Mollak is the DLD’s online system for managing service charges in jointly owned properties. To run a Mollak service charge check, look up your building’s approved figure on the DLD index, then compare it with the bill in your account. The numbers should match. If they do not, ask the management company for the budget breakdown.
A Mollak check takes about ten minutes and can save you from overpaying for years. This guide shows how to find the approved figure, read an invoice and act when the numbers look wrong. For the basics of what these fees cover, start with our guide to service charges in Dubai.
What is the Mollak system in Dubai?
Mollak Dubai is a digital platform introduced by the Dubai Land Department (DLD) and the Dubai Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) to bring order to service charge management. The word means “owner” in Arabic. It is an online service for jointly owned properties in Dubai, such as apartment towers, mixed-use projects and master communities, so service charges for jointly owned real property in the emirate are collected and tracked in one place.
Three groups use the system. Owners view bills and payments. Management companies, also called management entities, submit budgets and issue statements. Regulators review the records. The goal of Mollak is transparency: every dirham collected should trace back to an approved budget. Real estate developers hand a building to an owners’ association or management company, and from then on Mollak records the charges.
The rules come from Dubai’s jointly owned property law, Law No. 6 of 2019. It makes the owner liable for service charges, not the tenant, and it requires a reserve (sinking) fund held apart from routine charges. Details can be amended, so confirm the current text with the DLD. Property ownership in a shared building carries this duty.
How to check your service charge on Mollak
There are two checks. The first finds the figure that was approved. The second confirms what you are being billed.
Step 1: find the approved figure
- Open the index on the DLD website or in the Dubai REST app.
- Search by title deed number, or select the project and usage type.
- Choose the year.
- When the index returns a result, note the approved rate per square foot and the management company’s name.
Multiply the rate by your unit’s area. For a 1,000 sq ft flat at AED 15 per sq ft, the yearly charge should come to AED 15,000. Charges approved by RERA appear on the index, so that is your reference point.
Use the service charge index entry as your benchmark. Mollak works through a registration process that management companies complete in the emirate of Dubai before they collect charges, and Mollak offers owners access to each service charge invoice. Each service fee on a Dubai service charge bill should trace back to the index. Service charges cover shared costs, and they require owners to cover their share of the annual service charge for jointly owned property.
Step 2: compare it with your bill
Learn how to access the Mollak portal, or open the Mollak services in the app, and find your latest bill. Check that the area, the rate and the year match the index. The area should also match the area recorded in the real property register for your unit. If the yearly total differs from your own calculation, the bill is the item that needs explaining.
How to read a Mollak invoice
The Mollak process issues one invoice per unit, usually per quarter, so about one-quarter of the annual charge appears on each. Owners can monitor service charge payments in the same account. The table shows what to look for.
Item | What to check |
|---|---|
Unit and area | Matches your deed in square feet |
Budget year | Is the year you are paying for |
Rate per sq ft | Matches the approved rate on the index |
Quarterly amount | About one-quarter of the annual charge |
Master community charge | Sometimes billed separately |
Payment details | Account approved for the building, not a personal account |
In large developments, owners can receive two bills, one for the building and one for the wider master community. That is normal, but check each against its own approved figure. A usage charge may also apply for shared facilities in some communities, so read every line.
How service charge budgets get approved
The management company prepares a yearly budget and submits it to Mollak. An independent auditor reviews the numbers, and the DLD approves them. No bill should be issued before that approval. This is why an unexpected statement is a reason to ask questions, not just pay. Annual charges cover running costs, and the reserve fund covers major repairs.
Money that companies collect goes into a DLD-regulated escrow account, so it cannot be spent on unapproved items. The reserve fund sits separately and generally needs RERA approval before use, except in emergencies. If you are buying, ask for the latest audit, because a thin reserve can mean a levy later.
How to pay service charges through Mollak
You can settle a bill in three ways:
- Through the app, using the Mollak option
- Through the portal, after you log in
- By bank transfer to the account named on the statement
Payment of service charges is recorded against your unit, so keep the confirmation. A new quarterly bill can replace older payment links, so pay the one that is current. Our guide to the cost of owning property in Dubai shows where this payment sits among the other yearly bills.
What to do if the bill looks wrong
Work through these steps in order:
- Compare the bill with the approved figure for the right year.
- Ask the management company for the budget breakdown and the audit summary.
- Raise the issue in writing and keep every reply.
- If it stays unresolved, take it to the regulator. RERA considers complaints against developers and management entities.
For unpaid arrears, the dispute usually moves to the Rental Disputes Centre. Our guide to filing a case at the Rental Disputes Centre explains the process. Property management in Dubai works best when you question a bill early, not after it grows.
What happens when an owner does not pay?
In short, the owner pays. An owner may not refuse to pay an approved charge, and the owner remains liable to the management company even when a tenant fails to pay. Unpaid charges build up, and the company can escalate against the unit for unpaid service charges. The balance can follow the property to a buyer if it is not cleared before transfer, so a buyer’s lawyer will ask for a clearance letter.
If you rent the unit out, check the tenancy contract. Some landlords cover the charge inside the rent and some do not, so our guide to renting out your flat or villa covers how to word it. For how the clearance fits into a sale, see selling property in Dubai.
Frequently asked questions
What is Mollak payment?
Mollak payment means settling your building’s bill through the DLD system. You can pay in the Dubai REST app, on the portal or by transfer to the approved account. Payment is recorded against your unit, which is what a buyer later checks.
Who pays service charges, the owner or the tenant?
The owner. Under Dubai’s jointly owned property law, the owner is liable even if the unit is rented. A landlord can include the cost in the rent, but the management company bills the owner, and any arrears stay with the unit.
How often are Mollak invoices issued?
Bills are generally issued quarterly, each reflecting your unit’s share by area. The schedule follows the building’s approved budget, so check the due dates in your account. Some communities also issue a separate master community bill with its own approved figure.
How do I check my building’s approved service charge?
Use the DLD index. Search by deed number or project name, select the usage type and year, and the approved rate appears with the management company’s name. Multiply the rate by your unit’s area to confirm the yearly total.
Can service charges change every year?
Yes, because a new budget is approved each year, so the rate can move up or down. Some communities have fixed multi-year charges, but that is not standard. Always check the figure for the year you are paying instead of assuming last year’s rate applies.
Run a Mollak check before you buy or renew
Check the approved rate, read the latest bill and ask for the audit before you commit to a unit in this real estate market. The DLD and RERA set the rules, and they can change, so confirm anything important on the official portal. This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Explore more Dubai real estate guides on Live In Gulf.
