Buying off-plan property in Qatar: protections and risks

Which law protects off-plan buyers, and who regulates it?

Law No. 6 of 2014 on regulating real estate development governs the sale of units "on the map" (على الخارطة), before they are built. Law No. 5 of 2023 moved its regulatory powers to the General Authority for Real Estate Regulation (Aqarat), set up by Amiri Decision No. 28 of 2023 under the Minister of Municipality.

The Central Bank issued instructions on these escrow accounts in February 2025, in coordination with Aqarat.

How does the escrow account protect your money?

Every development project must have its own escrow account (حساب ضمان التطوير العقاري) at a licensed bank (Article 18). You pay your instalments into that account, not to the developer.

• Payment made directly to the developer or its representatives does not count (Article 24).
• The account cannot secure loans, and the developer's creditors cannot attach the money in it (Article 24).
• Nothing can be drawn until at least 20 per cent of the construction is done, measured by cost, excluding land and marketing (Article 20).
• After that, the developer is paid in stages as the work progresses, on the project consultant's report approved by Aqarat (Articles 19 and 21).
• The bank holds back 10 per cent of the project's value, or an accepted bank guarantee, for defect repairs until a period set by the Minister ends (Article 22).
• Interested parties may see the project's accounts with Aqarat's approval (Article 23).
• If an emergency prevents completion, the Central Bank and Aqarat must act to protect depositors, and the project may pass to another developer (Article 27).

What should you check before you sign?

Before you pay a reservation amount or sign, check the developer, the project and the contract. Aqarat approves a model contract for each project, and its terms cannot be changed (Article 10).

Read the delay compensation and termination clauses too. The Civil Code lets parties fix compensation in advance, but a court may reduce a grossly excessive amount (Articles 265 and 266). Our guide to checking a contract before you sign covers these clauses.

What if the developer is late, or you want your money back?

The developer must start and finish the works on the dates in the contract and deliver units with the contracted specifications (Article 7).

• Late delivery without an acceptable excuse, or units that do not match the contracted specifications, is an offence punishable by up to one year in prison, a fine of up to QR50,000, or both (Article 29).
• A developer that does not start within six months of the off-plan approval, without an acceptable excuse, faces a fine of up to QR200,000 (Article 30), and Aqarat may cancel its licence (Article 9).
• If the licence is cancelled, the landowner must appoint another developer within three months (Article 9).
• The Real Estate Development Disputes Committee decides cases urgently, within three months, extendable to six (Cabinet Decision 27/2025, Article 15). The application fee is QR500 (Article 18).
• Its decisions are enforceable at once, and either party may appeal to the Court of Appeal within 15 days (Articles 34 to 36).

The law sets no specific refund procedure, so a refund depends on the contract and the Civil Code. If the other side does not perform, a party may, after formal notice, seek termination with compensation where justified, and termination restores both to their prior position (Articles 183 and 185).

How is your unit registered, before and after completion?

Ownership of a unit sold off-plan arises only on registration. Until then, the sale creates only personal obligations between you and the developer (Article 13).

1. 1

   When the developer applies to subdivide the project, the land's register page is marked as subject to the development law (Justice Minister's Decision 4/2026, Article 3).

2. 2

   Your purchase is entered in the preliminary register with Aqarat's approval, and the Ministry of Justice issues a preliminary title deed for your unit (Articles 13 and 14; Decision 4/2026, Articles 4 and 5).

3. 3

   During construction, a registered unit may be sold or mortgaged with Aqarat's approval (Article 15; Decision 4/2026, Article 4).

4. 4

   On completion, the developer must register the units in the real estate register within 60 days of the building completion certificate, in the names of buyers who have met their obligations (Article 16). Failure is punishable by a fine of up to QR100,000 (Article 31).

5. 5

   If the delivered unit is smaller than contracted, the price is reduced in proportion, at the price per metre in the preliminary register (Article 17).

Decision No. 4 of 2026, in force since 8 January 2026, also requires developers to register units sold off-plan before it took effect (Article 6). If you bought earlier, ask the developer for your preliminary title deed.

Can non-Qataris buy off-plan?

Yes, in the areas and on the terms where non-Qataris may own property. Our guide to where non-Qataris can own property in Qatar lists the areas and the residency rules.

• Outside those areas, a non-Qatari may own a separate unit in a residential complex, or an office or shop in a commercial complex.
• Non-Qatari companies may be licensed as developers only within the areas where non-Qataris may own property (Article 3).
• Property worth QR730,000 or more can support a residence permit. Whether a preliminary title deed is enough before completion is not settled in the texts.
• Ownership passes only on registration with the Ministry of Justice.

When should you speak to a lawyer?

Legal advice may help when:

• You are about to pay a reservation amount or sign a reservation form.
• The developer asks you to pay into an account other than the project's escrow account, or in cash.
• The contract differs from the approved model, or has no clear delivery date.
• Delivery is late, or the developer asks you to accept a new date or new terms.
• You want to sell or mortgage the unit before completion.
• You are a non-Qatari buyer relying on the purchase for residency.

Questions people ask