Case preparation · Certified translation · RDC filing
Rental Dispute Services in Dubai
The Rental Disputes Centre will not look at an incomplete file, and will not accept a document that is not in Arabic. We build the file: identify the right case type, assemble and check the documents, produce MOJ-certified Arabic translation in-house, file it and follow it through.
Direct answer
A rental dispute in Dubai is filed at the Rental Disputes Centre, which has exclusive jurisdiction over landlord–tenant disputes in the Emirate including the free zones. The filing fee is 3.5% of the annual rent, minimum AED 500 and maximum AED 20,000, and every document must be in Arabic or legally translated.
The relationship is governed by Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008; rent increases are capped by Decree No. 43 of 2013.
Start from where you stand
I am a tenant
An increase above the cap, an eviction notice that looks wrong, a deposit withheld, services cut off, or repairs refused.
- Challenge a rent increase
- Test an eviction notice
- Recover your deposit
- Stop interference and restore services
I am a landlord
Rent unpaid, a bounced cheque, a tenant who will not leave, or a judgment you need enforced.
- Recover unpaid rent
- File an eviction case
- Enforce a judgment
- Notarised legal notices
By dispute type
The disputes we see most
Non-payment of rent
The tenant stops paying or a cheque bounces. A Notice and thirty days come before any filing.
LandlordEviction
Nine grounds during the term on 30 days notice; four at expiry on 12 months. The ground decides everything.
LandlordRent increase
Capped by Decree 43 of 2013 against the index, and conditional on 90 days notice under Article 14.
TenantSecurity deposit
Withheld or reduced without documentation. Fair wear and tear is expressly excluded by Article 21.
TenantUtilities cut · locks changed
Prohibited by Article 34 — even where rent is owed. Since March 2026 the police route is confirmed.
TenantEarly termination
Leaving before the term ends without an exit clause. There is no statutory penalty figure.
EitherMaintenance
Article 16 puts maintenance and defects affecting your use on the landlord, unless agreed otherwise.
TenantEjari problems
Registration, renewal or cancellation refused. No Ejari does not prevent you filing.
EitherJudgment execution
A judgment is the middle, not the end. Eviction execution costs 1% of annual rent, capped at AED 5,000.
LandlordJurisdiction
What the RDC can hear — and what it cannot
Decree No. 26 of 2013 gives the Centre exclusive jurisdiction over rental disputes between landlords and tenants of property in the Emirate, including in the free zones, together with appeals from its own decisions and enforcement of its judgments. Filing in the wrong forum costs months, so the exclusions matter as much as the rule.
Three disputes the Centre does not hear — Article 6(b)
- Disputes arising in a free zone that has its own tribunal or special court with jurisdiction — the DIFC being the obvious case.
- Disputes arising from a lease finance contract.
- Disputes arising from long-term leases governed by Law No. 7 of 2006.
Decree No. 26 of 2013, Article 6 · verified 2 September 2026
The Centre is organised into a Mediation and Conciliation Directorate, a First Instance Division, an Appellate Division and a Judgment Enforcement Directorate — which is why a file moves between stages rather than sitting with one office.
Rent
The index sets the number. The Decree sets the ceiling.
These are two different instruments and they are constantly confused. The Smart Rental Index, introduced by the Dubai Land Department in January 2025, determines the average rental value for a comparable unit. The permitted increase is then read off the bands in Decree No. 43 of 2013 — bands which have not changed.
| Your rent sits below the market average by | Maximum increase |
|---|---|
| Up to 10% | No increase |
| 11% – 20% | 5% |
| 21% – 30% | 10% |
| 31% – 40% | 15% |
| More than 40% | 20% |
Two points follow. The table states a maximum, not an entitlement — a landlord may increase by less or not at all. And any increase, whatever the band, still requires 90 days' written notice before expiry under Article 14. A landlord who is within the band but late with the notice has not met the condition.
Decree No. 43 of 2013, Articles 1 and 3 · Smart Rental Index, DLD, January 2025 · verified 2 September 2026
In force since 26 August 2026
Shared housing — Law No. 4 of 2026
Dubai now regulates how a unit may be shared. The law governs the allocation, management, occupancy and leasing of shared housing across private development zones and free zones, and it reaches owners, occupants and licensed leasing or management companies alike.
Operative now
- A permit is required before a unit may be allocated to shared housing.
- Dubai Municipality is the regulator, setting occupancy limits, space per resident and the areas where shared housing is allowed, in coordination with the Land Department.
- Operators already running shared accommodation have one year from commencement to regularise, extendable.
- Penalties reach AED 1,000,000 for repeat violations.
Not yet issued. The detailed permit conditions and procedures are to be set by decision of the Director-General of Dubai Municipality. As at 2 September 2026 that decision has not been published, so anyone planning a shared-housing arrangement should confirm the current requirements with the Municipality before relying on them.
