Why Dubai has fined, suspended four real estate brokers

Four real estate brokers have been fined and have been barred from working for three months, according to the Dubai Land Department (DLD).

“Real Estate Regulatory Agency (Rera), the regulatory arm of DLD, has fined four real estate brokers and stopped them from work for three months for the reason of not obeying the recent circular of not contacting and text messaging the property owners without a prior authorisation from their side,” it said.

Earlier this month, Emirates 24|7 reported that Rera had issued a final warning to real estate agents from making ‘cold calls’ and those not heeding could face fines up to Dh50,000.

“Though we have already taken action against two brokers, we are now going to take action against any broker who does not adhere to the regulations released in relations to unsolicited marketing calls,” Rera Director of Real Estate Department Ali Abdulla Al Ali had told this website.

The Real Estate Inspection Department has been issuing notices to property brokers since 2013, which states the practice of direct telemarketing to be in violation of rules and regulations.

Real estate brokerage firms have to seek permission from the agency if they want to proceed on with telemarketing and sending SMS messages.

“The brokerage firm needs to our permission for their direct marketing campaigns and must provide the list of its customers. Soliciting unauthorised people through SMS, calls and WhatsApp is not allowed at all. If the brokers think they are ‘smart, we are smarter than them’,” Al Ali said.

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