Real estate industry

Accounting, VAT and Corporate Tax Services for UAE Real Estate Businesses

Broker commissions, rental income, escrow accounts and mixed VAT treatments all reconciled into one clear set of books, built for how UAE developers, brokers and property managers actually operate.

How we account for your real estate business

Income
Commissions · rentals · sales
Reconciliation
Escrow · bank · agent payouts
Accounting
Revenue · VAT split · service charges
Compliance
VAT · Corporate Tax · RERA

1000+

1000+ Active Clients

30+

Industries Served

94%

Client Renewal Rate

35+

Years of Experience

300+

Experts Globally
Understanding real estate accounting

Real estate accounting isn't ordinary accounting

Property transactions mix residential and commercial VAT treatments, broker commissions and escrow funds in a single portfolio. Each needs to be recorded and reconciled correctly before VAT and Corporate Tax can be filed.

Mixed VAT treatment

Residential leasing is generally VAT-exempt, new residential sales are zero-rated, and commercial property and brokerage fees are standard-rated, all in the same book of accounts.

Commission and agent splits

Broker commissions need to be tracked by deal and by agent before payouts and VAT can be calculated correctly.

Escrow and trust accounts

Landlord, tenant and owners association funds sitting in escrow must stay clearly separated from company cash.

RERA and service charge reporting

Owners associations and property managers face specific reporting requirements on top of standard VAT and Corporate Tax filing.

Off-plan and development accounting

Revenue on off-plan sales and development projects needs to be recognised against project milestones, not the full sale price upfront.

Rental income by property

Investors and property managers need income and expenses tracked property by property to see true portfolio returns.
Where the numbers get complicated

From deal agreed to accounting entry

A single property deal touches the buyer, seller, broker, escrow agent and the bank before it reaches your accounts. Every step in this sequence is a place where commission, VAT and payouts can drift apart.

Sale or lease agreed

Funds received into escrow

Buyer · landlord · tenant deposits

Commission earned

Broker · agency split

VAT applied to commission

Agent payout processed

Accounting records

VAT & Corporate Tax filed

Built from these records

Where it usually breaks: the highlighted steps above are where most real estate businesses lose track, escrow funds get mixed with operating cash, commission is booked gross without the correct VAT split, and agent payouts don’t reconcile back to the original deal.
✓

How BCL fixes it

We reconcile escrow movements, commission and agent payouts against every deal each month, so your VAT return and Corporate Tax filing are always built on numbers that tie back to the original transaction.
What's included

Our real estate accounting services

Six service pillars, built around how commission, rental and development income actually move through your business.
01

Real estate bookkeeping & reconciliation

Commission tracking by deal & agentRental income tracking by propertyBank reconciliationService charge accounting
02

Escrow & RERA-compliant accounting

Escrow account reconciliationOwners association reportingTrust account segregationDeposit & security fund tracking
03

Commission & brokerage accounting

Agent split calculationDeal-based revenue recognitionCommission VAT treatmentPayout reconciliation
04

UAE VAT compliance

Residential vs commercial VAT treatmentOff-plan & zero-rated salesBrokerage fee VATVAT return preparation & filing
05

UAE Corporate Tax

Corporate Tax registrationRental vs trading income treatmentSmall Business Relief assessmentRelated-party transaction review
06

Financial reporting

Property-wise profit & lossPortfolio ROI reportingCash flow reportingManagement reporting
Built for your model

Accounting built around your real estate model

Developers, brokers and property managers each create different accounting and VAT questions. We adjust the approach to the model, not the other way round.

Real estate developers

Off-plan sales, construction cost allocation and milestone-based revenue recognition.

Real estate brokers & agencies

Commission tracking by deal and agent, VAT on brokerage fees and payout reconciliation.

Property management companies

Service charges, maintenance costs and owners association reporting.

Owners associations & community management

RERA-compliant reporting and clear segregation of community funds.

Individual property investors

Property-wise rental income, expense allocation and portfolio ROI tracking.

