Special Conditions for the Sale of Housing Grants in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi

Introduction:

As part of regulating the process of selling and purchasing housing grants, and in line with the objective of strengthening family proximity between parents and children, the competent authorities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi have issued a set of conditions and regulations governing the disposal of housing grants, whether in the form of residential land plots or government housing units.
These conditions aim to protect the rights of all parties, ensure the availability of a suitable alternative residence, prevent the misuse of housing benefits, and take into account special cases related to senior citizens.
Below is a summary of the key officially approved terms and requirements, as issued by the relevant government authority.
Key Conditions and Requirements:

• The sale is restricted to UAE nationals who are residents of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
• A first-degree kinship relationship (son or daughter) must exist between the applicant and the senior citizen.
• The alternative residence must be geographically close to the parents’ residence, with a maximum distance of 15 kilometers.
• Each housing grant may be disposed of only once.
• A suitable alternative residence must be available in accordance with approved regulations.
• Conditions vary depending on the type of housing benefit (undeveloped residential land, developed residential land, or government housing).

1.  The applicant and the senior citizen (individuals over 60 years of age according to the National Policy for Senior Citizens) must be a UAE national, Abu Dhabi Family Data holder, and permanent resident of Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

2. The applicant must be the main caregiver of the senior citizen from the first degree (son or daughter).

3. The distance between the geographic location of the purchased house (the alternative) and the parents' house must not exceed 15 kilometers, and the purchased house/land must be located closer geographically to the parents' house.

4. The reasons for the sale and purchase process should be based on the proximity between parents and children, and one of them must have achieved the principle of proximity according to the following:

1. The reasons for the sale and purchase process should be the proximity between parents and children, and one of them must fulfill the proximity as follows:

2. An alternative house is available :
• The seller or the buyer must fulfill the proximity.

3. There is no alternative housing; the seller will purchase a house according to the following conditions:

• Sale of the house grant: Fulfilling the proximity by the seller or the buyer

• Purchase of alternative housing: The seller who became the buyer and the seller (owner of the house next to the parents' house) must fulfill the proximity. Additionally, the seller (owner of the house next to the parents' house) must have an existing alternative housing unit."

4. The conditions for the sale and purchase of the housing benefit should be in accordance with the following table:

The conditions for the sale and purchase of the housing benefit are as follows:

• If the property to be disposed of is a grant of unbuilt residential land, in exchange
for unbuilt residential land, built residential land, or a house, the following
conditions shall apply:

1- Written consent from the wife or wives.

2- The UAE National must own an alternative residential land or a suitable alternative house
within the Emirate, with an acknowledgment and commitment not to dispose of it, and a
registration in the real estate record prohibiting disposal. Furthermore, they must not claim
another residential land grant, house grant, or a house purchase loan.

• If the property to be disposed of is a government granted house, the following conditions shall
apply:

a. With a construction age less than the expected lifespan:
The sale of the house with unbuilt residential land is not allowed; however, it may
be sold in exchange for purchasing constructed residential land or a house, after
meeting the following conditions:

1. Written consent from the wife or wives, or the divorced woman who has the right to reside in
the same house based on an agreement or court ruling.

2. The UAE National must own a suitable alternative house within the Emirate, with an
acknowledgment and commitment not to dispose of it, and a record in the real estate registry
prohibiting disposal. Additionally, they must not claim another residential land grant, house
grant, or a house purchase loan.
If the construction on the residential land was financed through housing loans, the
following conditions shall apply:

1. Completion of construction, demolition and rebuilding, or purchase, or maintenance works
and/or expansion and addition, and obtaining all necessary permits for occupancy.

2. Repayment of the remaining loan amount or transferring the mortgage to the alternative house,
applicable only to the ready-to-move-in alternative house.

b. The structural age of the house exceeds the expected lifespan:
It can be sold in exchange for unbuilt residential land, considering that the dwelling
can be converted into residential land. In the case of selling in exchange for
purchasing constructed residential land or a house, the following conditions must
apply:

1. Written consent from the wife or wives, or the divorced woman who has the right to reside in
the same dwelling based on an agreement or court ruling.

2. The UAE National must own a suitable alternative house within the Emirate, with an
acknowledgment and commitment not to dispose of it, and a registration in the real estate record
prohibiting disposal. Additionally, they must not claim another residential land grant, housing
grant, or a housing purchase loan.
If the construction on the residential land was financed through housing loans, the
following conditions shall apply:

1. Completion of construction, demolition and rebuilding, or purchase, or maintenance
works and/or expansion and addition, and obtaining all necessary permits for
occupancy.

2. Repayment of the remaining loan amount or transferring the mortgage to the alternative
house, applicable only to the ready-to-move-in alternative house."

6. Seller's conditions:
a. Provision of alternative house according to the alternative housing matrix.
b. Each UAE National is allowed to trade housing grants once in their real estate
record.
c. Application of the approved usufruct regulations in the housing benefits system
policy in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, according to the type of housing benefit.

7. Buyer's conditions:
a. Must be a UAE National of the Emirate Abu Dhabi.
b. Registering the purchased property as a grant, with an acknowledgment and
commitment not to dispose of it in accordance with the applicable conditions and
regulations.
8. Alternative house conditions:
a. It is required that the alternative house be suitable for ownership.
b. The title of possession cannot be transferred to another alternative housing in the
future.
c. It is required for UAE National owners from Abu Dhabi that the alternative house to
be located within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
d. The ownership must be solely to one individual.

9. The alternative house conditions shall be applied according to the following
conditions:

• The alternative house conditions apply if the property to be disposed of is granted
unconstructed residential land, and the individual owns an alternative, unconstructed
residential land, or constructed residential land, or a house.

• The alternative house conditions shall apply if the property to be disposed of is a house
and the individual owns unconstructed residential land. It will not be considered an
alternative house, unless the individual owns constructed residential land or another
house, in such case it will be considered an alternative.

10. Signing all declarations and commitments related to the service.

Reference:

https://static.tamm.abudhabi/static-prod/Project/TAMM/TAMM-v2/Service%20Manual%20Videos/FDF-00043-en.pdf