When you buy off-plan in Dubai, you do not yet receive a title deed — construction is incomplete. The developer registers the sale on Oqood (Arabic for "contracts"), creating an official DLD record of your interim ownership interest, against payment of the registration fee (commonly 4% of the price).
Oqood protects the buyer by putting the purchase on the public register and tying it to the project's DLD-supervised escrow, so instalments are released to the developer only against verified construction progress. On completion and final payment, the Oqood registration converts to a full title deed.
Buyers should confirm their Oqood registration exists and matches the SPA, and that payments are flowing into the project escrow account, not directly to the developer.