What comes next for Dubai property handovers

More projects are moving towards completion across Dubai. Recent regional tensions have added complexity, but the data shows that handover delays were already rising before them. The next phase will depend on clearer timelines, stronger contracts and greater transparency.

Seventy per cent of residential units in Dubai scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2026 were delayed, according to Dubai Land Department data compiled by DXB Interact. At the end of 2025, that figure stood at roughly 40 per cent. The increase deserves attention, but so does the timing: handover delays were already becoming more common before the latest regional tensions emerged.

Recent events have added new complexity to an already demanding construction environment. Regional shipping capacity has tightened and the cost of key materials has continued to rise. Construction consultancy Stonehaven estimates that regional building material costs have increased by roughly 25 per cent since September 2025, driven by higher prices for Aluminum, Bitumen, Copper and nickel alongside tighter shipping capacity.