Law No. 4 of 2026 · Official Gazette 27 February 2026 · in force 26 August 2026 · verified 2 September 2026
Sources
What this page is based on
Every rule stated above is taken from the instrument named beside it, not from secondary commentary. Procedures and fees are administrative and can change without a change in the law, so figures are dated.
| Landlord and tenant relationship | Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008 |
| The Rental Disputes Centre | Decree No. 26 of 2013 |
| Rent increase bands | Decree No. 43 of 2013 |
| Market rental value | Smart Rental Index, Dubai Land Department |
| Shared housing | Law No. 4 of 2026 |
| Fees, documents and hearing scheduling | Rental Disputes Centre, published schedule |
Last legally reviewed: 2 September 2026. Articles 2, 9, 13, 14, 15, 25, 26 and 29 of Law No. 26 of 2007 were replaced by Law No. 33 of 2008; this page states the amended position throughout.
How it works
From notice to enforcement
- 1
The legal notice
A Notice under the Law is written notification served through a Notary Public or by registered mail. Email and WhatsApp are evidence, not Notices.
- 2
Building and translating the file
Contract, Ejari, ID, IBAN letter, payment record and evidence — with certified Arabic translation of everything that is not already in Arabic.
- 3
Registration and fees
Online through the RDC system or at a Real Estate Services Trustee centre. The first hearing is scheduled automatically at least seven days after payment.
- 4
Conciliation
Capped at fifteen days. Settle and half the court fee is refunded, and the agreement is enforceable.
- 5
First Instance
Judgment within thirty days of referral, extendable once by a further thirty.
- 6
Appeal or execution
Appeal within fifteen days — but claims under AED 100,000 are final except in six situations, eviction among them. Otherwise the route is execution.
Three mistakes that sink strong cases
Withholding rent during a dispute. Article 31 requires payment throughout; withholding hands the other side a ready-made ground. Treating a WhatsApp message as a Notice. A valid Notice goes through a Notary Public or registered mail. Filing in English. That is not a weak file — it is an incomplete one.
Official 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 |
| Proving a leasehold relationship | 500 AED |
| Eviction execution | 1% of annual rent · max 5,000 AED |
| Refund if conciliation settles | Half the court fee |
What you will need
Identity & tenancy
- Emirates ID, or trade licence and manager ID
- Tenancy contract and Ejari certificate
- Power of attorney or management contract
Financial
- Payment record: receipts, transfers, cheques
- Cheque return memo where relevant
- Bank letter showing your IBAN
Notices & evidence
- Notarised Notice with the officer report, or registered-post receipt
- Correspondence, dated photographs, utility bills
- Certified Arabic translation of every non-Arabic document
Start your file today
Send the contract and whatever you have. Within one business hour we come back with the case type that fits, the exact document list, and what has to be translated.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to file a rental dispute in Dubai?
3.5% of the annual rent, minimum AED 500 and maximum AED 20,000, for eviction, renewal, termination and rent claims. Monetary claims are 3.5% of the amount, maximum AED 15,000. Add AED 100 process service, AED 25 power of attorney, and AED 10 each for knowledge and innovation fees; trustee centres add AED 130 plus VAT.
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. For advocacy, engage a UAE-licensed lawyer.
How long does a case take?
Conciliation is capped at 15 days, extendable. A First Instance judgment must issue within 30 days of referral, extendable once. The RDC reported an average settlement of six days across 443 conciliation agreements in Q2 2025.
Can I file without an Ejari-registered contract?
Yes. A claim can be registered by adding a request to prove the leasehold relationship, which the RDC charges at AED 500.
Do documents have to be in Arabic?
Yes. The Centre requires all documents to be in Arabic or legally translated. It is the most common reason a self-prepared file stalls.
Can I stop paying rent while I dispute?
No. Article 31 requires payment throughout. If the landlord refuses to accept it, deposit the rent with the Centre through Offer and Deposit.
How much notice is needed to evict at the end of a tenancy?
Twelve months, via Notary Public or registered mail, for all four Article 25(2) grounds — including sale. The 90-day period is for changing terms or rent, not for eviction.
Does the RDC cover free zones?
Yes — its jurisdiction is exclusive and includes free zones, except those operating their own tribunals. Lease-finance contracts and long-term registered leases are also excluded.
Can any judgment be appealed?
No. Judgments below AED 100,000 are final except in six situations, of which eviction judgments are the broadest. Where an appeal lies it must be filed within 15 days, with a 50% deposit on a money judgment.
Is Taw-Theeq a law firm?
No. Taw-Theeq Corporate Services and Legal Translation LLC is a legal support services provider. We prepare and translate documents and handle RDC filing and follow-up; we do not give legal advice and do not represent clients 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.