{"id":39862,"date":"2026-09-21T09:28:34","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T05:28:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/cancelled-off-plan-project-dubai\/"},"modified":"2026-09-21T09:28:34","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T05:28:34","slug":"cancelled-off-plan-project-dubai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/fa\/cancelled-off-plan-project-dubai\/","title":{"rendered":"When a Dubai Off-Plan Project Is Cancelled: Refunds and Your Rights"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- ============================================================\n  TRUHAUZ.COM \u2014 BUYER PROTECTION \/ OFF-PLAN LAW\n  Title:    When a Dubai Off-Plan Project Is Cancelled\n  Slug:     cancelled-off-plan-project-dubai\n  Keywords: cancelled off plan project dubai, rera project cancellation, dubai special tribunal\n  ============================================================ -->\n\n<style>\n@import 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span:first-child{font-size:1.1rem;flex-shrink:0;margin-top:2px}\n.cp-ci-text{font-size:.86rem;color:rgba(255,255,255,.7)!important;line-height:1.5}\n.cp-ci a{color:rgba(255,255,255,.9)!important;text-decoration:underline!important}\n.cp-form-wrap{background:rgba(255,255,255,.05);border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.12);border-radius:14px;overflow:hidden}\n.cp-footer-strip{background:#660033;color:rgba(255,255,255,.8)!important;text-align:center;padding:14px 20px;font-size:.75rem;line-height:1.6}\n.cp-footer-strip a{color:rgba(255,255,255,.8)!important}\n\n@media(max-width:960px){\n  .cp-area-grid{grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr}\n  .cp-2col{grid-template-columns:1fr;gap:36px}\n  .cp-forecast{grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr}\n  .cp-contact-inner{grid-template-columns:1fr;gap:36px}\n  .cp-cta-in{flex-direction:column;text-align:center}\n  .cp-strip-in{grid-template-columns:repeat(2,1fr)}\n}\n@media(max-width:640px){\n  .cpc{padding:0 16px}\n  .cps{padding:44px 0}\n  .cp-hero{min-height:auto}\n  .cp-hero-content{padding:48px 16px 56px}\n  .cp-hero h1{font-size:clamp(1.8rem,7.5vw,2.6rem)}\n  .cp-area-grid{grid-template-columns:1fr}\n  .cp-forecast{grid-template-columns:1fr}\n  .cp-strip-in{grid-template-columns:repeat(2,1fr)}\n  .cp-si{padding:15px 8px}\n  .cp-title{font-size:clamp(1.4rem,6vw,1.9rem)}\n  .cp-contact{padding:48px 0}\n}\n@media(max-width:480px){.cpc{padding:0 14px}}\n<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"cp\">\n\n<!-- \u2550\u2550\u2550 HERO \u2550\u2550\u2550 -->\n<section class=\"cp-hero\">\n  <div class=\"cp-hero-bg\"><\/div>\n  <div class=\"cp-hero-pat\"><\/div>\n  <div class=\"cp-hero-ov\"><\/div>\n  <div class=\"cp-hero-content\">\n    <span class=\"cp-eyebrow\">Buyer Protection \u00b7 Off-Plan Law \u00b7 Updated September 2026<\/span>\n    <h1>When a Dubai Off-Plan Project Is Cancelled<br><span>The Escrow Account, the Tribunal and How Refunds Work<\/span><\/h1>\n    <p class=\"cp-hero-sub\">Most off-plan guidance covers what happens when a buyer stops paying. Far less is written about the opposite case &mdash; when the regulator cancels the project itself. Dubai has a dedicated law and a dedicated court for exactly that situation. Here is what the legislation actually says, taken from the emirate&#8217;s own legal portal.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"cp-hero-meta\">\n      <div class=\"cp-hm\">\u2696\ufe0f <strong>Law No. 19 of 2017 \u00b7 Decree No. 33 of 2020<\/strong><\/div>\n      <div class=\"cp-hm\">\ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f <strong>Special Tribunal &amp; RERA<\/strong><\/div>\n      <div class=\"cp-hm\">\ud83d\udcc4 <strong>Sourced from Dubai Legislation Portal<\/strong><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- \u2550\u2550\u2550 DATA STRIP \u2550\u2550\u2550 -->\n<div class=\"cp-strip\">\n  <div class=\"cpc\">\n    <div class=\"cp-strip-in\">\n      <div class=\"cp-si\"><span class=\"cp-sv\">30 Days<\/span><span class=\"cp-sl\">DLD Notice Before Termination<\/span><\/div>\n      <div class=\"cp-si\"><span class=\"cp-sv\">All Payments<\/span><span class=\"cp-sl\">Refundable If RERA Cancels<\/span><\/div>\n      <div class=\"cp-si\"><span class=\"cp-sv\">10<\/span><span class=\"cp-sl\">Heads Of Tribunal Jurisdiction<\/span><\/div>\n      <div class=\"cp-si\"><span class=\"cp-sv\">Final<\/span><span class=\"cp-sl\">No Ordinary Appeal From Tribunal<\/span><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- \u2550\u2550\u2550 OVERVIEW \u2550\u2550\u2550 -->\n<section class=\"cps\">\n  <div class=\"cpc\">\n    <div class=\"cp-2col\">\n      <div class=\"cp-body\">\n        <span class=\"cpt\">The Basics<\/span>\n        <h2 class=\"cp-title\">Two Cancellations That Are Nothing Alike<\/h2>\n        <p>The word &#8220;cancellation&#8221; does two completely different jobs in Dubai off-plan property, and confusing them is expensive. In the first, the <strong>buyer<\/strong> stops paying and the developer terminates the sale agreement. In the second, the <strong>regulator<\/strong> cancels the project, and the developer is required to give the money back.