What a POA Should Cost — and the Hidden Costs of a "Cheap" One

Welcome back to the POA's desk.

In the last episode we covered specific versus general powers. In this episode we go back to one of the most practical questions — what should a POA actually cost, and what hidden costs do you need to watch for when comparing providers.

We covered the headline pricing in Episode 5. Government notarisation fees start at around AED 1,200 for a standard single-language POA, with bilingual versions adding a few hundred dirhams more. At POAS, our fixed fees are AED 2,199 for Property Sale, Property Management, and Corporate POAs, and AED 1,999 for Bank Account POAs. These are all-in prices with nothing added at the end.

In this episode we go deeper. What exactly is in a POA fee, what some providers leave out, and what the real cost of a "cheap" POA can be.

The components of a POA fee

Every POA fee has several components.

The drafting fee. This covers the time of preparing the document, structuring the powers, and ensuring the wording meets the receiving authority's requirements. Drafting a property POA correctly takes more skill than people expect. Generic templates exist but rarely meet specific requirements. Proper drafting is where most of the legal value sits.

The translation fee. Bilingual preparation requires a court-licensed translator. The translator's seal and signature are part of the document's validity. A POA without proper translation is not legally usable in the UAE.

The notarisation fee. Government notarisation fees are fixed by the authority. Dubai Courts has a published fee schedule. Licensed private notaries charge similar amounts. These fees go to the notary, not to the service provider.

The remote notarisation session fee, if applicable. Remote sessions have their own fee schedule, which varies slightly from in-person notarisation.

Document delivery. Digital delivery of the notarised PDF is usually included. Physical delivery of an original document, where required, may add to the cost.

A complete POA fee includes all of these. A "cheap" POA fee usually only covers some of them, with the rest billed separately or skipped entirely.

The most common hidden costs

The most common hidden costs we see in cheaper POA services.

Government fees billed separately. The provider quotes a low service fee, then adds the government notarisation fee on top. The total cost ends up similar to a fixed-fee provider, but the principal has gone through a frustrating surprise.

Translation billed separately. The provider drafts in English only, then quotes additional fees for Arabic translation. The principal who thought they were getting a complete document discovers they need to pay more before it can actually be used.

Generic templates. The provider uses a generic template for all POAs of a given type, without tailoring to the specific property, transaction, or receiving authority. The fee is low, but the document often gets rejected. The principal then has to pay another provider — sometimes us — to redo it correctly.

No verification of details. The provider takes the principal's information at face value without verifying the title deed, the property details, or the parties' identification. Errors in the document only emerge when it is presented to the receiving authority. Re-issuance is required, with new fees.

No accountability for rejection. The provider charges for drafting and notarisation, but if the document is rejected, they charge again to redraft. The principal pays twice for what should have been done correctly the first time.

Charges for "support" during the transaction. Some providers quote a low document fee, then add hourly or per-call charges for any support during the actual use of the POA. The principal who needs to ask a question pays each time.

What to ask before paying

Is the price all-inclusive, or are government fees added on top? Get this in writing.

Does the price include both English and Arabic? Or is translation extra?

What happens if the document is rejected by the receiving authority? Will you redraft at no charge? What is the time commitment to fix it?

How is the document delivered? Is digital delivery included? Is physical delivery available if needed?

What is your guaranteed turnaround time? What happens if you miss it?

If the provider cannot answer these questions clearly, that is a signal. Reputable providers have clear answers because they have thought through their service model.

A specific example

Last year we redrafted three POAs that had been issued by a low-cost provider for AED 800 each. All three had been rejected by the Dubai Land Department for inadequate property specification. The principals ended up paying us AED 2,199 each to issue replacement POAs that actually worked. Their total spend was AED 2,999 for what should have cost AED 2,199 done right the first time. And they lost three weeks of transaction time.

At POAS the fixed fees are inclusive of everything: drafting, translation, notarisation, digital delivery, and accountability for rejection. We do not charge separately for government fees, translation, or support during the transaction. The price you see at the start is the price you pay.

In Episode 25 we cover the document checklist for principals. What you need to have ready before starting a POA, and how to avoid delays caused by missing documents.

I'm Patrick. Thanks for joining me at the POA's desk.