How do I find a legitimate rental listing?

Look for the advertisement’s Trakheesi permit details and Madmoun QR code. Scan the code and check that it opens an official Dubai Land Department page. Compare the authorised company, property details, advertised price and permit status with the listing you received. A QR image alone is not proof; check the information it links to.

Ask the agent for their broker card and brokerage details, then verify them through Dubai Land Department or Dubai REST. DLD provides a “Validate E-Card” service for checking broker credentials. Contact the brokerage through independently verified contact details if anything does not match.

View the actual apartment, or arrange for someone you trust to inspect it. Confirm that its condition, layout, furnishing and availability match the advert. Before signing, check the landlord’s identity against the ownership documents and verify any representative’s authority to sign or collect payments.

Pause if you are pressured to transfer money before verification, especially where the price is unusually low, viewings are repeatedly refused or payment is requested to an unexplained third-party account. Get the full costs, reservation conditions and refund terms in writing, and obtain receipts for payments.