Real estate holding companies

Property acquisition costs, rental income, financing expenses and property-level profitability tracked for clear portfolio reporting.
Know your real numbers

Commission isn't the same as net revenue

A brokerage fee looks straightforward until VAT, the agent split and referral costs come off the top. We build reporting that shows what the agency actually keeps from each deal.

Take a deal worth AED 2,000,000 with a 2% commission of AED 40,000. VAT of AED 2,000 is due on that commission, the agent’s split takes out AED 20,000, and a referral fee accounts for a further AED 5,000. What’s left, AED 13,000, is the agency’s actual net revenue from the deal, less than a third of the headline commission. Most agencies only see the AED 40,000. We make sure you see the AED 13,000.

Illustrative example, not actual client figures
AED 40,000 Gross commission – AED 2,000 VAT on commission – AED 20,000 Agent split – AED 5,000 Referral fee AED 13,000 Net agency revenue
How it works

How BCL manages your real estate accounting

01

Collect

We collect sales agreements, tenancy contracts, escrow statements and bank data.

02

Reconcile

We reconcile commission, rental income and escrow movements against bank transactions and agent payouts.

03

Record

We accurately record revenue, agent splits, service charges and other expenses.

04

Comply

We handle applicable VAT, Corporate Tax and RERA reporting requirements.

05

Report

You receive accurate financial statements and property or deal-level management reports.
See it in practice

From property deal to accounting entry

This is what commission and VAT reconciliation actually look like for a single sale, worked through step by step.
13,000 net revenue
Net agency revenue 13,000
Agent split 20,000
Referral fee 5,000
VAT to the FTA 2,000
Reconciled to the deal
Works with your stack

Platforms we reconcile with

Yardi Buildium Property Finder Bayut Xero QuickBooks Zoho Books
Why UAE real estate businesses choose BCL

One firm for accounting, VAT, tax and reporting

Real estate accounting expertise

Accounting processes designed around commission, rental income and escrow funds, not generic bookkeeping.

Escrow & RERA-aware reconciliation

Escrow movements, service charges and owners association funds reconciled and kept clearly separated.

UAE VAT & Corporate Tax

Mixed residential and commercial VAT treatment handled correctly, alongside Corporate Tax compliance.

Clear property-level reporting

Accurate profit and loss, portfolio ROI and management reports, by property and by deal.
BCL

Comprehensive Service Packages

Simple, Transparent Pricing

Everything Your Business Needs — Accounting, Tax, Audit & Beyond
✦ Accounting & Book-keeping is included FREE in all packages
🛡️ 100% Refund Guarantee — Not satisfied within the first 3 months? Receive your full money back.
Why BCL Globiz? — how we compare
FeatureOthersBCL Globiz
Accounting feesExtra chargeFREE
Transaction limitsYes (capped)Unlimited
Revenue capYesNo cap
Refund policyNone100% refund

Unlimited Transactions

Complete freedom to grow your business.

No Revenue Cap

Scale without worrying about revenue limits.

100% Refund

If you're not satisfied, we'll refund your payment.

Unlimited Transactions

Complete freedom to grow your business.

No Revenue Cap

Scale without worrying about revenue limits.

100% Refund

If you're not satisfied, we'll refund your payment.

Prospective

Staying ahead going forward

Monthly packages that keep you compliant as you go, so there's no backlog to clean up next year.

Monthly Yearly Get 2 Months Free!
Get 2 Months Free!
Essential
Grow
Essential

Accounting & Corporate Tax Compliance Support

Who is this for

Startups and new businesses setting up corporate tax compliance for the first time.

