Insights · Running costs
Service charges:
check before you offer.
Two units at the same price can carry different service charges, and DLD's index publishes the RERA-approved fee per project, use and year. The Dubai Land Department's Service Charge Index shows the approved service fee for a jointly owned property: choose the project, the use and the year, and the rate appears.
Why the price isn't the whole cost
Service charges are a running cost on top of the price, and they come out of any rent the unit earns. Comparing two units on price alone misses them. That's why we check them before an offer, not after.
How to look it up
- Open the Service Charge Index on the Dubai Land Department website (Mollak system) or in the Dubai REST app, and log in.
- Choose the project's name, then the use, then the year.
- The approved service fee information for that selection appears straight away.
The approved rate and the actual bill
The index gives you the approved rate. Then ask the seller for the most recent service charge invoice, so you see what is actually being billed on that unit.
If you're weighing rental income, put the service charge into the numbers: see gross vs net yield.
Questions buyers ask
What is the DLD Service Charge Index?
A Dubai Land Department service that shows the approved service fees for jointly owned properties. You log in, choose the project, the use and the year, and the information appears.
Where can I check a building's service charges?
On the Dubai Land Department website, through the Mollak system, or in the Dubai REST app.
Is the approved rate what the seller actually pays?
It is the approved rate for that project, use and year. To see what is actually being billed on the unit, ask the seller for the most recent service charge invoice.
Sources, checked 26 October 2026:
- Dubai Land Department, Service Charge Index (what it shows, channels, steps)