED, and branded or ultra-luxury residences 60–120 AED. The community ranking shows medians and ranges for every area.

How to check and pay

Type the building or project name above to see its approved rate, history since 2008, budget breakdown and how it compares with neighbouring buildings. The same figures are available through the official DLD portal and the Dubai REST app by title deed number. Invoices are issued by the management company through Mollak in two to four instalments a year; unpaid charges block the resale of the unit until cleared.

Frequently asked questions

Why are service charges higher for apartments than villas?

Towers have lifts, chillers, pools, gyms and 24-hour security that villa communities do not, and the cost is spread over less area.

Can the management company raise the charge?

Only through a new budget approved by RERA for the next year. The year-on-year change for each building is shown above.

Does the service charge include district cooling?

Chilled-water capacity charges are usually additional charges or billed directly by the cooling provider; consumption is always billed separately.

Are service charges included in rent?

No. The owner pays them; a tenant pays DEWA, cooling consumption and, where applicable, the Ejari registration.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the Dubai Land Department service charge index (Mollak), refreshed weekly on this site. Figures are RERA-approved budgets, not estimates.