AED 500 20% Off
AED 400
+ 5% VAT · Per month, billed monthly
Get Started
What's included
Corporate tax compliance Support 4 services included
  • CT advisory
  • Ongoing advisory on corporate tax matters
  • Annual CT computation
  • CT return preparation & filing support
Accounting & bookkeeping 14 services included
  • Monthly accounting and bookkeeping
  • Setup of chart of accounts
  • Setup of invoicing templates
  • Backlog accounting
  • Sales invoice creation & posting
  • Purchase bill posting
  • Expense bill posting
  • Bank account reconciliation & posting
  • Credit card reconciliation & posting
  • Other journal entries posting
  • Month-end & year-end closing entries
  • Complete document management as per FTA guidelines
  • Annual audit-ready documentation
  • Audit file preparation
Monthly reporting 4 reports included
  • Monthly balance sheet
  • Monthly profit & loss statement
  • Monthly accounts receivable report
  • Monthly accounts payable report
Support 4 benefits included
  • A dedicated team will be assigned to you
  • Support via email, virtual calls & in-person meetings
  • A dedicated WhatsApp group for quick communication
  • Monthly review meetings
E-Invoicing Now in Essential New
  • Now part of Essential E-invoicing support comes built into the Essential plan, alongside your regular compliance.
  • Up to 100 e-invoices in Zoho Books Already on Zoho? Issue e-invoices straight from the software, with no separate plan to buy.
  • Setup and ASP appointment We set up e-invoicing for your business and help you appoint an Accredited Service Provider (ASP), so you're never working it out alone.
*E-invoicing is included at no additional charge in our plans. Zoho Books offers the first 100 e-invoicing transactions free on Professional plans and above. Additional transactions are charged starting from AED 41 per 100 transactions. These charges are subject to Zoho's prevailing pricing and may change if Zoho revises its rates.
Retrospective

Catching up on the past

One-time clean-up for periods already behind you, books that were never closed, filings that were never made.

Backlog accounting

Backlog Accounting

Who is this for

Businesses with unfiled backlog books or missed FY2025 tax deadlines.

AED 3,000 Save AED 500
AED 2,500
+ 5% VAT · One-time, for FY 2025
Get Started
What's included
  • Full-year backlog bookkeeping for 2025
  • Bank & credit card reconciliation
  • Corporate tax computation for 2025
  • Corporate Tax Return Preparation & Filing Assistance

One-time engagement. No monthly commitment, ideal for catching up before FTA deadlines.

Covers FY 2025 backlog only, with corporate tax computation and filing included.

Once your books are current, you can move onto Essential or Grow for ongoing compliance.

Accounting & Book-keeping
Monthly Accounting and Bookkeeping
Setup of Chart of Accounts
Setup of Invoicing Templates
Backlog Accounting
Sales Invoice Creation & Posting
Purchase Bill Posting
Expense Bill Posting
Bank Account Reconciliation & Posting
Credit Card Reconciliation & Posting
Other Journal Entries Posting
Month-end & Year-end Closing Entries
Complete Document Management as per FTA Guidelines
Annual Audit-ready Documentation
Audit File Preparation
Monthly Reporting
Monthly Balance Sheet
Monthly Profit & Loss Statement
Monthly Accounts Receivable Report
Monthly Accounts Payable Report
Support
A Dedicated Team Will Be Assigned to You
Support via Email, Virtual Calls & In-Person Meetings
A Dedicated WhatsApp Group for Quick Communication
Monthly Review Meetings
Why the price difference between backlog and Essential and Grow Plans?

Two services, two jobs. Backlog Accounting is a one-time clean-up: we fix your past books and file corporate tax for a year that's already closed. Fixed scope, so it ends when the work is done. The monthly plans are a living service that keeps you compliant every month of the year, so there's more inside them:

  • VAT isn't in the backlog. Retrospective covers corporate-tax clean-up only. VAT Advisory, computation and quarterly filing are part of the monthly plans.
  • One closed period vs. the whole year. The backlog fee settles a single past year. Monthly keeps you compliant across all twelve months, advisory included.
  • You stay covered as the rules move. Monthly includes FTA updates, VAT-applicability checks whenever your business changes, and open query with your accountant.

What each service actually covers

Fixing the past vs. staying compliant going forward.

