The checklist to run before wiring your Dubai reservation fee

The moment before you press send is the moment that matters most

Once a reservation payment leaves your account, reversing it is far harder than confirming five things before you send it. None of the checks below require you to be in Dubai, and none of them take more than a phone call or a written confirmation from your adviser. Together they take a few minutes and remove almost every risk associated with the transfer itself.

Check 1: confirm the escrow account, not a general company account

Off-plan payments in Dubai are meant to go into a project-specific escrow account controlled by the Dubai Land Department, not into a developer's general operating account. Before you transfer anything, ask your adviser to confirm the exact escrow account name and number tied to your specific unit and project, and cross-check that reference against the project's own registration rather than trusting a number that arrives only by message. Read the escrow account explained and is my money safe in a Dubai escrow account for how this protection works end to end.

Check 2: verify the payment reference matches your unit

A reservation payment should carry a reference that ties it to your specific unit, not a generic project name. Before wiring, confirm this reference in writing, and use the exact wording provided, since a mismatched reference can delay reconciliation on the developer's side even when the funds themselves arrive correctly.

Check 3: confirm the broker's licence details

Any broker facilitating your reservation should be able to provide their trade licence and RERA registration number without hesitation. Orven operates through ORVEN REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE L.L.C S.P.C (Economic License No. CN-6800129, ADRA); ask for equivalent details from any party involved in your transaction before you send funds through them.

Check 4: read what the reservation payment actually is

A reservation fee, sometimes called an Expression of Interest or EOI, is not always treated the same way as the first payment milestone under the sales and purchase agreement, and its refundability depends on the terms confirmed at the time you reserve. Read what is a reservation fee (EOI) and is the 20 percent booking payment refundable in Dubai before you transfer, so you understand exactly what you are committing to.

ORVEN PROPERTIES

Talk to an Orven adviser

Leave your number: an adviser calls you back or replies on WhatsApp, in your language. No commitment.

Your name

Phone (WhatsApp)

Budget (optional)Best time to call (your local time)

Check 5: keep the full paper trail before and after the transfer

Document to have before sending	Document to keep after sending
Written confirmation of the escrow account details	The bank transfer confirmation itself
A copy of the reservation form or offer	A receipt or acknowledgement from the developer or broker
The broker's licence and RERA reference	Correspondence confirming the funds were received and applied to your unit

This checklist is not exhaustive on its own; read the due diligence checklist before you reserve an off-plan unit in Dubai for the wider set of verifications to run on the project and developer before you reach the point of wiring any payment at all.

What a typical reservation payment looks like for a Prestige One project

Reservation structures are confirmed project by project rather than assumed. Coastal Haven publishes a 20% booking payment followed by 80% at handover. Hilton Residences and FAUCHON Résidences follow 20% at booking, 40% during construction and 40% at handover. Luxury Canal Residences and Sanctuary Residences follow a 20/45/35 structure. Ask your adviser to confirm the exact figure and reference for your chosen project before you transfer, rather than assuming a structure from a different project applies.

If something does not match

If the escrow account details you receive do not match what your adviser confirmed, or if a payment request arrives through a channel you were not expecting, such as an unfamiliar email address or a change of bank details sent only by message, stop and verify before transferring anything. Contact your adviser directly through a channel you already trust to confirm the request is genuine.

Running this checklist with Orven

Before any reservation payment on an Orven-facilitated purchase, send your project name and the payment reference you have received on WhatsApp at +971 52 776 1939, or write to sales@orvenproperties.com, and an adviser will confirm every item on this checklist with you before you transfer a single dirham.

FAQ

How do I know a reservation payment is genuinely going into an escrow account? Ask your adviser to confirm the exact escrow account details in writing, and cross-check the reference against the project's own registration rather than relying on a number received only by message.

Is a reservation fee always refundable? Not always. Refundability depends on the specific terms confirmed at the time of reservation, so read what is agreed before you transfer, rather than assuming.

What should I do if payment instructions change unexpectedly? Stop and verify directly with your adviser through a channel you already trust before sending anything. A late change to bank details sent only by message is a reason to pause, not to proceed.

Does Orven charge the buyer for facilitating the reservation payment? No. Orven is remunerated by the developer, not by the buyer, for arranging a reservation.

Can I complete this checklist without visiting Dubai? Yes. Every check described here can be confirmed remotely with your adviser before you transfer any funds.