Updated 10 November 2026.

What is the difference between an MOU, Form F and an SPA?

MOU stands for memorandum of understanding. DLA Piper describes its use to record a proposed deal before the detailed contract. The wording matters: ask which obligations begin when you sign.

Form F is DLD’s Unified Sale Contract. Its official workflow includes payment details, duration and additional terms. If someone calls it the MOU, ask to see the complete form they mean.

Document you receiveWhat to identifyWhat to request alongside it
MOU or heads of termsWhether this is a preliminary proposal or the agreement you are being asked to signEvery referenced attachment and an explanation of obligations that start immediately
Form F for a resaleBuyer, seller, property and the agreed transaction termsAll additional conditions, including finance and transfer arrangements
Developer SPA for an off-plan saleUnit, specification, price, payment milestones and handover termsPlans, specifications and the provisional registration reference after submission

Sources · DLD — Contract F workflow · DLD / Al Tamimi — investor guide, 2017, p. 20 · DLD — initial-sale registration · DLA Piper — Dubai sale and purchase, updated 30 April 2026 · Checked 10 November 2026.

What should you check before signing?

Mark the answers beside the relevant clauses. DLD’s Form F workflow has separate fields for payment details, duration, fees and additional terms.

  1. Property: match the unit number, building, area and seller’s details across the contract and supporting records.
  2. Money: identify the price, deposit, who holds it and the conditions for release or return.
  3. Finance: if you need a mortgage, ask what happens if approval or valuation falls short.
  4. Completion: check the transfer date, required documents and who must obtain them.
  5. Possession: ask when you receive keys, whether a tenant remains and which bills each party settles.
  6. Changes: read every attachment and ask which clause applies if two documents disagree.

Use the SPA clause checklist for the detailed review. Check the developer NOC requirements early if you are buying a completed freehold property: DLD lists an e-NOC among the documents for its sale-registration service.

Sources · DLD — Contract F fields · DLD — sale-registration documents · Checked 10 November 2026.

Is the deposit always 10%?

Don't insert 10% because it sounds familiar. Ask for the amount and the clause explaining what happens to it. There isn't one deposit percentage or refund rule confirmed here for every MOU, Form F or developer SPA.

Hypothetical example: AED 2,000,000 × an agreed 10% deposit = AED 200,000. Ask whether it counts towards the price, who holds it and what happens if finance is declined. The percentage doesn't settle the refund terms.

If the answer is only “it’s standard,” ask for the relevant clause. Have your lawyer review an unclear payment or cancellation condition before signing.

What happens after the agreement is signed?

Keep the signed contract and the registration result as separate records.

PurchaseRegistration route described by DLDRecord to keep
Completed propertySale registration through a Real Estate Registration Trustee centre or the listed digital channelElectronic title deed and transaction records
Direct off-plan purchaseDeveloper submits initial-sale registration through Oqood with the signed SPAProvisional registration e-certificate

Read the Oqood registration guide if you are buying off-plan. Use the escrow-account checks before making a developer payment. For the wider document review, open the off-plan due-diligence checklist.

Sources · DLD — completed-property sale registration · DLD — off-plan initial-sale registration · Checked 10 November 2026.

What if the MOU and sales agreement say different things?

Send both versions and all attachments to your lawyer. Ask which terms apply and how to record a correction. Don't rely on a spoken promise to explain away a different price, deadline or deposit clause.

DLD’s workflow allows additional terms. Its 2017 investor guide says added terms must be compatible with the standard form. That doesn't resolve a conflict in your particular documents.

Sources · DLD — additional-term fields · DLD / Al Tamimi — investor guide, 2017, p. 20 · Checked 10 November 2026.

What else should you know before buying?

Is an MOU legally binding?

The title alone doesn't answer that. Ask your lawyer to read the wording, signatures, conditions and attachments together. A preliminary note and a completed Form F can both be described casually as an MOU; don't treat the name as permission to withdraw.

Does signing Form F transfer ownership?

Registration is a separate step. DLA Piper’s Dubai guidance says title transfer takes effect on registration; DLD’s completed-property service issues an electronic title deed. Ask for the registration result rather than treating the signed agreement as the final ownership record.

What should you ask for next?

Request the full unsigned contract, every annex, the payment schedule and a written explanation of the deposit conditions. If a finance condition or possession date is missing, settle it in the contract before you sign.