<\/p>\n        <p>Both sit in the same provision: Article 11 of <strong>Law No. (19) of 2017<\/strong>, which amended Law No. (13) of 2008 regulating the Interim Real Property Register in the Emirate of Dubai. The explanatory notes published on the Dubai Government Legal Affairs Department legislation portal set out the mechanics of each.<\/p>\n        <p>Where a purchaser defaults, the developer notifies the Dubai Land Department, which then serves a <strong>thirty (30) days&#8217; notice<\/strong> on the purchaser requiring them to fulfil their contractual obligations. If the default is not cured, what the developer may do next turns on how far the project has been built &mdash; and RERA, not the developer, determines the percentage of completion, using standards and rules adopted by RERA.<\/p>\n        <p>Where instead <strong>RERA cancels the project<\/strong>, the position reverses entirely. Article 11 requires the developer to refund all payments made by the purchasers, in accordance with the procedures and rules stipulated in <strong>Law No. (8) of 2007<\/strong> concerning real estate development trust accounts &mdash; the escrow law. The money that funds that refund is, by design, the money sitting in the project escrow account.<\/p>\n        <div class=\"cp-hbox\"><strong>Not legal advice:<\/strong> This article summarises published Dubai legislation for general information. It is not legal advice, it does not create a lawyer-client relationship, and it cannot account for the terms of your specific sale agreement or the facts of your project. Anyone facing an actual termination, cancellation or liquidation should take advice from a UAE-qualified lawyer. Where we could not verify a figure or a procedural step from a primary source, we have said so rather than estimated it. For the buyer-default side of Article 11 in depth, see our separate guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/can-developer-forfeit-if-i-cant-pay-instalment\/\">whether a developer can forfeit your payments if you miss an instalment<\/a>.<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <div>\n        <div class=\"cp-ov\">\n          <div class=\"cp-ov-head\">\n            <h3>The Legal Framework at a Glance<\/h3>\n            <p>Primary sources, named below<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-ov-row\"><span class=\"cp-ov-l\">Core provision<\/span><span class=\"cp-ov-r burg\">Art. 11, Law 19\/2017<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-ov-row\"><span class=\"cp-ov-l\">Amends<\/span><span class=\"cp-ov-r\">Law 13\/2008<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-ov-row\"><span class=\"cp-ov-l\">Escrow law<\/span><span class=\"cp-ov-r\">Law 8\/2007<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-ov-row\"><span class=\"cp-ov-l\">Tribunal established by<\/span><span class=\"cp-ov-r\">Decree 33\/2020<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-ov-row\"><span class=\"cp-ov-l\">Decree issued<\/span><span class=\"cp-ov-r\">24 Nov 2020<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-ov-row\"><span class=\"cp-ov-l\">Notice to defaulting buyer<\/span><span class=\"cp-ov-r\">30 days, via DLD<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-ov-row\"><span class=\"cp-ov-l\">Who sets completion %<\/span><span class=\"cp-ov-r burg\">RERA<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-ov-row\"><span class=\"cp-ov-l\">If RERA cancels project<\/span><span class=\"cp-ov-r up\">Full refund due<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-ov-row\"><span class=\"cp-ov-l\">Tribunal decisions<\/span><span class=\"cp-ov-r\">Definitive, no ordinary appeal<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-ov-row\"><span class=\"cp-ov-l\">Statutory time limits<\/span><span class=\"cp-ov-r\">None in the decree<\/span><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- \u2550\u2550\u2550 TABLE \u2550\u2550\u2550 -->\n<section class=\"cps cpg\">\n  <div class=\"cpc cpct\">\n    <span class=\"cpt\">Article 11<\/span>\n    <h2 class=\"cp-title\">What the Law Allows, by Construction Stage<\/h2>\n    <p class=\"cp-sub\">Where a purchaser defaults, the developer&#8217;s options are graded by how far the project has progressed. The final row is the different case entirely: cancellation by the regulator.<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"cpc\">\n    <div class=\"cp-table-wrap\">\n      <table class=\"cp-table\">\n        <thead>\n          <tr>\n            <th>Situation<\/th>\n            <th>What the Developer May Do<\/th>\n            <th>Maximum Retained<\/th>\n            <th>Refund of Excess<\/th>\n          <\/tr>\n        <\/thead>\n        <tbody>\n          <tr>\n            <td>Above 80% complete<\/td>\n            <td>Maintain the agreement and claim the remaining balance; or request sale by public auction; or unilaterally terminate.