Articles 20 & 21 · Payment Writ
Landlord Not Returning Your Security Deposit in Dubai?
The deposit is security for maintenance of the property — not a fund the landlord may keep. Article 20 requires it to be refunded, deductions require documentation, and fair wear and tear is expressly excluded.
Direct answer
You are entitled to your deposit back at the end of the tenancy once you return the property in the condition you received it, excluding fair wear and tear and damage beyond your control. Article 20 obliges the landlord to refund it. Where they refuse, the Rental Disputes Centre identifies the route as a Payment Writ — a summary application to the Summary Actions Judge.
A deduction is not established by assertion. It needs a reason and a document: an invoice, a quote, a photograph. No proof, no deduction.
What can and cannot be deducted
Can be deducted — with evidence
- Damage beyond fair wear and tear
- Reinstating unauthorised alterations you made
- Actual costs supported by invoices
Cannot be deducted
- Fair wear and tear on paint, flooring and fittings — Article 21 excepts it
- Comprehensive cleaning — the RDC states this is the landlord's responsibility
- Anything without an invoice or supporting document
- Rent arrears, without a proper basis — the deposit secures maintenance under Article 20, not rent
Protect the deposit before there is a dispute
- 1
Document the property on the way in
Dated photographs and video of every room and fitting. This is the baseline every later claim is measured against, and it cannot be recreated afterwards.
- 2
Hand over with a record
The RDC is explicit: return the property in its original condition and obtain proof of the hand-over, otherwise the tenancy can be treated as continuing. That record is also the key to the deposit.
- 3
Ask for the deductions in writing
Request an itemised statement with an invoice for each line. Undocumented deductions rarely survive scrutiny.
- 4
Serve a Notice
Through a Notary Public or by registered mail. This is a procedural condition for the Payment Writ route, which is followed by a five-day period.
- 5
File the claim
A monetary claim costs 3.5% of the amount, minimum AED 500 and maximum AED 15,000, plus the standard service and administrative fees. Every non-Arabic document needs certified translation first.
An open Ejari registration blocks everything
A large share of deposit disputes are really registration disputes: the tenant has left, the Ejari was never cancelled, and the tenancy looks live. Deal with both together — see Ejari disputes.
Do not offset the deposit against your last rent
Deciding to skip the final instalment "because they hold my deposit" is characterised as non-payment, and Article 25(1)(a) makes non-payment thirty days after a Notice a ground for eviction. Pay the rent, then claim the deposit separately.
Documents for a deposit claim
Identity & tenancy
- Emirates ID
- Tenancy contract and Ejari certificate
- Bank letter showing your IBAN
Condition & hand-over
- Dated move-in photographs and video
- Dated move-out photographs and video
- Signed hand-over record
- DEWA final bill and closure
The claim itself
- Deposit receipt or the contract clause recording it
- The landlord's itemised deductions, if provided
- Correspondence acknowledging the deposit
- Certified Arabic translation of every non-Arabic document
Do not write the deposit off
Send us the contract, the hand-over photographs and any deduction statement. We will identify the right route, prepare the claim and translate it, and file it at the RDC.
Frequently asked questions
When am I entitled to my deposit back?
At the end of the contract, once you return the property in the condition you received it, fair wear and tear excepted. Article 20 obliges the landlord to refund it, and the RDC confirms the tenant can reclaim it on returning the property in its original condition.
My landlord deducted money without invoices. Is that allowed?
A deduction needs a reason and a document establishing the damage and the cost. A claim without supporting evidence is exactly what the RDC exists to resolve.
Who pays for cleaning at the end?
The RDC states that comprehensive cleaning is the landlord's responsibility.
What counts as fair wear and tear?
Article 21 requires you to return the property as received, excepting ordinary wear and tear and damage beyond your control. Faded paint and normal use of flooring and fittings sit on that side of the line; a broken door or a burn on a worktop does not.
Which RDC service do I use?
The RDC identifies a Payment Writ as the route to request a deposit refund. It requires the debtor to be notified through a Notary Public or by registered mail, followed by a five-day period, with a defined set of documents.
How much does the claim cost?
A monetary claim is 3.5% of the amount claimed, minimum AED 500 and maximum AED 15,000, plus AED 100 process service and AED 10 each for the knowledge and innovation fees.
Can the landlord keep the deposit against unpaid rent?
The deposit exists under Article 20 to secure maintenance of the property. Applying it to arrears requires a proper basis and does not happen automatically.
I have left the UAE. Can I still claim?
Yes. The case can be registered electronically, and you can appoint a representative with a power of attorney registered for AED 25. We handle preparation, translation, filing and follow-up.
I have no hand-over record. Have I lost?
Not necessarily, but it is harder. Compensate with dated photographs, correspondence in which the landlord acknowledges the return, and utility closure documents. WhatsApp and email are accepted as evidence where receipt is acknowledged.
Do you give legal advice on my chances?
No. We are a legal support services provider, not a law firm. We prepare and translate the claim and handle the filing; we do not advise on the merits or appear at hearings.
Related
Disclaimer. General information, 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.