Retrospective

Backlog Accounting

One-time · fixes a closed past year

Prospective

Essential and Grow Plans

Ongoing · keeps you compliant all year

✓ Corporate-tax computation & filing support
✓ Corporate-tax computation & filing support
Live FTA updates & rule changes Unlocks on Monthly →
✓ Live FTA updates & rule changes
VAT-applicability support as you grow Unlocks on Monthly →
✓ VAT-applicability support as you grow
Open Advisory and Query with your accountant Unlocks on Monthly →
✓ Open Advisory and Query with your accountant
✓ One-time clean-up of a past year
✓ Covers all twelve months, advisory included

Only fixing the past? Four things stay locked until you move to Essential and Grow Plans.

Switch to Essential and Grow

Standalone Professional Services

Not looking for a full package? Choose an individual service below, tailored to your exact need.

VAT Return Filing Support
Corporate Tax (SBR)
Transfer Pricing
Audit
VAT Return Filing Support
Stay compliant with accurate, timely VAT return preparation and filing support.
AED 750
+ 5% VAT Per Quarter
Get Started
Who is this for

One job, done right, your VAT sorted every quarter!

What's Included
  • Quarterly VAT Computation
  • VAT Return Preparation & Filing Support
  • VAT Advisory & Compliance Guidance
  • Documentation Prepared as per UAE Tax Requirements.
Corporate Tax (SBR)
Professional preparation and filing support for eligible SBR.
AED 500
+ 5% VAT One-time / Annual Filing Supports
Get Started
Who is this for

Your books, our filing supports, teamwork that just works!

What's Included
  • Small Business Relief eligibility support
  • Corporate tax return preparation
  • Filing support through the applicable UAE tax system
  • Advisory on SBR conditions and compliance
Transfer Pricing
Benchmarking and documentation for related-party transactions
AED 4,999
+ 5% VAT One-time
Get Started
Who is this for

Skip the full package, get expert TP documentation done right!

What's Included
  • Benchmarking Analysis for Related Parties
  • Arm’s Length Principle Advisory
  • Alignment with OECD Guidelines
  • Disclosure Support in CT Return
Audit
Audit-ready financials, backed by a team that knows what auditors expect
Custom Quote
Scoped to your business & audit requirements
Get Started
Who is this for

Every business is different, so is every audit. Let's scope it together.

What's Included
  • Audit readiness assessment
  • Liaison with external auditors
  • Audit findings remediation
  • Financial statement preparation for audit

All standalone services can be combined with any package. Contact us at info@bcl.ae for custom requirements.

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Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. We apply the correct VAT treatment for each transaction, residential leasing is generally exempt, new residential sales are zero-rated within the first three years, and commercial property and brokerage fees are standard-rated.

Broker commission is standard-rated at 5% where the broker is VAT-registered. We calculate VAT on the commission, reconcile it against the deal, and include it in your VAT return.

Yes. We record commission income and agent splits deal by deal, so payouts, VAT and net agency revenue reconcile back to the original transaction.

Yes. We reconcile escrow account movements and help developers and property managers keep landlord, tenant and owners association funds clearly separated for RERA and audit purposes.

Corporate Tax generally applies to real estate businesses such as development, brokerage and property management. Personal rental income earned by individuals is usually excluded, but this depends on your specific structure, which we assess before registration.

Off-plan revenue is generally recognised against project milestones and construction progress rather than the full sale price on signing, in line with the applicable accounting standards.

Yes. We track service charges, maintenance costs and owners association funds separately from your company’s own operating income and expenses.

Yes. We offer property-wise rental income and expense tracking for individual investors, alongside full accounting for developers, brokers and property managers.

We maintain property-wise accounts so each unit’s VAT treatment, income and expenses are tracked separately, then consolidated into one set of management reports.

We work with Xero, QuickBooks, Zoho Books and similar cloud platforms, and can set one up if you’re not currently using any.

Monthly as standard, covering profit and loss, cash flow and property-level performance, with more frequent reporting available for larger portfolios.

Looking for an accounting partner who understands real estate?

From commission and escrow accounts to VAT, Corporate Tax and RERA reporting, let our team handle the accounting behind your real estate business.

Need Help?

We're Here To Assist You

Something isn’t Clear?

Feel free to contact us, and we will be more than happy to answer all of your questions.

We respond within 4 business hours.

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