Eviction Notice in Dubai: The 12-Month Rule Landlords Get Wrong

Last reviewed: August 2026 · Prepared by the Taw-Theeq legal services team, Deira, Dubai

An eviction claim in Dubai is rarely lost on the facts. It is lost on the notice. Under Law No. 26 of 2007 (as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008), a landlord who wants possession of a property at the end of the lease term must serve the tenant a specific notice, in a specific way, a specific length of time in advance — and no argument about ownership, market value or intention can substitute for it.

Two different situations, two different notices

Dubai law separates eviction during the tenancy from eviction at the end of it. Confusing the two is the most expensive mistake a landlord can make.

The grounds recognised for end-of-term eviction

• Demolition or reconstruction of the property, or comprehensive maintenance that cannot be carried out while the tenant is in occupation. Municipal approvals and technical reports are normally required as evidence.
• Sale of the property.
• Personal use by the owner or a first-degree relative, where the owner does not own a suitable alternative property.

The Center examines the stated ground. A landlord who evicts for personal use and then re-lets the unit shortly afterwards exposes himself to a compensation claim from the former tenant.

How the notice must be served

Service is a legal act, not a courtesy. The two accepted channels are:

1. Notary public. The notice is drafted, attested and served officially — this produces the cleanest evidence of both content and date. Because notarial documents are issued in Arabic, an English draft must be converted into a certified Arabic translation before attestation.
2. Registered mail. The postal record establishes the date of dispatch and receipt.

What the notice must actually contain

• The full identity of both parties and the property, matching the Ejari-registered contract.
• The ground relied on, stated clearly — not a general request to vacate.
• The date on which the tenant must vacate, at least 12 months from the date of service.
• Reference to the tenancy contract and its term.

A notice that omits the ground, or that gives a vacating date earlier than the full 12 months, is defective — and defects cannot be cured after the fact.

What the tenant should do on receiving a notice

1. Check the date of service and the vacating date. Less than 12 months between them is a defect worth raising.
2. Check the channel. If it arrived only by email or WhatsApp, it has not been validly served.
3. Check the ground. Keep evidence of what happens to the unit afterwards; re-letting after a personal-use eviction supports a compensation claim.
4. Do not stop paying rent. A valid notice does not suspend the tenant’s obligations, and non-payment converts a defensible position into a non-payment claim.
5. Keep renewing on time. The tenancy continues on its terms until the notice period expires.

Filing the eviction claim

Once the notice period has run and the tenant has not vacated, the landlord files an eviction case at the Rental Disputes Center. The filing fee is 3.5% of the annual rent (minimum AED 500, maximum AED 20,000), and the file must contain the Ejari contract, the title deed, identity documents, the served notice with proof of service, and certified Arabic translations of anything not already in Arabic. If a judgment is obtained and the tenant still does not vacate, enforcement runs through judgment execution as a separate step.

Related reading

• How to file a rental dispute case at the RDC
• Tenant rights at the RDC
• Notary public services in Dubai
• Tenancy contract translation