<\/td>\n            <td><span class=\"cp-badge high\">Up to 40%<\/span> of unit value<\/td>\n            <td>Within 1 year of termination, or 60 days after resale, whichever is earlier<\/td>\n          <\/tr>\n          <tr>\n            <td>Between 60% and 80% complete<\/td>\n            <td>Unilaterally terminate the off-plan sale agreement.<\/td>\n            <td><span class=\"cp-badge high\">Up to 40%<\/span> of unit value<\/td>\n            <td>Within 1 year of termination, or 60 days after resale, whichever is earlier<\/td>\n          <\/tr>\n          <tr>\n            <td>Below 60% complete, work commenced<\/td>\n            <td>Unilaterally terminate the off-plan sale agreement.<\/td>\n            <td><span class=\"cp-badge mid\">Up to 25%<\/span> of unit value<\/td>\n            <td>Within 1 year of termination, or 60 days after resale, whichever is earlier<\/td>\n          <\/tr>\n          <tr>\n            <td>Work not commenced, for reasons beyond the developer&#8217;s control<\/td>\n            <td>Terminate the off-plan sale agreement.<\/td>\n            <td><span class=\"cp-badge mid\">Up to 30%<\/span> of amounts paid<\/td>\n            <td>Within 60 days<\/td>\n          <\/tr>\n          <tr>\n            <td>Project cancelled by RERA<\/td>\n            <td>The developer must refund all payments made by purchasers, under the Law No. 8 of 2007 escrow procedures.<\/td>\n            <td><span class=\"cp-badge low\">Nothing retained<\/span><\/td>\n            <td>Per the Law 8\/2007 procedures and rules<\/td>\n          <\/tr>\n        <\/tbody>\n      <\/table>\n    <\/div>\n    <p style=\"font-size:.78rem;color:#999;margin-top:10px;text-align:center\">Source: Explanatory Notes on Article (11) of Law No. (19) of 2017 amending Law No. (13) of 2008, published on the Dubai Government Legal Affairs Department legislation portal (dlp.dubai.gov.ae), retrieved September 2026. Percentages of completion are determined by RERA using standards and rules adopted by RERA. This table summarises the published notes and is not a substitute for the legislation itself or for legal advice.<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- \u2550\u2550\u2550 CARDS \u2550\u2550\u2550 -->\n<section class=\"cps\">\n  <div class=\"cpc cpct\">\n    <span class=\"cpt\">The Tribunal<\/span>\n    <h2 class=\"cp-title\">Six Things Decree No. 33 of 2020 Establishes<\/h2>\n    <p class=\"cp-sub\">Dubai did not leave cancelled projects to the ordinary courts. It built a dedicated tribunal with its own jurisdiction and its own powers over escrow money.<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"cpc\">\n    <div class=\"cp-area-grid\">\n\n      <div class=\"cp-area-card\">\n        <div class=\"cp-area-head\">\n          <div class=\"cp-area-name\">A Dedicated Court<\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-type\">Point 01 \u00b7 Article 2<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"cp-area-body\">\n          <span class=\"cp-area-price\">2020<\/span>\n          <span class=\"cp-area-unit\">decree issued 24 November<\/span>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Body<\/span><span>Special Tribunal<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Covers<\/span><span>Unfinished &amp; cancelled projects<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Composition<\/span><span>Set by Judicial Council<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>In force<\/span><span>On Gazette publication<\/span><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"cp-area-card\">\n        <div class=\"cp-area-head\">\n          <div class=\"cp-area-name\">Ten Heads of Jurisdiction<\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-type\">Point 02 \u00b7 Article 6<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"cp-area-body\">\n          <span class=\"cp-area-price\">10<\/span>\n          <span class=\"cp-area-unit\">categories of matter it hears<\/span>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Includes<\/span><span>Cancelled-project claims<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Includes<\/span><span>Liquidation proceedings<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Includes<\/span><span>Purchaser rights<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Includes<\/span><span>Execution and objections<\/span><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"cp-area-card\">\n        <div class=\"cp-area-head\">\n          <div class=\"cp-area-name\">Power Over the Escrow Account<\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-type\">Point 03 \u00b7 Article 7(7)<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"cp-area-body\">\n          <span class=\"cp-area-price\">Escrow<\/span>\n          <span class=\"cp-area-unit\">refund orders available<\/span>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>May