Owners Associations and Committees — who runs your community

The governance of jointly-owned property in Dubai changed materially with Law No. 6 of 2019, the Joint Ownership of Property law (commonly "JOPA"). Older guides still mention "Owners Associations" — they exist in name, but the structure shifted.

Who actually runs the community

• The Management Company. A RERA-licensed company appointed under JOPA. They run the building day to day, collect service charges, hire contractors, and report to RERA.
• The Owners' Committee. Elected from the resident owners, the committee is the residents' voice. It reviews budgets, holds the management company to account, and can vote to replace it. It does not directly manage operations.
• The Master Developer. For master-planned communities, the developer often retains rights over the master common areas (roads, parks, central infrastructure) and charges a separate master-community fee.

How to engage

• Look up your community's Mollak account — the management company is listed.
• Find out who your committee is (your management company can tell you, or it's on the community noticeboard / WhatsApp group).
• Stand for election if you're an owner and want a seat. AGMs are held annually.

The committee mechanism is the strongest lever residents have over costs and quality. Communities with an active, technical committee tend to have better-run buildings and tighter budgets.

Sources: Dubai Law No. 6 of 2019.