Dubai Tenancy Law

Framework for leasing property in Dubai: contract requirements and RERA registration, rent increase limits, grounds and notice for eviction, duties of landlords and tenants, subletting and the dispute tribunal; takes effect 60 days after Gazette publication and is amended by Law No. 33 of 2008.

Summary

Law No. (26) of 2007 is the Dubai tenancy law: the code that governs every lease of land or buildings in the Emirate, whether the premises are an office, a shop, a warehouse or a home. The Ruler of Dubai issued it on 26 November 2007 and, under Article 37, it came into force 60 days after publication in the Official Gazette. It remains in force, but eleven of its articles (2, 3, 4, 9, 13, 14, 15, 25, 26, 29 and 36) were replaced by Law No. (33) of 2008 with effect from 1 December 2008, so the 2007 text on the Dubai Legislation portal must be read with that amendment.

Article 3 applies the law to real property leased out in the Emirate, including vacant and agricultural land; the 2007 text excludes hotel establishments and free staff accommodation, and the 2008 text keeps only the staff-accommodation exclusion. Article 4 requires a written lease recording the property, purpose, term, rent and payment method, and requires every lease to be registered with RERA. Article 6 renews a lease on the same terms for the same term or one year, whichever is shorter, where the tenant stays on without objection, and Article 7 bars unilateral termination.

On rent, the original Article 9 froze rent and other terms for two years from the start of the relationship; the 2008 replacement instead requires the rent to be specified and, failing that, fixes it at the rental value of similar property, which the Tribunal sets using RERA's increase criteria. Article 10 gives RERA authority over rent-increase percentages, now applied through Decree No. 43 of 2013. Article 12 defaults to four equal advance instalments a year, and Article 14 requires 90 days' notice before expiry from a party who wants to change the terms on renewal.

Articles 15 to 24 allocate duties: the landlord hands over the property in good condition and carries maintenance unless agreed otherwise; the tenant pays rent on time, maintains the property, may be asked for a refundable security deposit (Article 20), returns the premises in their original condition (Article 21) and may not sublet or assign without the landlord's written consent (Article 24).

Article 25 lists the only grounds for eviction. Before expiry: 30 days' unpaid rent after notice, unauthorised subletting, illegal use, damage, misuse, condemnation and an uncured breach 30 days after notice. On expiry: demolition, comprehensive maintenance certified by Dubai Municipality, the owner's own or first-degree relatives' use and, since 2008, sale, each on 12 months' notice through a notary public or registered mail (the 2007 text said 90 days). Article 26 bars re-letting after a personal-use eviction for two years (residential) or three years (non-residential) under the 2008 text. Article 28 preserves a fixed-term lease when the property is sold, Article 34 forbids cutting services, and Article 35 has eviction awards executed through the Tribunal.

Who it applies to

Landlords and tenants of real property leased out in the Emirate of Dubai, including vacant and agricultural land, commercial premises and homes, together with sub-tenants, heirs and purchasers who step into a lease. Free accommodation provided by an employer to its staff is excluded; the 2007 text also excluded hotel establishments.

Contents

English official text in 37 articles. Open the full text or jump to a provision:

1. Article 1
2. Article 2
3. Article 3
4. Article 4
5. Article 5
6. Article 6
7. Article 7
8. Article 8
9. Article 9
10. Article 10
11. Article 11
12. Article 12
13. Article 13
14. Article 14
15. Article 15
16. Article 16
17. Article 17
18. Article 18
19. Article 19
20. Article 20
21. Article 21
22. Article 22
23. Article 23
24. Article 24
25. Article 25
26. Article 26
27. Article 27
28. Article 28
29. Article 29
30. Article 30
31. Article 31
32. Article 32
33. Article 33
34. Article 34
35. Article 35
36. Article 36
37. Article 37

Key provisions

Obligations and deadlines

• Put every lease in writing with the particulars Article 4 lists and register it with RERA (Ejari).
• Serve any notice of non-renewal or change of terms at least 90 days before expiry (Article 14).
• Pay rent on the agreed dates; absent agreement, in four equal advance instalments (Article 12).
• Obtain the landlord's written consent before subletting or assigning (Article 24).
• Return the premises in their original condition, fair wear and tear excepted (Article 21).
• Landlords must give 12 months' notice through a notary public or by registered mail for an expiry eviction (Article 25 as amended in 2008).
• Landlords must refund the security deposit or its balance on expiry (Article 20).

Penalties

The law sets no fines. Its sanctions are civil: a lease that breaches it cannot be enforced before the Tribunal unless registered with RERA (Article 4), a tenant in breach faces eviction after 30 days' notice (Article 25), a landlord who re-lets within the Article 26 bar after a personal-use eviction owes the tenant compensation, and a landlord who cuts services or disturbs the tenant answers to the police and for damages before the Tribunal (Article 34). Eviction awards are executed through the Tribunal (Article 35).

History and citations

“Cites” and “Cited by” are built automatically from references in the full texts held in this library; they cover only instruments in the library.

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