order<\/span><span>The escrow agent<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Or<\/span><span>The developer<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>To do<\/span><span>Refund deposited amounts<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Governed by<\/span><span><a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/dubai-escrow-account-off-plan\/\" style=\"color:#660033\">Law 8\/2007<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"cp-area-card\">\n        <div class=\"cp-area-head\">\n          <div class=\"cp-area-name\">Liquidation Costs Come Off First<\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-type\">Point 04 \u00b7 Article 6(7)<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"cp-area-body\">\n          <span class=\"cp-area-price\">Expenses<\/span>\n          <span class=\"cp-area-unit\">deducted before settlement<\/span>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Tribunal<\/span><span>Liquidates the project<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Then<\/span><span>Settles related rights<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>After<\/span><span>Liquidation expenses<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Hierarchy<\/span><span>Not detailed in decree<\/span><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"cp-area-card\">\n        <div class=\"cp-area-head\">\n          <div class=\"cp-area-name\">Decisions Are Final<\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-type\">Point 05 \u00b7 Article 11<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"cp-area-body\">\n          <span class=\"cp-area-price\">Final<\/span>\n          <span class=\"cp-area-unit\">no ordinary appeal<\/span>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Applies to<\/span><span>Awards, orders, decisions<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Exception<\/span><span>Arbitration annulment<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Under<\/span><span>Federal arbitration law<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Practical effect<\/span><span>Prepare fully first time<\/span><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n      <div class=\"cp-area-card\">\n        <div class=\"cp-area-head\">\n          <div class=\"cp-area-name\">No Statutory Clock<\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-type\">Point 06 \u00b7 Timing<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"cp-area-body\">\n          <span class=\"cp-area-price\">None<\/span>\n          <span class=\"cp-area-unit\">time limits in the decree<\/span>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Liquidation<\/span><span>No fixed deadline<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Distribution<\/span><span>No fixed deadline<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Plan for<\/span><span>An extended process<\/span><\/div>\n          <div class=\"cp-area-row\"><span>Keep<\/span><span>All payment records<\/span><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- \u2550\u2550\u2550 CTA STRIP \u2550\u2550\u2550 -->\n<div class=\"cp-cta-strip\">\n  <div class=\"cpc\">\n    <div class=\"cp-cta-in\">\n      <div>\n        <h3>Checking the standing of an off-plan project?<\/h3>\n        <p>Tell us the development and TruHauz will confirm what is registered, which escrow account applies and what stage the build has reached.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/contact\/\" class=\"cpbtn\">Ask TruHauz \u2192<\/a>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- \u2550\u2550\u2550 ANALYSIS \u2550\u2550\u2550 -->\n<section class=\"cps cpdk\">\n  <div class=\"cpc cpct\">\n    <span style=\"display:inline-block;background:rgba(255,255,255,.15);color:#fff!important;font-size:.68rem;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.14em;text-transform:uppercase;padding:5px 15px;border-radius:100px;margin-bottom:16px;\">The Distinction That Matters<\/span>\n    <h2 class=\"cp-title white\">Who Ended the Contract Decides Who Keeps the Money<\/h2>\n    <p class=\"cp-sub white\" style=\"margin:0 auto 48px;\">The same article of the same law produces three very different financial outcomes depending on who caused the termination and how far the building had progressed.<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"cpc\">\n    <div class=\"cp-forecast\">\n      <div class=\"cp-fc\">\n        <span class=\"cp-fc-val\">Up to 40%<\/span>\n        <h4>You Default, Build Is Advanced<\/h4>\n        <p>Where the project is 60% complete or more and the purchaser defaults, Article 11 permits the developer to terminate unilaterally and retain up to 40% of the unit value. Above 80% the developer may instead keep the contract alive and claim the balance, or seek a sale by public auction.