Tariq Zekra Exclusive The Complete Guide to Buying London Property Through Aldar’s London Square — From the UAE
What happens when Abu Dhabi’s most trusted real estate expert sits down with the team behind one of the most exciting cross-border property investment opportunities in the world?
You get answers. Real answers. The kind most advisors never give you.
In this exclusive 3-part interview series, Tariq Zekra — official representative of Abu Dhabi’s property sector, Forbes Middle East’s Most Influential Real Estate Broker in Abu Dhabi, and Official Aldar Ambassador — sat down with Natalia and Claudia, the specialists behind London Square — Aldar Properties’ fully-owned London developer — to answer every question a UAE buyer might have about owning property in London.
From starting prices and payment plans, to remote buying processes and rental management — this is the most comprehensive guide to London Square investment ever produced for the UAE market.
Here is everything you need to know.
What Is London Square — And Why Did Aldar Properties Acquire It?
The first question Tariq Zekra asked in Part 1 of the series cut straight to the point that every UAE buyer needs to understand:
“What is London Square and what was the vision behind bringing this project to the market from Aldar Properties?”
The answer was clear and significant.
London Square is a London-based property developer established in 2010 — one of the UK capital’s most respected names in residential development, known for its meticulous approach to location selection, design quality, and community building across London’s most sought-after zones.
In December 2023, Aldar Properties — Abu Dhabi’s most prestigious real estate developer and the company that named Tariq Zekra as its Official Ambassador — completed a 100% acquisition of London Square. This was not a partial investment or a joint venture. It was a complete, full acquisition — making Aldar Properties fully present in the London market through London Square.
As the London Square team explained to Tariq: the vision was to combine London Square’s deep local expertise in the UK market with Aldar’s financial strength, development excellence, and 20+ years of trusted track record in the Gulf region.
The result is something genuinely unique — a London property developer with the full backing, standards, and trust of the same company behind Gardenia Bay, Saadiyat Lagoons, Ramhan Island, and dozens of other world-class Abu Dhabi communities.
For UAE investors already familiar with Aldar’s quality and reliability, this means one powerful thing: you can now apply the same trust you have in Aldar to a London property investment.
Why Are UAE and GCC Buyers So Attracted to London Property Investment?
In Part 1, Tariq asked Claudia — London Square’s UK project specialist — to explain the appeal of London investment for UAE and GCC buyers. Her answer covered every key motivation:
Portfolio Diversification Many UAE investors — particularly those who have already built strong local property portfolios — are actively seeking international diversification. London offers a mature, liquid, and legally transparent property market that provides genuine diversification away from regional risk.
The Trophy Asset For many GCC families, owning property in London is more than an investment — it is a statement. A London property is a trophy asset that carries prestige, lifestyle value, and long-term capital significance that few other global cities can match.
Education — The Most Powerful Driver One of the most consistent motivations Tariq hears from his UAE clients is education. London is home to some of the world’s finest universities and schools — and buying property near top educational institutions in London serves a dual purpose: securing placement priority and building a valuable long-term asset simultaneously.
Business and Financial Hub London remains one of the world’s premier financial and business centers — making it a natural destination for UAE entrepreneurs, business families, and investors who maintain business interests in Europe.
Second Home Appeal For many UAE and GCC families, London is already a beloved second home destination. London Square gives them the opportunity to own rather than rent — converting a recurring expense into a long-term asset.
What Makes London Square Different — Location Is Everything
In Part 2, Tariq explored what sets London Square apart from other London developers — and the answer was consistently about location.
As the London Square team explained: the company has built its entire reputation on the quality of its location selection. Every development in the London Square portfolio is chosen based on a strict set of criteria:
- Transport connectivity — proximity to Underground, Overground, and Elizabeth Line stations
- School quality — proximity to the best primary and secondary schools in London
- Community infrastructure — retail, green spaces, and amenities
- Growth potential — areas with strong appreciation fundamentals
Currently, London Square has 11 active projects across London — spanning zones 1 to 6, with the majority concentrated in zones 1 to 3, which represent prime central London. This is not peripheral or secondary location investment. This is prime London real estate, from Abu Dhabi’s most trusted developer.
For UAE investors — particularly those who plan to rent their London property — the importance of this location philosophy cannot be overstated. As the London Square specialists confirmed: rental demand in London is directly tied to proximity to transport stations and top schools. A property that ticks both boxes commands premium rental yields and consistently strong tenant demand.
Can You Buy a London Square Property From the UAE — Without Visiting London?
This was one of the most important questions Tariq asked in Part 2 — and the answer will reassure every UAE investor who has hesitated to invest in London due to the perceived complexity of buying internationally.
The answer: Yes. You can buy a London Square property completely remotely from the UAE.
The entire purchase process can be completed digitally — without leaving Abu Dhabi, Dubai, or anywhere else in the UAE. Here is the step-by-step process as explained to Tariq:
Step 01 — Reservation Pay the reservation fee to secure your chosen London Square unit. This can be done remotely from the UAE.
Step 02 — Appoint a UK Solicitor You will need a UK-based solicitor to handle the legal aspects of your purchase. London Square provides a list of recommended solicitors — or you can use your own existing UK legal representation. All communication with your solicitor can be handled digitally.
Step 03 — Legal Process Completion Your appointed solicitor manages the full legal due diligence, title verification, and contract preparation — in compliance with UK property law.
Step 04 — Exchange of Contracts (SBA) Once the legal process is complete, you sign the Sale and Purchase Agreement — known in the UK as the Exchange of Contracts. This can be done digitally.
