Property guide · UAE
An agent advertised my property without permission. What can I do?
Save the advert, check what permission exists, then request removal in writing. If the agent cannot show authority or the advert remains disputed, report it to the advertising website and use the appropriate local route below.
For UAE property owners. Detailed procedures cover Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) area and other locations have separate requirements.
What evidence should I save first?
Keep a private record before the advert changes. Save its link, listing reference, screenshots and the date you found it. Capture the agent or company name, advertised price, photos and any permit details. Keep your messages, agreements and approval records together. This helps identify exactly what you dispute.
Could the agent already have permission?
Check before making an accusation. Review current and earlier agency agreements, marketing permissions and online approvals. Check their duration, property details and the company authorised to advertise. Ask any co-owner or authorised representative whether they approved it. Request the agent's evidence; not personally uploading or approving this particular advert does not establish that no permission exists.
What should I check for a Dubai property?
Ask for the marketing agreement and advertising permit. Dubai Land Department (DLD) requires brokers applying for specified advertising permits, including online adverts, to provide a marketing contract with the owner. DLD permit requirements
Use the advert's Madmoun QR code, where shown, to check the official advert details. Compare the company and property with the listing you found. A code is a verification starting point; it does not resolve a disputed agreement. DLD verification guidance
What should I check in Abu Dhabi?
For properties under ADREC, check the advertising permission in DARI. ADREC is the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre; DARI is its property-services platform. Its published broker application process includes owner approval. The guidance says one owner's approval can confirm approval for all, so check co-owner records too. ADREC approval process
You can also check a Madhmoun advertising permit through ADREC's document-verification tool. Do not apply this procedure automatically to ADGM property.
What should I say to the agent?
Ask for evidence and removal calmly, in writing. Send the listing link or reference privately. Adapt this message to the facts:
"I found this advertisement for my property: [listing link]. I do not recognise the authority for it. Please provide the agreement or approval and advertising permit you rely on. Pending clarification, please pause the advert. If you have no valid authority, please remove it from every channel you control and confirm in writing."
Keep the reply. Avoid public allegations while the facts are disputed.
Should I report it to the advertising website too?
Yes. Use the website's own reporting or support channel. Give the listing reference, explain the disputed permission and ask it to review the advert. If ownership proof is requested, confirm the official private submission route. Never put title deeds, identity documents or your unit number in a public comment. Ask for a case reference and keep the response.
Where can I take an unresolved complaint?
Dubai: DLD's Complaint Against a Real Estate Company service accepts evidence of violating property adverts through its website or Dubai REST app. Ask DLD how its six-month eligibility restriction applies to your dates. This route does not decide compensation or contractual disputes.
Abu Dhabi under ADREC: use ADREC's contact channel to ask where to submit the suspected advertising violation, with the listing and permit references. This is an enquiry route, not a confirmed dedicated advert-complaint form.
ADGM: Al Maryah and Al Reem Islands have a separate framework. ADGM's real estate page provides a contact form for complaints; it directs real estate disputes to ADGM Courts.
What if I previously approved an Abu Dhabi permit?
Use the cancellation process and check its result. DARI lists a "Cancel Permit to Advertise on Websites" service under Services, then Advertising & Exhibition Permits. Select the existing permit and follow the application steps. The published process includes approval by the designated party, with possible return or rejection. Submitting a request is not confirmation of cancellation. ADREC cancellation guidance
Also ask the agent and website to confirm the advert is removed.
Does removal cancel my agency agreement or entitle me to compensation?
Do not assume either. Removing an advert, cancelling its permit and ending an agency agreement are separate matters. Read the termination and fee clauses before signing a release or paying a demand. For a disputed contract or loss, have a UAE lawyer assess the evidence and correct route. DLD expressly excludes contractual and compensation claims from its violation service.
What if my property is elsewhere in the UAE?
Use the same evidence-first approach, but confirm the local procedure. Ask the relevant emirate's property regulator which advertising rules and reporting route apply. The Dubai and ADREC procedures above are not a nationwide complaint system.
Official sources checked 29 October 2026. General information, not advice on a particular dispute. Service eligibility, property jurisdiction and your agreements affect the next step.