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"cp-fc\">\n        <span class=\"cp-fc-val\">Up to 25%<\/span>\n        <h4>You Default, Build Is Early<\/h4>\n        <p>Below 60% completion, where work has commenced, the retention ceiling falls to 25% of the unit value. Where work has not commenced at all for reasons beyond the developer control, the ceiling is 30% of the amounts paid, with the excess refunded within 60 days.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"cp-fc\">\n        <span class=\"cp-fc-val\">Full Refund<\/span>\n        <h4>RERA Cancels the Project<\/h4>\n        <p>If the regulator cancels the project, the developer must refund all payments made by purchasers under the Law No. 8 of 2007 escrow procedures. The Tribunal may order the escrow agent or the developer to refund what is held in the escrow account.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div style=\"background:rgba(255,255,255,.07);border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.15);border-radius:12px;padding:22px 24px;margin-top:32px;font-size:.93rem;color:rgba(255,255,255,.78)!important;line-height:1.75;\">\n      <strong style=\"color:#fff!important;\">What we could not source, and will not guess:<\/strong> We found no reliable published figure for the number of Dubai projects cancelled or liquidated during 2026, for the average time a liquidation takes, or for the proportion of their money purchasers typically recover. Those numbers are absent from this article deliberately. We have also not stated a distribution waterfall: Decree No. 33 of 2020 provides that rights are settled after deduction of liquidation expenses, but it does not publish a detailed ranking of claims beyond that, and we are not going to invent one. Nor does the decree impose any time limit on the Tribunal. The practical consequence for a purchaser is that the legislation guarantees a forum and a source of funds, but not a timetable or a recovery percentage. Before committing to an off-plan purchase, the registration and escrow checks in <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/oqood-registration-dubai\/\" style=\"color:#fff!important;text-decoration:underline!important;\">our Oqood registration guide<\/a> are the ones that make a later claim straightforward to evidence.\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- \u2550\u2550\u2550 FAQ \u2550\u2550\u2550 -->\n<section class=\"cps cpg\">\n  <div class=\"cpc cpct\">\n    <span class=\"cpt\">FAQ<\/span>\n    <h2 class=\"cp-title\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n    <p class=\"cp-sub\">The questions off-plan buyers ask most often about cancellation, refunds and the Dubai Special Tribunal.<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"cpc\">\n\n\n      <div class=\"cp-faq-list\">\n      <div class=\"cp-faq-item\">\n        <div class=\"cp-faq-q\" onclick=\"cpFaq(this)\">What happens to my money if RERA cancels my Dubai off-plan project?<span class=\"cp-faq-icon\">+<\/span><\/div>\n        <div class=\"cp-faq-a\">Where RERA issues a decision cancelling a project, Article 11 of Dubai Law No. 19 of 2017 requires the developer to refund all payments made by purchasers, following the procedures set out in Law No. 8 of 2007 on real estate development trust accounts. That is a very different outcome from a cancellation triggered by your own default, where the developer may retain a percentage. The refund is drawn from the project escrow account, and the Special Tribunal established by Decree No. 33 of 2020 has the power to order the escrow agent or the developer to refund amounts deposited in that account.<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"cp-faq-item\">\n        <div class=\"cp-faq-q\" onclick=\"cpFaq(this)\">What is the Special Tribunal for Unfinished and Cancelled Real Property Projects?<span class=\"cp-faq-icon\">+<\/span><\/div>\n        <div class=\"cp-faq-a\">It is the judicial body created by Dubai Decree No. 33 of 2020, issued on 24 November 2020, with jurisdiction over unfinished and cancelled real property projects in Dubai. Article 6 gives it ten heads of jurisdiction. These include claims concerning cancelled projects and their liquidation, the liquidation of projects RERA has finally cancelled and the settlement of the rights attached to them, the determination of investor and purchaser rights in unfinished projects, developer grievances against RERA cancellation decisions, and the related execution proceedings and objections.<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"cp-faq-item\">\n        <div class=\"cp-faq-q\" onclick=\"cpFaq(this)\">Can I appeal a decision of the Dubai Special Tribunal?<span class=\"cp-faq-icon\">+<\/span><\/div>\n        <div class=\"cp-faq-a\">Generally no. Article 11 of Decree No. 33 of 2020 provides that awards, orders and decisions issued by the Tribunal are definitive and not subject to ordinary appeal procedures. The decree carves out one exception at Article 8, for applications to annul an arbitration award under the federal arbitration law. Anyone bringing a claim before the Tribunal should therefore treat it as the substantive forum rather than assuming a further tier of review exists above it.