The official document set
Documents Required for a Rental Dispute in Dubai
Incomplete files are not rejected for weakness of right — they are rejected for missing paper. This is the Centre's official list, including the requirement that sinks most self-prepared cases: every document in Arabic, or legally translated.
Direct answer
The core set is: the latest tenancy contract (Ejari); Emirates ID for individuals, or a trade licence with the manager or owner's ID for companies; and a bank letter or statement showing the claimant's IBAN. For eviction claims, add the notarised Notice with the officer's report, or the registered-post receipt. Then the supporting documents: power of attorney or management contract, correspondence, bills and cheques. Everything not already in Arabic requires certified legal translation.
The full list
Identity & standing
- Emirates ID for individuals
- Passport and residence visa where applicable
- Trade licence and manager or owner ID for companies
- Owner's valid passport with residence permit
The tenancy
- Latest tenancy contract registered on Ejari
- Addendums and amendments
- Management contract where a company is filing
- Power of attorney where represented Registration costs AED 25
Financial
- Bank letter or statement showing the IBAN
- Payment receipts and transfers
- Cheques and the bank return memo
Notices
- Notice notarised by a Notary Public
- The officer's report of service
- or the registered-post receipt
Supporting evidence
- Correspondence and WhatsApp threads Accepted where receipt is acknowledged
- Dated photographs and video
- Utility bills and maintenance reports
- Expert reports where obtained
Language
- Certified legal translation of every non-Arabic document
- Including contracts, invoices, correspondence and message screenshots
No registered contract? There is still a route
The Centre allows a claim to be registered without a contract by adding a request to prove the leasehold relationship, at AED 500. Your payment record and correspondence then carry the weight the contract would have. The Centre also confirms an Ejari cancellation statement is not required to register a claim.
Translation is not a formality
A file with an English contract, English bills and English screenshots is not a weak file — it is an incomplete one. The Centre's requirements state that all documents must be in Arabic or legally translated. Taw-Theeq produces MOJ-certified translation in-house, which is the part of this process we actually own.
Send what you have — we will tell you what is missing
Reviewing documents before filing costs far less than fixing a rejected file afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
What are the core documents?
The latest tenancy contract (Ejari), Emirates ID or trade licence with manager ID, and a bank letter showing the IBAN. Eviction claims add the notarised Notice with the officer's report or the registered-post receipt.
Does everything need translating?
Every document not already in Arabic. The Centre requires all documents to be in Arabic or legally translated — contracts, invoices and message screenshots included.
Why is a bank letter needed?
Any amount awarded or deposited is transferred to the claimant's account. A missing IBAN letter is one of the most common causes of delayed registration.
Are WhatsApp messages accepted?
Yes, where the parties acknowledge receipt. Preserve whole threads rather than isolated screenshots, and translate the relevant parts with the rest of the file.
I have no written contract.
Register the claim by adding a request to prove the leasehold relationship, at AED 500. Payment records and correspondence become the evidence.
Do I need an Ejari cancellation statement?
No. The Centre states it is not required for claim registration.
Can I add documents after filing?
Yes, before the hearing through the Sessions section of the system — but not once the case is reserved for judgment.
The landlord is holding documents I need.
You can apply for an order obliging them to hand them over; the Centre charges AED 500 for it.
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Disclaimer. General information, not legal advice. Fees and requirements are as published by the Rental Disputes Centre at the date of writing and may change — check the official site before paying. Taw-Theeq Corporate Services and Legal Translation LLC is a legal support services provider — not a law firm and not a government authority.