The Property Management POA in Dubai: managing a property without authorising a sale
Welcome back to the POA's desk.
In Episode 8 we covered the Property Sale POA. In this episode we cover the Property Management POA — the document for owners who need someone to manage a property on their behalf without authorising a sale.
What a Property Management POA is for
The Property Management POA is the one most commonly used by overseas landlords. Someone owns a property in Dubai, lives in another country, and needs a trusted person to handle the day-to-day management. Tenancy contracts. Ejari registration. Rent collection. Service charges. Developer correspondence. Maintenance issues. Utility bills. All of it.
It does not authorise sale
The principle here is the same as any POA. The document must be specific to the action authorised. A Property Management POA does not authorise sale, so the wording must make that clear. The DLD will not accept a Property Management POA at the trustee for a transfer. The two are different documents with different purposes.
What the document includes
What the document includes. The property must be identified, including the title deed reference and unit details. The owner must be named with full identification. The attorney must be named with full identification. And the powers must be specified.
Standard powers
Standard powers in a Property Management POA include signing tenancy contracts and renewals, registering and updating Ejari, collecting rent on behalf of the owner, paying service charges and community fees, dealing with the developer or owners' association on the owner's behalf, handling utility accounts including DEWA and cooling providers, arranging maintenance and repairs, and corresponding with tenants and authorities about the property.
What it does not include
What the document typically does not include. Sale of the property. Mortgage of the property. Gifting of the property. Major changes that affect ownership rights. These are excluded by default, and if the owner wants any of these powers, they need to be specifically added — but in practice we recommend a separate POA for those actions, not bundled into a management document.
Handling rent and bank access
Bank account access is a question that comes up. Some owners want their attorney to receive rent directly into the attorney's account. Some want rent paid into the owner's UAE account. Some want rent transferred overseas. The POA should specify how funds are handled, and if the attorney needs to operate a bank account on the owner's behalf, that may require a separate Bank Account POA depending on the bank's requirements.
Validity period
The Property Management POA is usually valid for a longer period than a sale POA. Three to five years is common. Some are open-ended. The validity should match the expected duration of the management relationship. If the attorney is going to manage the property for the foreseeable future, an open-ended POA with a clear revocation clause is often more practical than a one-year POA that needs renewing.
Common mistakes
A common mistake we see. Owners use a friend's general POA from another country to try to manage their UAE property. This rarely works. The UAE authorities want a UAE-format document, in Arabic and English, registered through the proper channels. A POA from your home country is not recognised here for property management without going through the full attestation chain — which is more expensive and slower than just drafting a UAE Property Management POA from the start.
Another common mistake. Owners give a general "to manage all my affairs" POA without specifying the property. This often works for routine matters but gets rejected when the attorney needs to register a tenancy contract or deal with the DLD. Specificity matters.
How we handle it
At POAS, the Property Management POA fixed fee is AED 2,199. That includes bilingual drafting tailored to the specific property and the powers needed, verification of property and party details, court-licensed notarisation, and digital delivery. The document is structured to give your attorney the practical authority they need without exposing you to risks like unauthorised sale or mortgage.
Coming next
In Episode 10 we cover the Corporate POA. The document for companies that need to authorise representatives to act on their behalf.
I'm Patrick. Thanks for joining me at the POA's desk.
Key takeaways
- A Property Management POA lets someone run your Dubai property — tenancies, Ejari, rent, service charges, maintenance — without authorising a sale.
- It deliberately excludes sale, mortgage and gifting; those need a separate POA, not a bundled clause.
- Specify how rent is handled; operating a bank account may need a separate Bank Account POA.
- It usually runs longer than a sale POA — three to five years, sometimes open-ended with a revocation clause.
- A home-country general POA rarely works — UAE authorities want a UAE-format, bilingual, registered document that names the property.
Frequently asked questions
What can a Property Management POA do?
Sign tenancy contracts, register Ejari, collect rent, pay service charges, deal with the developer or owners' association, handle utilities, and arrange maintenance — but not sell, mortgage or gift the property.
Can the same POA also let my attorney sell?
No — management and sale are different documents. Selling needs a separate Property Sale POA, and the DLD won't accept a management POA at the trustee.
How long does a Property Management POA last?
Usually longer than a sale POA — three to five years, sometimes open-ended with a clear revocation clause to match the management relationship.