Article 25(1)(a) · Payment Writ · Execution
Tenant Not Paying Rent in Dubai: The Landlord Route
A legal notice, then thirty days, then a case. That is the only route — and every shortcut from it (cutting services, changing locks, evicting personally) turns you from claimant into defendant.
Direct answer
Serve a Notice through a Notary Public or by registered mail, wait thirty days, then file at the Rental Disputes Centre. Article 25(1)(a) makes failure to pay within thirty days of service a ground for eviction during the term, and the claim for arrears can be combined with the claim for possession.
Where its conditions are met, the Payment Writ is a faster route for the money alone.
The Payment Writ route
A service the RDC lists under Provisional and Summary Orders, issued by the Summary Actions Judge. Its conditions and documents are specific:
Procedural condition
- Notify the debtor via Notary Public or registered mail
- Then a five-day period
Documents
- Latest lease with Arabic translation
- Written proof of the debt
- Proof of the debtor's domicile
- Proof of notice and receipt
Additional
- Cheque return memo
- Declaration of validity
- ID or commercial licence
- Bank letter showing the IBAN
Three moves that lose you the case
Cutting electricity or water — prohibited by Article 34, and Dubai Police can order it stopped and draw up a report without a court order under the March 2026 memorandum. Changing the locks — the same prohibition. Relying on a WhatsApp warning — it never starts the thirty-day clock.
Bounced cheques
A returned rent cheque is the most common form of non-payment. Keep the cheque and the bank's return memo: both are explicit documents in the Payment Writ file and in a First Instance claim. A bounced cheque does not remove the need for a legal Notice if you are also seeking eviction.
- 1
The notice
Stating the sums due, the period, and the demand for payment, served through a Notary Public or by registered mail.
- 2
Thirty days
Counted from valid service. The Centre confirms that a month passing since notification is a condition of the claim being accepted.
- 3
The claim
Arrears and eviction can be combined. The fee is 3.5% of the annual rent, minimum AED 500 and maximum AED 20,000.
- 4
Conciliation or judgment
Conciliation is capped at 15 days with half the court fee refunded on settlement; otherwise a First Instance judgment within 30 days of referral.
- 5
Execution
An execution file opens 15 days after judgment. Executing a monetary claim carries no fee, and the tools include attachment, instalment plans, travel ban and arrest warrant.
Start with the right notice
Send the contract, the payment record and the cheques. We draft the notice, prepare and translate the file, and handle filing and execution.
Frequently asked questions
How long must I wait before filing?
Thirty days from service of the Notice. The Centre confirms that a month having passed since notification is a condition of the claim being accepted.
Can I claim eviction and the rent together?
Yes, and it is usually preferable. Article 31 keeps the tenant liable for rent throughout the proceedings and until execution.
What is the difference between a Payment Writ and a First Instance claim?
A Payment Writ is a summary money route issued by the Summary Actions Judge, needing notice then five days and a defined document set. A First Instance claim is the standard route and is required if you are also seeking eviction.
The tenant offers instalments.
That can be recorded in a conciliation agreement, which is approved by a supervising judge and enforceable like a judgment. The execution system also supports electronic instalment plans.
Can I keep the deposit against the arrears?
The deposit exists under Article 20 to secure maintenance. Applying it to arrears requires a proper basis and does not replace a claim for the rent.
The tenant has left the country.
The claim proceeds and is served under the notification rules. Execution tools include attachment, travel ban and arrest warrant where their conditions are met.
What does execution cost?
Executing a monetary claim carries no fee. Eviction execution is 1% of the annual rent, capped at AED 5,000.
Do you draft the notice?
Yes — we prepare the notice for notarisation, translate the documents, and file and follow up the case. We are not a law firm and do not give legal advice or appear at hearings.
Read next
Disclaimer. General information, not legal advice. Legislation is cited from the Dubai Legislation Portal and procedure and fees from the Rental Disputes Centre as published at the date of writing. Taw-Theeq Corporate Services and Legal Translation LLC is a legal support services provider — not a law firm and not a government authority.