Blocking a property mortgaged to a bank or financier

How it works

Liability letter from the bank (or the developer's letter of the remaining amount), addressed to DLD, in Arabic
original
Three manager's cheques: to the bank or developer for the debt, to the seller for the balance (if any), and to DLD for the 4% fee
original
Emirates ID of the seller and the buyer (shown for identification only; no copy is taken) or a valid passport for non-resident foreigners
original
Electronic no-objection certificate (e-NOC) from the developer (requested through the Dubai REST app)
in some casescopyOnly if: Needed for properties in freehold areas (and off-plan/Oqood units).
Legal power of attorney, if someone acts for a party
in some casesoriginalattestedlegal Arabic translationOnly if: Only when a representative attends; it must expressly cover this transaction on this property. A POA made abroad must be attested and legally translated into Arabic.
If a party is a company: trade licence (with the partners page), memorandum of association with annexes (MOFA-attested with Arabic translation), job-title certificate of the signatory, and a POA or notarised board resolution
in some casesoriginalattestedlegal Arabic translationOnly if: Only when the owner or buyer is a company. A company that is not yet registered in the DLD system must first be registered (separate company-registration service).

Seller and buyer attend together at a trustee office.
The sale is completed only after the bank's mortgage release letter is submitted.

Processing time: DLD: 15-20 minutes for the blocking step; the full sale is completed after the bank issues the release letter (often a few working days, depending on the bank).
Validity of the result: The block stays until the release, sale and new mortgage (if any) are completed.
Where it is applied for: Real Estate Registration Trustee offices (in person). All outputs are electronic.

Seller gets the bank's liability letter; buyer prepares the three manager's cheques.
At the trustee office the block is registered and fees are paid; a registration certificate is emailed to both parties.
The debt cheque is handed to the seller to settle with the bank and obtain the release letter.
With the release letter DLD completes the release, the sale and any new mortgage; the new title deed is emailed.

Tips that save you a trip

Ask the bank for the liability letter shortly before the appointment: banks give it a short validity and the payoff amount changes daily.
If the buyer takes a mortgage, register it on the same day as the sale to avoid a second trustee fee.

Common reasons for rejection or delay

Why is the property 'blocked'?

So that the seller cannot sell or mortgage it to anyone else while the bank's loan is being paid off with the buyer's money.

Checked by the MARIO E.G.S.H team on 2026-10-08. Rules can change at any time; our consultant confirms the details for your case.

Official sources

Legal basis

Dubai Law No. 14 of 2008 concerning Mortgages in the Emirate of Dubai; Dubai Law No. 7 of 2006 concerning Real Property Registration

Updates your registered data in the Dubai Land Department's records, at the centre or online.

Obtains a to-whom-it-may-concern letter about your property from the Dubai Land Department.

Obtains an official certificate of your property's registered details from the Dubai Land Department.

Obtains the land map (affection plan) showing your plot details from the Dubai Land Department.