<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"cp-faq-item\">\n        <div class=\"cp-faq-q\" onclick=\"cpFaq(this)\">How long does it take to get money back from a cancelled Dubai project?<span class=\"cp-faq-icon\">+<\/span><\/div>\n        <div class=\"cp-faq-a\">Decree No. 33 of 2020 specifies no time limit for the Tribunal to complete a liquidation or distribute funds, and we could not source a reliable published figure for how long recoveries take in practice. What the decree does state, at Article 6(7), is that the Tribunal settles the rights attached to a cancelled project after the deduction of liquidation expenses. Because those expenses come off first, and because the decree does not set out a detailed settlement hierarchy beyond that point, the amount a purchaser ultimately receives and the timing of it are not fixed in advance by the legislation.<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"cp-faq-item\">\n        <div class=\"cp-faq-q\" onclick=\"cpFaq(this)\">How is project cancellation different from a developer terminating because I missed instalments?<span class=\"cp-faq-icon\">+<\/span><\/div>\n        <div class=\"cp-faq-a\">They are separate mechanisms with opposite consequences for your money. If you default, Article 11 of Law No. 19 of 2017 lets the developer terminate and retain a percentage that depends on construction progress as determined by RERA: up to 40% of the unit value where the project is 60% complete or more, up to 25% where it is below 60% but work has commenced, and up to 30% of the amounts paid where work has not commenced for reasons beyond the developer control. If instead RERA cancels the project, the same article requires the developer to refund all payments made by purchasers.<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"cp-faq-item\">\n        <div class=\"cp-faq-q\" onclick=\"cpFaq(this)\">What should I check before buying off-plan to reduce cancellation risk?<span class=\"cp-faq-icon\">+<\/span><\/div>\n        <div class=\"cp-faq-a\">Confirm the project is registered and that your payments go into the project escrow account governed by Law No. 8 of 2007 rather than into any other account. Check that your purchase is recorded in the Interim Real Property Register, since Law No. 19 of 2017 amends the law regulating that register. Verify construction progress independently rather than relying on a brochure timeline, and keep every payment receipt together with the signed sale agreement, because a liquidation is a documentary process. None of this removes risk, but it determines how well evidenced your claim is if a project does fail.<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div style=\"max-width:1140px;margin:0 auto;padding:0 20px 44px;\"><div style=\"background:#fdf0f5;border-left:4px solid #660033;padding:16px 20px;border-radius:0 8px 8px 0;font-family:'Inter',sans-serif;font-size:.92rem;line-height:1.75;color:#333;\"><strong>Related reading:<\/strong> The account your instalments are supposed to sit in, and what the escrow law requires of a developer, is covered in our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/dubai-escrow-account-off-plan\/\" style=\"color:#660033;font-weight:600;\">Dubai escrow accounts for off-plan property<\/a>. The opposite scenario &mdash; where you are the one who cannot pay &mdash; is set out in our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/can-developer-forfeit-if-i-cant-pay-instalment\/\" style=\"color:#660033;font-weight:600;\">whether a developer can forfeit your payments over a missed instalment<\/a>. Registering the purchase in the Interim Real Property Register is what makes your interest visible, and the process is covered in our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/oqood-registration-dubai\/\" style=\"color:#660033;font-weight:600;\">Oqood registration in Dubai<\/a>, alongside the newer <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/dld-initial-registration-platform\/\" style=\"color:#660033;font-weight:600;\">DLD initial registration platform<\/a>. You can check a project and your own registered interests yourself through <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/dubai-rest-app\/\" style=\"color:#660033;font-weight:600;\">the Dubai REST app<\/a>. If you would rather exit an off-plan position than wait out a troubled build, the mechanics are in our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/sell-off-plan-property-dubai\/\" style=\"color:#660033;font-weight:600;\">selling off-plan property in Dubai<\/a>. Disputes over a tenancy rather than a purchase go to a different body entirely &mdash; see our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/rental-dispute-centre-dubai\/\" style=\"color:#660033;font-weight:600;\">the Rental Dispute Centre<\/a>. For the projects currently on the market, see our coverage of <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/off-plan-properties-dubai-2026\/\" style=\"color:#660033;font-weight:600;\">off-plan properties in Dubai for 2026<\/a>.