Single-family office verhuisd van Londen naar Dubai
Een Britse familie die na april 2025 de oude non-dom-regeling verloor en een family office nodig had dat echt vanuit de VAE werkt, terwijl hun Europese vastgoed gewoon inkomsten bleef opleveren.
De situatie
The head of the family had used the UK remittance basis (the non-dom treatment) for over ten years. It was being abolished from 6 April 2025, along with the protections that had shielded their offshore trust. They wanted a permanent base in the UAE, with a family office that actually ran from there, without disturbing the European property that brought in their income.
- The UAE presence had to be real: people, an office and decisions made there, not a licence and a mailbox.
- The European property had to keep running through the change, without breaching any loan terms.
- The existing offshore trust needed checking against the UK's post-April-2025 rules, not just moving as it was.
- Bank accounts had to be set up again in two banking centres before the move was complete.
Passing wealth on sits in the foundation, day-to-day running in the DIFC company, and the European property stays in a Luxembourg layer the lenders already know.
- Rental income
- European rent stays in the Luxembourg companies and is only paid up when it's needed.
- Family costs
- Paid from the UAE holding company, which receives dividends with no UAE tax kept back.
- Governance
- Investment and payout decisions made and minuted by the DIFC board — which is what makes the UAE presence real.
Wat we deden, stap voor stap
- 01UK exit analysis first
Worked out the family head's position under the new four-year foreign income and gains (FIG) regime, and the loss of trust protections, before setting anything up.
- 02Foundation established
Set up a DIFC Foundation with a council, a guardian and a charter that reflects how the family actually makes decisions, not a template.
- 03Family office licensed and staffed
Licensed the DIFC company, leased an office and hired three local staff, so the presence existed before anyone needed to rely on it.
- 04European assets re-layered
Put two Luxembourg companies above the property companies, agreed with the lenders in advance so no loan terms were breached.
- 05Banking migrated
Opened accounts at two private banks using one source-of-wealth file prepared once and reused; both accepted it first time.
- 06Old trust dealt with deliberately
Reviewed it rather than just closing it; rebuilt the payout policy and reporting for the post-2025 rules.
- The DIFC family office was running with real staff and an office before the family head's UAE residence began.
- European rental income carried on without a break; no loan terms breached during the reorganisation.
- Two private banking relationships opened in the intended banking centres within the moving window.
- The remaining UK tax exposure after April 2025 worked out and documented, rather than discovered later.
Een softwaregroep onder leiding van de oprichter, met bedrijven in drie landen en zonder holdingmaatschappij erboven, negen weken voordat de verkoop aan een Amerikaanse koper wordt ondertekend.
Een betalingsgroep uit het Midden-Oosten die zakelijke betalingen in de EU wilde aanbieden en een licentie nodig had die in heel Europa bruikbaar is, los van het bestaande moederbedrijf.
Een industrieel familiebedrijf in de tweede generatie, waar geen grote trustmaatschappij de aandelen wilde aanhouden en waar geen enkel familielid alle aandelen in handen mocht krijgen.