Short answer
- The RERA Service Charge Index lets Canada investors see the approved service charge for a Dubai project, by use and year, in AED per square foot.
- It is available on the DLD website (through Mollak) and in the Dubai REST app, with immediate results.
- RERA launched the index on 15 October 2014; Law No. 6 of 2019 now requires RERA approval before any collection.
- From abroad, Dubai REST login is limited to UAE PASS or a title deed; UAE PASS has a passport-based Visitor path.
- Vancouver is 11 hours behind Dubai all year from 2026; Toronto is 8 or 9 hours behind.
RERA Service Charge Index: Canada investors, how does it work?
The index is a public DLD lookup of the service charges RERA has approved for each jointly owned project in Dubai. It is the quickest independent way to compare an invoice with the rate the regulator signed off, without asking the management company.
How the index fits into Dubai's service charge rules
Mollak service charge check: buyers in Canada start with a login
Mollak is the DLD's e-system, run through RERA, for jointly owned properties and service charges; management companies upload financial statements and contracts to it. From Canada, access is the hurdle: Dubai REST's version notes restrict foreign investors to UAE PASS and title deed login.
Phase 1: set up access from Canada
How to check approved service charges (Dubai): Canadian buyers' routine
Search the index for your project, pick the use and the year on your invoice, and multiply the rate by your unit's area. If the result matches the invoice, the rate itself is approved.
Phase 2: run the lookup
Can the developer increase service charges a few years after the handover?
What do the results mean?
The index shows what RERA approved, not whether your invoice applied it correctly.
| Result | What Law 6 of 2019 says | Your next step |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice rate equals the index | Approved charges must be paid (Art. 28) | Check the area and the billing period |
| Invoice rate above the index | No collection without RERA approval (Art. 27(a)) | Ask the management company to explain in writing |
| Building not listed for that year | DLD FAQ: unapproved charges need not be paid | Request the RERA approval reference |
What is different about running the index from Canada?
The lookup is identical, but logins, clocks and tax rules differ for an owner living in Canada.
Phase 3: a yearly habit
If the figure and the bill disagree, read why a Dubai service charge comes in higher than expected. See also the Canadian handover checklist, how to verify a project's escrow account, the global guide to the index and the hub for Canadian buyers. Or run a project check in minutes.
Who can use the RERA Service Charge Index?
What is Mollak and do I need an account?
Can I get UAE PASS if I live in Canada?
Does the index show what I personally owe?
Related guides
Sources
- Service Charge Index overview (Dubai Land Department)
- About Mollak (Dubai Land Department)
- Law No. 6 of 2019 on Jointly Owned Real Property in Dubai (Dubai Legislation Portal)
- Registering on UAE PASS without a UAE ID (Ministry of Health and Prevention)
- BC adopts permanent Pacific time (Government of British Columbia)
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws and procedures change; check the official source before acting. Published 12 October 2026, last updated 12 October 2026.