Article 25(1)(a) · A landlord's guide
Tenant Not Paying Rent in Dubai: What Landlords Should Do
There is one lawful route and it is short: a legal Notice, thirty days, then a case at the Centre. Everything else — cutting services, changing locks, removing belongings — makes your position worse, not better.
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 Article 31 keeps the tenant liable for rent throughout the proceedings.
What not to do
Do not cut the utilities
Article 34 prohibits it with no exception for arrears, and Dubai Police can order it stopped without a court order.
Do not change the locks
The same prohibition. It also hands the tenant a compensation claim against you.
Do not rely on messages
A WhatsApp warning never starts the thirty-day clock. Only notary service or registered mail does.
Do not wait indefinitely
Every month without a Notice is a month the clock has not started. Serve early.
The recovery sequence
- 1
Draft and serve the Notice
Setting out the sums due and demanding payment, served through a Notary Public or by registered mail, with the officer's report or receipt retained.
- 2
Let thirty days run
The Centre confirms that a month having passed since notification is a condition of the claim being accepted.
- 3
File for the rent and possession
3.5% of the annual rent, minimum AED 500 and maximum AED 20,000, with the file complete and in Arabic.
- 4
Consider the Payment Writ
For the money alone it is faster: notice via notary or registered mail, then five days, with a defined document set including the cheque return memo and an IBAN letter.
- 5
Execute
Fifteen days after judgment. Executing a monetary claim carries no fee; eviction execution is 1% of the annual rent capped at AED 5,000.
Check before you let, not after
The RDC's Rental Good-Conduct Certificate lets you enquire into a prospective tenant's rental-dispute history through its website and the Dubai REST app.
The notice decides the case
Send the contract, the payment record and any returned cheques. We draft the notice, prepare and translate the file, and handle filing and execution.
Frequently asked questions
How long before I can file?
Thirty days from service of the Notice. The Centre confirms a month passing since notification is a condition of the claim being accepted.
Can I claim eviction and the arrears together?
Yes, and it is usually preferable. Article 31 keeps the rent due throughout the proceedings and until execution.
The rent cheque bounced.
Keep the cheque and the bank return memo — both are explicit documents in the Payment Writ file and in a First Instance claim. It does not remove the need for a Notice if you also want possession.
Can I use the deposit against the arrears?
The deposit exists under Article 20 to secure maintenance. Applying it to arrears needs a proper basis and does not replace the claim.
Can I lock the tenant out?
No. Article 34 prohibits interference, and the March 2026 explanatory memorandum confirms Dubai Police can order it stopped and record the incident without a prior court order.
The tenant has left the country.
The claim proceeds under the notification rules, and execution tools include attachment, travel ban and arrest warrant where their conditions are met.
They have offered instalments.
Record it in a conciliation agreement — approved by a supervising judge and enforceable like a judgment. The execution system also supports electronic instalment plans.
Do you draft the notice?
Yes — we prepare it 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.
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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.