Step 05 — Final Payment at Handover The vast majority of your payment is due at handover — not during construction. This is one of the most buyer-friendly payment structures in the global property market.
However — as the London Square team told Tariq — while remote purchase is entirely possible, they always recommend visiting the location in person at least once. Seeing London Square’s developments firsthand makes for a more informed and confident investment decision.
The Payment Plan — Why London Square Outperforms UAE Off-Plan Norms
One of the most surprising and compelling revelations in Tariq’s Part 2 interview was the comparison between London Square’s payment plan structure and the off-plan payment norms UAE investors are accustomed to.
In the UAE market, off-plan buyers typically pay 50% to 60% of the property price during the construction period, with 40% to 50% due at handover.
London Square operates on a fundamentally different — and far more investor-friendly — model:
- During construction: You pay only 10% to 20% of the total property price
- At handover: You pay the remaining 80% to 90%
This means that as a UAE investor buying a London Square property, you are committing a minimal amount of capital during the construction period — preserving your liquidity for other investments — while securing a prime London asset at today’s price.
The handover timeline for London Square developments is between 2 to 4 years — comparable to UAE off-plan timelines that most investors are already comfortable with.
For UAE investors who are used to the discipline of off-plan investment, this payment structure offers the best of both worlds: UAE-style off-plan timing combined with a UK-style payment structure that keeps your capital free until the property is ready.
Prices — What Does a London Square Property Cost?
In Part 3, Tariq asked the question every UAE investor wants answered immediately:
“I want to know the prices in your projects.”
The response from the London Square team was direct and remarkably accessible for a prime London address:
- Starting price: Approximately £450,000 per apartment
- In UAE dirhams: Approximately AED 2,000,000 (converted at roughly 5 dirhams per pound)
This is a significant and strategically important number for UAE investors — because AED 2,000,000 is exactly the threshold required to qualify for the UAE Golden Visa.
Across the wider London Square portfolio, pricing extends beyond apartments to include townhouses and other larger property types — offering UAE investors a range of entry points across different budgets and investment strategies.
As Tariq noted during the interview: the breadth of property types available through London Square mirrors what UAE investors are used to in the local market — from compact apartments to larger family homes — making the transition to London property investment feel familiar and accessible.
Rental Management — How Does It Work for UAE Investors?
In Part 3, Tariq addressed one of the most practical concerns for any overseas property investor: once you own the property, how do you manage it and generate rental income from thousands of kilometers away?
The London Square team provided a clear and flexible answer:
Option 01 — Appoint a Letting Agent UAE investors can appoint any licensed UK letting agency to find and manage tenants on their behalf. The letting agent handles tenant search, vetting, and placement — presenting the investor with a shortlist of qualified candidates. Crucially, in the UK, investors have the right to review full tenant profiles including credit ratings and income verification — and choose their preferred tenant.
Option 02 — Appoint a Property Management Company For investors who prefer a fully hands-off approach, a property management company can handle everything — from tenant placement and rent collection to maintenance and property upkeep. Management companies charge varying fees depending on the scope of service.
Option 03 — Short-Term Rental (Where Permitted) For certain London Square developments where short-term rental is permitted, investors can appoint a management company to operate the property as a short-term rental — potentially generating higher per-night income compared to traditional annual leasing.
One particularly compelling aspect of UK rental law that Tariq highlighted is the level of control investors retain over tenant selection. In the UK, landlords review full tenant CVs, credit scores, and employment records — and have the right to select or decline any tenant based on their profile. This level of control is rarely available to property investors in other markets.
Why London Square Through Aldar Is the Smartest International Investment for UAE Buyers in 2026
After completing all three parts of the interview series, Tariq Zekra — as Official Aldar Ambassador and official representative of Abu Dhabi’s property sector — offered his assessment of why London Square through Aldar Properties represents one of the most compelling international investment opportunities available to UAE buyers in 2026.
The Trust Factor Aldar Properties’ 100% ownership of London Square means UAE investors are buying from a developer they already know, trust, and have worked with for years. The same standards of quality, transparency, and client care that define Aldar’s Abu Dhabi developments apply directly to every London Square project.
The Price Point Starting at AED 2,000,000 — the exact UAE Golden Visa threshold — London Square offers prime central London exposure at a price point that is genuinely accessible to a wide range of UAE investors.
The Payment Plan Paying only 10% to 20% during construction and 80% to 90% at handover is one of the most capital-efficient investment structures available anywhere in the global property market in 2026.
The Location Quality 11 projects across zones 1 to 3 of prime central London — selected with meticulous attention to transport connectivity, school proximity, and long-term growth potential — represent some of the strongest investment fundamentals available in the UK capital.
The Remote Purchase Process The ability to complete the entire London Square purchase process digitally from the UAE — without visiting London — removes the single biggest barrier that has historically prevented UAE investors from accessing the London market.
The Closing Statement As the London Square team told Tariq’s audience at the close of the interview:
“If you are investing with London Square, you are investing with the known and most trusted developer that you have known for more than 20 years — Aldar Properties.”
Ready to Explore London Square Investment With Abu Dhabi’s Official Aldar Ambassador?
As the only Official Aldar Ambassador in Abu Dhabi — and the UAE’s most recognized Emirati real estate expert — Tariq Zekra is uniquely positioned to guide you through every aspect of a London Square investment from start to finish.
Whether you are exploring London property for the first time, looking to diversify your existing UAE portfolio internationally, or planning ahead for your children’s UK education — the conversation starts here.