<\/div><\/div>\n\n<!-- \u2550\u2550\u2550 CONTACT \u2550\u2550\u2550 -->\n<section class=\"cp-contact\" id=\"cp-contact\">\n  <div class=\"cpc\">\n    <div class=\"cp-contact-inner\">\n      <div>\n        <span style=\"display:inline-block;background:rgba(255,255,255,.15);color:#fff!important;font-size:.68rem;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.14em;text-transform:uppercase;padding:5px 15px;border-radius:100px;margin-bottom:18px;\">Talk to TruHauz<\/span>\n        <h2 style=\"font-family:'Playfair Display',serif;font-size:clamp(1.5rem,4vw,2.1rem);color:#fff!important;margin-bottom:10px;line-height:1.2;\">Check a Project Before You Commit<\/h2>\n        <p style=\"color:rgba(255,255,255,.72)!important;font-size:.93rem;line-height:1.75;margin-bottom:24px;\">Registration status, the escrow account and real construction progress are all verifiable before you sign. Tell us the development you are considering and TruHauz will check them.<\/p>\n        <div class=\"cp-ci\"><span>\ud83d\udcde<\/span><span class=\"cp-ci-text\"><strong style=\"color:#fff!important;display:block;margin-bottom:2px;\">Phone \/ WhatsApp<\/strong><a href=\"tel:+971529715488\">+971 52 971 5488<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n        <div class=\"cp-ci\"><span>\ud83d\udce7<\/span><span class=\"cp-ci-text\"><strong style=\"color:#fff!important;display:block;margin-bottom:2px;\">Email<\/strong><a href=\"mailto:info@truhauz.com\">info@truhauz.com<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n        <div class=\"cp-ci\"><span>\ud83c\udfe2<\/span><span class=\"cp-ci-text\"><strong style=\"color:#fff!important;display:block;margin-bottom:2px;\">RERA Licensed<\/strong><span>60838 \u2014 Dubai, UAE<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n        <div style=\"margin-top:24px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/contact\/\" class=\"cpbg\">Get in Touch \u2192<\/a><\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"cp-form-wrap\">\n        <iframe aria-label=\"Contact Us\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"height:520px;width:100%;border:none;display:block;\" src=\"https:\/\/forms.zohopublic.com\/elchintru1\/form\/ContactUs\/formperma\/_DensyNXfgDItjE-TsZ92uQERcSIhTnizr-QPf3wrBk\"><\/iframe>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"cp-footer-strip\">\n  \u00a9 2026 TruHauz Real Estate \u00b7 RERA Reg. 60838 \u00b7 Dubai, UAE<br>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/buy\/\">Buy<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/status\/off-plan\/\">Off Plan<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/golden-visa\/\">Golden Visa<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/mortgage-guide\/\">Mortgage Guide<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div><!-- end .cp -->\n\n<script>\nfunction cpFaq(el){var item=el.parentElement;var wasOpen=item.classList.contains('cp-open');document.querySelectorAll('.cp-faq-item.cp-open').forEach(function(i){i.classList.remove('cp-open');});if(!wasOpen)item.classList.add('cp-open');}\n(function(){function init(){var w=document.querySelector('.cp');if(!w)return;var e=w.parentElement;while(e&&e!==document.documentElement){e.style.setProperty('padding-left','0px','important');e.style.setProperty('padding-right','0px','important');e.style.setProperty('padding-top','0px','important');e.style.setProperty('overflow','visible','important');e.style.setProperty('max-width','none','important');e=e.parentElement;}['.post-header-wrap','.post-thumbnail-wrap'].forEach(function(s){var el=document.querySelector(s);if(el)el.style.setProperty('display','none','important');});document.body.style.setProperty('overflow-x','hidden','important');}document.readyState==='loading'?document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',init):init();})();\n<\/script>\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n \"@id\": \"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/cancelled-off-plan-project-dubai\/#faq\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/truhauz.com\/cancelled-off-plan-project-dubai\/\",\n \"mainEntity\": [\n  {\n   \"@type\": \"Question\",\n   \"name\": \"What happens to my money if RERA cancels my Dubai off-plan project?\",\n   \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n    \"text\": \"Where RERA issues a decision cancelling a project, Article 11 of Dubai Law No. 19 of 2017 requires the developer to refund all payments made by purchasers, following the procedures set out in Law No. 8 of 2007 on real estate development trust accounts. That is a very different outcome from a cancellation triggered by your own default, where the developer may retain a percentage. The refund is drawn from the project escrow account, and the Special Tribunal established by Decree No. 33 of 2020 has the power to order the escrow agent or the developer to refund amounts deposited in that account.