Article 28 · Article 25(2)(d)
Your Rights When the Landlord Sells the Property in Dubai
A sale does not end your tenancy. Article 28 carries your contract across to the new owner for the agreed term — and if the new owner wants possession, the clock starts again at twelve months.
Direct answer
A change of ownership does not affect the tenant's right to continue occupying the property for the fixed term agreed with the previous owner (Article 28). A new owner who wants possession must serve a fresh legal Notice — and eviction at the end of a tenancy requires twelve months, through a Notary Public or by registered mail.
The RDC also confirms a landlord may sell while an eviction notice is already running, but the new owner still has to serve their own Notice.
What to do when you learn of a sale
- 1
Do nothing hasty
The sale by itself changes nothing about your right to remain for the agreed term.
- 2
Establish who now receives the rent
Get it in writing. If nobody will accept payment, deposit it with the Centre through Offer and Deposit — Article 31 keeps the obligation alive.
- 3
Check any Notice carefully
Ground, period and service method. A ninety-day notice for a sale is defective; the period is twelve months.
- 4
Keep the paperwork
Contract, Ejari, payment record and correspondence — the file you would need if it goes to the Centre.
"The new owner wants it for personal use"
That is a valid ground at the end of the tenancy — but it requires twelve months' Notice, the owner must not own a suitable alternative property, and Article 26 then bars re-letting to a third party for two years residential or three non-residential, failing which you may claim fair compensation.
Had a notice after a sale?
Send us the notice and the contract. We will tell you what the file needs to test it, and what has to be translated.
Frequently asked questions
Does a sale end my tenancy?
No. Article 28 provides that a transfer of ownership does not affect your right to continue occupying for the fixed term agreed with the previous owner.
The new owner says I must leave in 30 days.
Eviction at the end of a tenancy requires twelve months' Notice through a Notary Public or by registered mail. A thirty-day demand is only available on the Article 25(1) grounds arising during the term, such as non-payment after a Notice.
Can the landlord sell while an eviction notice is running?
Yes — the RDC confirms there is no legal impediment. But the new owner must serve a fresh legal Notice if they want possession.
Nobody will accept my rent since the sale.
Deposit it with the Centre through Offer and Deposit. Article 31 keeps the payment obligation alive, and depositing protects you from a later non-payment claim.
Do I have to let viewings happen?
Arrange access reasonably, but repeated entry without arrangement falls within the interference Article 34 prohibits.
What about my security deposit?
It remains secured under Article 20 and must be refunded when you return the property as received. Establish in writing who now holds it.
Can I claim compensation if I am wrongly evicted?
Article 26 allows a claim for fair compensation where possession was recovered for personal use and the property is re-let within two years residential or three non-residential. The Tribunal assesses it — there is no fixed multiplier.
Should I sign a new contract with the buyer?
Only if the terms suit you. Your existing contract runs to the end of its term regardless, so a new agreement is a choice rather than a requirement.
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Disclaimer. General information about Dubai tenancy law, 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.