Quick answer
Before buying a Nakheel villa, check that every change to it was approved. Nakheel records unapproved works in the Villa Status Report (VSR), and they need to be fixed before a sale. Ask the seller for the VSR, plus the Nakheel NOC and Trakhees permit for any extension, pool, pergola or other change, and compare the villa with Nakheel’s plans.
Last checked: November 2026. Official sources: Nakheel · Trakhees
Many villas in Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Park, Jumeirah Islands, Al Furjan, Murooj Al Furjan, Tilal Al Furjan, JVC, JVT and Jebel Ali Village have been changed since they were handed over. Some changes were approved, others were not. When you are buying a Nakheel villa, the unapproved ones become your problem if they are not dealt with before the sale.
Why approvals matter when buying a Nakheel villa
- Nakheel records unapproved works in the Villa Status Report (VSR), and they need to be fixed before a sale.
- New modification requests can be held until existing violations are cleared, so your own plans may wait.
- An open building permit can delay a sale; buyers and banks may ask for it to be closed.
- Unapproved structures have no checked structural design behind them.
What to ask the seller for
- The latest Villa Status Report (VSR)
- The Nakheel NOC for each change to the villa
- The Trakhees building permit for structural works and extensions
- The completion certificate where works were permitted
- The villa plans. Nakheel provides villa plans to owners, so the seller can request them.
Compare the villa with its plans
Walk through the villa with the plans in hand. Rooms, extensions, garden structures, enclosed balconies or roof structures that are not on the plans need an approval behind them. If the plans are missing, we can survey the villa and draw it as built, so you can see exactly what has changed.
Changes that often turn up
- Pergolas, shades and car shades
- Garden rooms, storage rooms and extensions
- Swimming pools
- Enclosed balconies and terraces
- Boundary wall and façade changes
- Outdoor kitchens and other fixed garden structures
Planning works after you buy
Once the villa is yours, new works follow the normal route: a Nakheel NOC through the online portal, then a Trakhees building permit. See the Nakheel NOC guide for the steps.
Questions owners ask
What is a Nakheel VSR?
The Villa Status Report. Nakheel uses it to record the condition of a villa and any changes made without approval.
Who has to clear VSR violations, the buyer or the seller?
That is agreed between buyer and seller. Unapproved changes need to be fixed before the sale, so it is best settled before you sign.
Can unapproved works be approved later?
Often, yes. Nakheel reviews each case on the drawings and the site. Works that meet its requirements can get a retrospective approval; others need to be changed or removed.
Can I get the villa plans before buying?
Nakheel provides villa plans to owners, so ask the seller to request them. If they are not available, the villa can be surveyed and drawn as built.
Does this apply to JVC and JVT townhouses too?
Yes. The same Nakheel NOC and Trakhees route applies in JVC and JVT, and unapproved changes are treated the same way.
Related service
VSR clearance and Nakheel approvals
We survey the villa, draw it as built and take unapproved works through Nakheel and Trakhees.
Nakheel approvals →Clearing VSR violations →