Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended
Tenant Rights in Dubai: What Your Landlord Cannot Do
Almost everything that worries a Dubai tenant is settled in plain statutory text — the notice period, the increase cap, who pays for repairs, and the right to use the property undisturbed. The difficulty is not the right. It is proving it with a complete file, in Arabic.
Direct answer
A Dubai landlord cannot evict you without one of the grounds in Article 25 and a valid Notice, cannot raise the rent above the Decree 43/2013 tiers or without 90 days' notice, cannot cut your services or change the locks, cannot avoid maintenance that affects your use of the property, and cannot keep your deposit without documentation.
In return you must pay the rent on time — including throughout any dispute — keep the property in good order, and not sublet without written consent.
Six rights that come up constantly
Not to be over-charged at renewal
The increase is capped against the market average by Decree 43 of 2013. Within 10% of the average, no increase is permitted at all — and any increase needs 90 days' notice.
RentNot to be evicted on a bad notice
Eviction at the end of a tenancy needs 12 months' notice through a Notary Public or registered mail, on one of four grounds only.
EvictionNot to have your services cut
Article 34 prohibits disconnecting electricity, water or cooling and changing locks — even where rent is owed. Since March 2026 the police route is officially confirmed.
InterferenceTo have the property maintained
Article 16 puts maintenance and any defect affecting your intended use on the landlord unless agreed otherwise. The "AED 2,000 rule" does not exist in law.
MaintenanceTo get your deposit back
The deposit secures maintenance and must be refunded once the property is returned as received — fair wear and tear excepted under Article 21.
DepositTo use the amenities
Unless agreed otherwise, the rent covers use of the property's amenities — pools, playgrounds, gyms and parking (Article 11).
AmenitiesA sale does not end your tenancy
Article 28 is explicit: a transfer of ownership does not affect your right to remain for the fixed term agreed with the previous owner. A new owner who wants possession must serve a fresh 12-month Notice.
The mistake that turns your case into theirs
Withholding rent to pressure the landlord. Article 31 requires payment throughout the proceedings, and Article 25(1)(a) makes non-payment thirty days after a Notice a ground for eviction. If the landlord refuses to accept payment, deposit it with the Centre through Offer and Deposit.
What you owe in return
Your obligations
- Pay rent on the agreed dates (Arts. 12 and 19)
- Maintain the property as an ordinary careful person would (Art. 19)
- Make no alteration without permission and official licences (Art. 19)
- Do not sublet without written consent (Art. 24)
- Return the property as received, fair wear and tear excepted (Art. 21)
What actually protects you
- An Ejari-registered contract
- A complete payment record: transfers, cheques, receipts
- Whole message threads, not isolated screenshots
- Dated photographs at move-in and move-out
- A signed hand-over record when you leave
How we help
- 1
Identify the right route
The RDC offers more than twenty services. We work out which one your situation points to before anything is filed.
- 2
Build the document set
The exact list for your case type, and what is missing from it.
- 3
Translate to the required standard
MOJ-certified Arabic translation produced in-house. Every non-Arabic document needs it before the Centre accepts the file.
- 4
File and follow up
Submitted under the correct category, then tracked through conciliation, hearings and execution.
You have the right — do you have the file?
Send the contract and whatever you have. Within one business hour we come back with the case type that fits, the document list, and what has to be translated.
Frequently asked questions
Can my landlord increase the rent as much as they like?
No. Decree 43 of 2013 caps the increase against the market average for similar units: no increase within 10%, then 5% for 11–20% below, 10% for 21–30%, 15% for 31–40%, and 20% beyond that. Any increase also needs 90 days' notice under Article 14.
I received a 90-day eviction notice because the landlord wants to sell.
Eviction at the end of a tenancy requires 12 months for all four Article 25(2) grounds, sale included. The 90-day period is for changing terms or rent. Have the notice checked before you act on it.
My landlord cut the power because I am behind on rent.
Not permitted. Article 34 contains no exception for arrears. The landlord's remedy is a Notice and then a case at the RDC. Report it to the police and ask for the state of affairs to be recorded, then claim compensation at the Centre.
Can I stop paying rent until repairs are done?
Strongly inadvisable. Article 31 requires payment throughout, and stopping gives the landlord a ready-made eviction ground. Pay, then claim the repair or the cost separately.
My contract expired and the landlord said nothing.
Under Article 6, if you stay on without the landlord objecting, the contract renews automatically on identical terms for the same period or one year, whichever is shorter.
The landlord will not return my deposit.
Article 20 obliges the refund. Return the property in its original condition, obtain a hand-over record and keep dated photographs. The RDC states comprehensive cleaning is the landlord's responsibility, and identifies a Payment Writ as the route to request a refund.
Can the landlord enter whenever they want?
No. Repeated entry without arrangement falls within the interference Article 34 prohibits, which covers any conduct preventing your full use of the property.
Do I need a lawyer?
The RDC does not require legal representation. Taw-Theeq prepares, translates and files the case — we are a legal support services provider, not a law firm, and we 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 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.