Rental Disputes Centre
Filing a Rental Dispute Case at the RDC in Dubai
The Centre offers more than twenty distinct services, and choosing the wrong one is the most common reason a file is rejected or stalls. We identify the right route and build the file complete, in Arabic, first time.
Direct answer
You file online through the RDC system or in person at a Real Estate Services Trustee centre. Create an account, enter the contract and party details and your requests, upload the documents, and pay the fee — 3.5% of the annual rent, minimum AED 500 and maximum AED 20,000. Registration completes in about one business day, and the first hearing is scheduled automatically at least seven days after payment.
Which case do you file?
Dispute — Amicable Settlement
The conciliation track before litigation. Fifteen days, and half the court fee refunded on settlement.
First Instance (Rental)
The standard route for eviction, rent claims, termination and renewal.
Writ of Payment
A summary money route. Requires notice via notary or registered mail, then five days.
Offer and Deposit
To deposit rent with the Centre when the landlord refuses to accept it.
Petition Order
For urgent matters — the route the RDC identifies where electricity and water have been cut.
Execution
After a judgment or a conciliation agreement, to recover money or possession.
Documents required
Core
- Latest tenancy contract (Ejari)
- Emirates ID for individuals
- Trade licence and manager or owner ID for companies
- Bank letter or statement showing the claimant's IBAN
For eviction claims
- Notarised Notice with the officer's report
- or the registered-post receipt
Supporting
- Power of attorney or management contract
- Correspondence, bills, cheques
- Certified Arabic translation of every non-Arabic document
No registered contract? The door is still open
A claim can be registered by adding a request to prove the leasehold relationship, which the RDC charges at AED 500. The Centre also confirms that an Ejari cancellation statement is not required in order to register a claim.
The filing steps
- 1
Create the account
Opening an account is free, in your own name or the company's, then activated by the link sent to your email.
- 2
Enter details and requests
Contract and party data, then the relief sought. The wording of the requests defines the scope of the judgment.
- 3
Upload the documents
In Arabic, or with certified legal translation.
- 4
Pay the fee
Noqodi, debit or credit card, or net banking; cash at service centres.
- 5
The hearing
Scheduled automatically at the earliest available session, at least seven days after payment. Hearings are available in person or remotely.
Fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Eviction, renewal, termination and rent claims | 3.5% · min 500 · max 20,000 AED |
| Monetary claims | 3.5% · min 500 · max 15,000 AED |
| Process service | 100 AED |
| Power of attorney | 25 AED |
| Knowledge + innovation | 10 + 10 AED |
| Via a Real Estate Services Trustee | 130 AED + VAT |
| Online e-request | 20 AED |
| Adding a party to the case | 500 AED |
Do not start with the wrong service
Send us the situation and we will identify the case type, the exact document list, and what must be translated before filing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I file entirely online?
Yes. The Centre allows registration through its website, and filing is also possible at Real Estate Services Trustee centres for AED 130 plus VAT. Registration takes about one business day.
Is a WhatsApp message enough as a Notice?
No. A Notice is served through a Notary Public or by registered mail. WhatsApp and email are accepted as evidence where the parties acknowledge receipt, but they are not Notices.
When is the first hearing scheduled?
Automatically, at the earliest available session at least seven days after the fee is paid.
What if I do not pay the fee immediately?
The case sits as "Pending For Payment" and the system cancels it automatically after five days.
Can I add a party after filing?
Yes, by contacting the supervising committee and paying AED 500. Parties cannot be added during the execution phase, so get them right at the outset.
How do I track the case?
Through the Track Your Case service or the Case Activity section of your account. A copy of the judgment is dispatched automatically to the registered email.
Does the RDC give legal advice?
No — it states this expressly. It does offer a Smart Judge guidance service with 100 interactive rental-case scenarios on its website and the Dubai REST app.
What exactly does Taw-Theeq do?
We identify the correct case type, assemble and check the documents, produce MOJ-certified Arabic translation in-house, register the case under the right category and follow it through. We are not a law firm; we do not give legal advice or appear at hearings.
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Disclaimer. General information, not legal advice. Procedure and fees are as published by the Rental Disputes Centre 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.