Getting Your Deposit Back When You Move Out

Your security deposit is your money. In Dubai it is 5 percent of the annual rent for an unfurnished property and 10 percent furnished, and the landlord may only deduct for damage beyond fair wear and tear.

Deposit disputes are the most common rental disagreement in Dubai, and almost all of them come down to evidence.

Fair wear and tear, or damage?

What to do at move-in

Photograph everything, dated, on the day you get the keys. Every room, every existing mark, inside cupboards, the condition of appliances. Email the set to the landlord or agent the same day so there is a timestamped record both sides hold.

This single habit prevents most deposit disputes. It takes twenty minutes.

What to do at move-out

1. Clean properly, including the air conditioning filters and the oven.
2. Repair anything you damaged, which is usually cheaper than the landlord's contractor.
3. Settle DEWA and chiller accounts and keep the final bills.
4. Photograph everything again, dated.
5. Attend the inspection if you can, rather than handing back keys and leaving.

If the deposit is not returned

Ask for an itemised list of deductions with receipts. A landlord who cannot evidence a deduction is unlikely to defend it. If that does not resolve it, the Rental Dispute Centre handles deposit claims: see how the process works.

How long should it take?

There is no fixed statutory period, and practice varies from days to several weeks. Agree a timeframe in writing when you hand back the keys rather than leaving it open.

Related reading

Our complete tenant guide covers the whole tenancy, and renewing your tenancy explains the rules if you are staying.

Speak to an adviser if you are unsure where you stand.