Service Charge
Service Charge: The annual fee Dubai property owners pay for building maintenance, security, and shared amenities, calculated per square foot.
What is Service Charge?
A Service Charge (sometimes called "community fee" or "maintenance fee") is the annual fee Dubai property owners pay for the upkeep of shared building infrastructure: lobbies, lifts, gyms, swimming pools, security, cleaning, landscaping, and reserve fund contributions. Service charges are calculated as AED per square foot per year, and ranges vary widely by building tier: AED 8–13/sqft (budget — International City, Discovery Gardens), AED 13–18/sqft (mid-market — JVC, JLT), AED 18–24/sqft (upper-mid — Marina, Business Bay), AED 24–35/sqft (premium — Downtown, JBR), AED 35–55/sqft (luxury — Palm Jumeirah, branded residences). The Dubai government, via RERA, audits and publishes service charge rates for every registered tower (the "RERA service charge index"). Owners who underpay service charges accumulate fines and may have their NOC blocked when trying to sell.
Example
A 1-bedroom apartment in Dubai Marina, 750 sqft, with a building service charge of AED 22/sqft, pays AED 16,500 annually in service charges. This is typically billed in two semi-annual or four quarterly instalments.
FAQ — Service Charge
Can my landlord pass the service charge to me as a tenant?+
No. Service charges are the legal responsibility of the property owner (landlord). Some commercial leases assign service charges to the tenant explicitly, but this is uncommon for residential and must be clearly stated in the tenancy contract.
Can I dispute a service charge increase?+
Yes — owners can file a complaint with RERA if a developer increases service charges without justification. RERA reviews the audited building accounts and reserve fund balance. In practice, most increases stand if justified by inflation or new amenity additions.
Related terms
Last refreshed: 2026-05-26