At Your POA, we appreciate that many Dubai property owners – particularly those living overseas – are not always familiar with the terminology used in the Dubai property market, let alone the complicated procedures involved when completing a property transaction here.

In fact, some property investors remain unaware that it is possible to appoint someone as Power of Attorney to handle everything on their behalf.

For these reasons, we will attempt to answer some of the commonly asked questions that we receive in relation to appointing someone as Power of Attorney.  For any other questions you may have on this or any other property related matters, please do not hesitate to contact us.

What does the abbreviation 'POA' stand for?

‘POA’ is the commonly used abbreviation for a Power of Attorney.

What is a Power of Attorney?

Simply put, a Power of Attorney is a written authorisation to represent someone or act on someone else’s behalf in private affairs, business, financial and other legal matters.

Who can issue a Power of Attorney and who can act as a Power of Attorney?

Anyone can give Power of Attorney to someone else provided they are of the required legal age (18+) and of the requisite mental capacity.  Similarly, anyone can be appointed as a Power of Attorney provided they meet the above requirements and have the legal capacity to do what is required.

Can I appoint more than one person as Power of Attorney?

Yes – you can appoint more than one person to act as your Power of Attorney and you can specify whether they act jointly or individually.

Are all Power of Attorney documents the same?

No – there are various types of Power of Attorneys.  Some Power of Attorneys are prepared as general Power of Attorneys giving the agent broad powers to act, or durable Power of Attorneys that are intended to last the lifetime of the person giving the power.  Other Power of Attorneys are more specific either being limited to a specific transaction or limited in terms of time.

How long does a Power of Attorney last for?

This depends on the type of Power of Attorney granted.  A Power of Attorney may be limited to a specific transaction state or may state an expiration date after which its powers are no longer valid.  A Power of Attorney document can also be revoked by the person giving the power.

In Dubai, a Power of Attorney document is valid for a two year period after which it must be renewed/reissued.

Can a Power of Attorney be revoked?

Yes – you can revoke the Power of Attorney at any time.  You would simply need to notify your agent in writing, obtain the original Power of Attorney document (and all copies) and file a written revocation at the office where the original Power of Attorney document was signed/issued.

What can my Power of Attorney do?

Your Power of Attorney representative can do anything you authorise him/her to do depending on what is conferred in the Power of Attorney document.  A Power of Attorney document can be broad or specific in terms of scope.

In Dubai, the authorities do require that specific terminology is used for certain activities.  For example, a Power of Attorney document for selling a property must be specific to that property and must mention the property details as per the Title Deed.  A Power of Attorney for taking Handover from a developer can be general but must state that assignee is authorised to “take possession” of the property.

At Your POA, we have great deal of experience in drafting Power of Attorney documents to ensure that they meet the requirements of the authorities in Dubai but also ensure that it safeguards your interests as a property owner.  Our aim is to be open and transparent so that you feel as comfortable as possible at every stage of the process.

What is the process for issuing a Power of Attorney for use in Dubai?

The process for appointing a Power of Attorney is very straight forward and we can guide you through this.  In order to be valid, the Power of Attorney must be signed and notarised by a Notary Public before being legalised and attested by the UAE Embassy (or equivalent) in the country where the grantor is based.

We will prepare the Power of Attorney document here in Dubai as per the activity required and the requirements of the Dubai authorities.  If you are in Dubai, we can have the Power of Attorney document prepared and attested in one morning at the Dubai Notary Public.

Alternatively, we can send the Power of Attorney document to you with instructions on legalisation in whatever country you are based.  Once the Power of Attorney is legalised overseas, it will need to be couriered back to us to be attested at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here in Dubai.

(Eg) UK Legalisation process:

  • POA preparation stage – we prepare the POA and send this to you for legalisation in the UK
  • Notarisation stage – you sign the POA document in front of a Notary Public or Solicitor
  • Legalisation stage – you send the original signed POA document to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) to be certified/legalised
  • Attestation stage – the POA will then need to be sent to the UAE Embassy in London to be attested before being couriered back to us to be attested at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dubai

Once the attestations are completed, we will have the power to handle everything on your behalf so that you are not required to attend in person.

We hope that the above information will be of some assistance to you.  Naturally we anticipate that you may have some further questions or queries in relation to Power of Attorneys or other property related matters in Dubai.  If so, please contact us and we will do our utmost to assist.  We are always happy to help!