Updated November 2026 for Dubai’s current rent rules.
Renting out a home in Dubai is well regulated. The rules protect tenants, but they also give landlords clear rights: to collect rent on time, to raise rent within the RERA limits, and to take the property back for set reasons. This guide explains each right, the notice periods that go with it, and what to do when a tenant does not pay.
The laws that apply
- Law No. 26 of 2007, which governs landlord and tenant relations in Dubai
- Law No. 33 of 2008, which amended Law 26 (mainly the eviction rules)
- Decree No. 43 of 2013, which sets how much rent can rise at renewal
- The RERA rental index (now the DLD smart rental index), which gives the average rent used to test any increase
Every lease must be registered on Ejari. Without Ejari the tenant cannot connect DEWA, and you will struggle to bring a case at the Rental Dispute Centre.
1. The right to be paid on time
The tenancy contract sets the rent, the number of cheques and the due dates. If a tenant misses a payment, you can serve 30 days’ notice to pay. If the rent is still unpaid after 30 days, you can ask the Rental Dispute Centre (RDC) for eviction and the amount owed. Serve the notice through a notary public or by registered mail so you can prove the date.
2. The right to raise the rent, within limits
You can raise the rent at renewal only if the current rent is below the average for similar homes in the RERA rental index, and only by the amount Decree 43 allows:
| Current rent compared with the index average | Maximum increase |
|---|---|
| Up to 10% below average | 0% |
| 11% to 20% below | 5% |
| 21% to 30% below | 10% |
| 31% to 40% below | 15% |
| More than 40% below | 20% |
You must give 90 days’ written notice before the contract ends to change the rent or any other term. Miss the 90-day window and the lease renews on the same terms. Check your numbers with our RERA rent increase calculator.
3. The right to take the property back
At the end of the lease (12 months’ notice)
Under Law 33 of 2008, you can ask the tenant to leave when the contract ends for one of these reasons only:
- You want to sell the property
- You or a first-degree relative want to live in it, and you do not own another suitable home
- The building needs demolition or reconstruction
- The property needs major renovation that cannot be done with the tenant inside, confirmed by a technical report
You must give 12 months’ notice through a notary public or by registered mail. “We want a higher rent” is not a valid reason to evict.
During the lease
You can ask the RDC to end the lease early if the tenant:
- does not pay rent within 30 days of a written notice
- sublets without your written consent
- uses the property for an illegal purpose or for something other than the agreed use
- causes damage or makes changes that put the property at risk
- breaks other terms of the contract and does not fix it within 30 days of notice
4. The right to a security deposit
Most landlords take a deposit of around 5% of the annual rent for an unfurnished home and 10% for a furnished one. You can deduct the cost of damage beyond normal wear and tear, and unpaid bills. Return the rest promptly at the end of the lease. Move-in photos and a signed inspection report make disputes much easier.
5. Who pays for what
- Landlord: major maintenance and structural repairs, unless the contract says otherwise; service charges to the owners’ association.
- Tenant: minor maintenance agreed in the contract, DEWA bills, and the housing fee charged through DEWA.
Write the split into the contract. Most disputes start with a vague maintenance clause.
6. Shared housing and subletting
Dubai’s 2026 shared housing rules set limits on how many people can live in one unit and require registration. A landlord who lets an overcrowded unit can be fined, even if the tenant did the subletting. Read our guide to Dubai’s shared housing law.
Taking a case to the Rental Dispute Centre
If you cannot settle a dispute, file it with the RDC online or at a Tasheel or Amer centre. The filing fee is 3.5% of the annual rent, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 20,000. You will need the Ejari certificate, the tenancy contract, proof of any notice you served, and evidence such as bounced cheques or inspection photos.
Landlord checklist
- Register every lease on Ejari.
- Check the rental index before you set or raise rent.
- Send any change of terms at least 90 days before the lease ends.
- Send eviction notices by notary or registered mail, with 12 months’ notice for end-of-lease reasons.
- Keep move-in and move-out photos and signed inspection reports.
Looking for a tenant? List your home on Viewit and see current rental listings to price it against the market. If you are thinking of buying to let, the rental yield calculator shows what a property can earn.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For a specific dispute, speak to a lawyer or the Rental Dispute Centre.