Desk research against primary sources. Figures are traced to the issuing UAE authority and linked on the page.
The 5% figure is a ceiling calculated against annual rent, and AED 5,000 is the floor beneath it — whichever is higher applies, so on a lower-rent tenancy you should expect to pay the flat amount rather than the percentage. Because there is no statute fixing who pays, the split is set entirely by whatever the listing or the agent proposes, and that proposal is negotiable right up until you sign.
A RERA broker card is what turns the transaction into one you can actually dispute if something goes wrong — an unlicensed agent collecting a fee outside that system leaves you without a regulator to complain to. Ask to see the card before paying, not after, and keep the receipt itemising the 5% or AED 5,000 charge separately from any other costs bundled into the same invoice.
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