Dubai Land Department and Awqaf Dubai team up to boost real estate classifications

Arabian Business

29-04-2025

Dubai Land Department (DLD) signed a memorandum of collaboration with the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation (Awqaf Dubai).
The aim is to develop the properties within the foundation's real estate portfolio and enhance their competitiveness in the emirate's real estate market.
This will be achieved through the Department's Building Classification Project, strengthening cooperation across various areas of mutual interest.
Dubai Land Department and Awqaf Dubai
The areas of collaboration under the memorandum include evaluating the properties of the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation and classifying them according to the standards approved by the Dubai Land Department.
It also encompasses revaluing the foundation's properties to upgrade their classification following improvements made to the targeted properties.
The memorandum also enables inquiry services for all lands and properties belonging to deceased individuals, minors, and those under similar legal status, with access to all related documents.
Majid Al Marri, CEO of the Real Estate Registration Sector at the Dubai Land Department, said: 'Our collaboration with the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation reflects our ongoing commitment to strengthening partnerships among government entities in the emirate, serving the public interest, and supporting Dubai's vision of becoming a global model in real estate management, including the management of endowment properties.
'Through this memorandum, we will work on developing and classifying the foundation's properties according to the highest standards, enhancing their competitiveness in the market. We will also provide advanced mechanisms to enable more efficient and transparent management of lands and properties belonging to deceased individuals and minors, which aligns with our commitment to offering innovative services that meet the community's aspirations.
'This collaboration will foster greater government integration, help us achieve our shared goals of promoting real estate sustainability, and support the national economy fully aligned with Dubai's vision of building a brighter future for future generations.'
Khalid Al Thani, Deputy Secretary General, emphasised that the collaboration with the Dubai Land Department reflects the Foundation's commitment to enhancing opportunities for strategic cooperation, contributing to inclusivity and sustainability in foundation operations.
Al Thani stated that the collaboration represents a step toward unifying joint efforts to provide proactive services and solutions to the Foundation's clients, including endowments and minors.
It also strengthens the development and advancement of the Foundation's real estate assets.
It supports the competitiveness of its real estate portfolio in the emirate's market by classifying properties according to engineering and technical standards and awarding each building the appropriate star rating it deserves.
Al Thani added that, based on this classification, the Foundation will evaluate and develop its buildings to ensure their sustainability and investment in line with best practices, while striving to achieve optimal returns in support of the objectives of endowers and minors.
He noted that the memorandum will also contribute to establishing a shared system between both parties to facilitate access to endowment property data and streamline various requests, thereby enhancing the quality of services provided and presenting an integrated model of collaborative government work.
Under the memorandum of collaboration, designated personnel from the Inheritance Department at the Foundation will be enabled to access Dubai Land Department's Ejari valuation system to verify rental contracts related to deceased individuals, minors, and those under similar legal status.
The shared system between the Foundation and the Department will also be enhanced to allow for the issuance of specific orders, such as requests for cancellation studies, registration requests, endowment registration requests, and land valuation requests.
In addition, users can view all detailed data related to endowments, including land coordinates and attachments.
The system will also be further developed to streamline the process of approving the sale of assets belonging to minors and those under guardianship.
Dubai Land Department's Building Classification Project is based on five key criteria to achieve the highest levels of survey accuracy.
These criteria include:
Engineering and technical standards
Sustainability
Documentation
Health and safety
Management and finance
Each criterion comprises a set of questions designed to extract detailed data and to assign each building the appropriate classification based on a star rating system ranging from 1 to 4 stars, with an additional 4+ rating for buildings that meet the highest standards of green sustainability. The classification also considers the available facilities and the quality of the building's maintenance, such as parking, elevators, air conditioning, façade quality, and more.
The project offers a wide range of proactive services and solutions to serve real estate sector stakeholders, benefiting various groups, including investors, property owners, tenants, real estate developers, government entities, and private sector companies.