\"\n   }\n  },\n  {\n   \"@type\": \"Question\",\n   \"name\": \"What is the Special Tribunal for Unfinished and Cancelled Real Property Projects?\",\n   \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n    \"text\": \"It is the judicial body created by Dubai Decree No. 33 of 2020, issued on 24 November 2020, with jurisdiction over unfinished and cancelled real property projects in Dubai. Article 6 gives it ten heads of jurisdiction. These include claims concerning cancelled projects and their liquidation, the liquidation of projects RERA has finally cancelled and the settlement of the rights attached to them, the determination of investor and purchaser rights in unfinished projects, developer grievances against RERA cancellation decisions, and the related execution proceedings and objections.\"\n   }\n  },\n  {\n   \"@type\": \"Question\",\n   \"name\": \"Can I appeal a decision of the Dubai Special Tribunal?\",\n   \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n    \"text\": \"Generally no. Article 11 of Decree No. 33 of 2020 provides that awards, orders and decisions issued by the Tribunal are definitive and not subject to ordinary appeal procedures. The decree carves out one exception at Article 8, for applications to annul an arbitration award under the federal arbitration law. Anyone bringing a claim before the Tribunal should therefore treat it as the substantive forum rather than assuming a further tier of review exists above it.\"\n   }\n  },\n  {\n   \"@type\": \"Question\",\n   \"name\": \"How long does it take to get money back from a cancelled Dubai project?\",\n   \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n    \"text\": \"Decree No. 33 of 2020 specifies no time limit for the Tribunal to complete a liquidation or distribute funds, and we could not source a reliable published figure for how long recoveries take in practice. What the decree does state, at Article 6(7), is that the Tribunal settles the rights attached to a cancelled project after the deduction of liquidation expenses. Because those expenses come off first, and because the decree does not set out a detailed settlement hierarchy beyond that point, the amount a purchaser ultimately receives and the timing of it are not fixed in advance by the legislation.\"\n   }\n  },\n  {\n   \"@type\": \"Question\",\n   \"name\": \"How is project cancellation different from a developer terminating because I missed instalments?\",\n   \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n    \"text\": \"They are separate mechanisms with opposite consequences for your money. If you default, Article 11 of Law No. 19 of 2017 lets the developer terminate and retain a percentage that depends on construction progress as determined by RERA: up to 40% of the unit value where the project is 60% complete or more, up to 25% where it is below 60% but work has commenced, and up to 30% of the amounts paid where work has not commenced for reasons beyond the developer control. If instead RERA cancels the project, the same article requires the developer to refund all payments made by purchasers.\"\n   }\n  },\n  {\n   \"@type\": \"Question\",\n   \"name\": \"What should I check before buying off-plan to reduce cancellation risk?\",\n   \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n    \"text\": \"Confirm the project is registered and that your payments go into the project escrow account governed by Law No. 8 of 2007 rather than into any other account. Check that your purchase is recorded in the Interim Real Property Register, since Law No. 19 of 2017 amends the law regulating that register. Verify construction progress independently rather than relying on a brochure timeline, and keep every payment receipt together with the signed sale agreement, because a liquidation is a documentary process. None of this removes risk, but it determines how well evidenced your claim is if a project does fail.\"\n   }\n  }\n ]\n}<\/script>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If RERA cancels your Dubai off-plan project, the developer must refund all payments. Here is what Law No. 19 of 2017 and Decree No. 33 of 2020 actually say about escrow refunds, the Special Tribunal and how a liquidation works.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":34715,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"0","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39862","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dubai-real-estate-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.5 (Yoast SEO v28.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Cancelled Off-Plan Project Dubai: Refunds &amp; Tribunal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Cancelled off plan project Dubai: what Law 19 of 2017 and the Special Tribunal say about refunds, escrow money and what buyers can actually claim.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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