Dubai: A grand total of 8,500 permits were issued by the Dubai Land Department (DLD) in the 12 months from August 2016 after it brought in strict requirements on the marketing of property and sales.

These permits stretch across 16 categories.

Not surprisingly, online-based permits topped the list, with 6,393 permits issued during this period.

They were followed by property ads placed in classifieds (517), billboards (302) and those finding their way into newspapers (289).

There was also high demand for promotion stands, with 150 permits issued. In addition, there were 141 permits for on-vehicle placements, 128 for printed advertisements, 244 permits for outdoor advertising and 219 permits for text messages.

“The primary purpose of regulating real estate ads is to protect our customers from any illegal advertisements while also ensuring transparency and credibility in the real estate sector,” said Ali Abdullah Al Ali, senior director of the Real Estate Licensing Department at the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (Rera).

“The significant increase in the number of permits we have issued from year to year reflects the sustained growth of the real estate sector and the momentum it is building in the run up to Expo 2020.”

The procedures followed by the licensing department at Rera help to reduce negative practices.