A Dubai landlord cannot raise your rent by whatever they like. The permitted increase depends on how far your current rent sits below the market rate for comparable properties, and the figure is set by a framework rather than by negotiation.

What decides the amount?

The principle is straightforward. If you are already paying close to the going rate, no increase is allowed. The further below market your rent has fallen, the larger the increase permitted, on a sliding scale that runs up to a fifth of the rent where the gap is widest.

That means the question is never really "how much can they raise it", but "what is the market rate for this property, and how far below it am I". Two identical flats in the same tower can attract different permitted increases purely because the tenants signed in different years.

Where do I get the actual number?

From the Land Department, not from your landlord and not from this page. The rental increase calculator published by the Dubai Land Department, and the Dubai REST app, will give the binding figure for your specific contract. Treat those as the authority. Anyone quoting you a percentage without running your contract through the calculator is guessing.

What notice am I owed?

A landlord who wants to change the rent, or any other term, has to tell you well in advance of the renewal date, and the standard expectation is 90 days unless your contract sets something longer. A demand that arrives a fortnight before renewal is not a valid basis for an increase.

Keep the notice. If a dispute follows, the date it was served usually matters as much as the amount.

What if I think the increase is wrong?

Run the calculator yourself and print the result. This resolves most disagreements without anyone falling out.
Reply in writing before the renewal date, setting out the figure the calculator gives.
Do not simply stop paying. Withholding rent weakens your position badly, whatever the merits of your case.
If it is not resolved, the Rental Dispute Centre exists for exactly this. Our guide to how the RDC works explains the process.

Does this apply if the landlord wants me out instead?

Eviction is a separate matter with its own notice requirements, and a landlord cannot use it as a lever to force an increase through. If you are being asked to leave rather than to pay more, read our guide on what happens when your landlord sells.

A note for landlords

The calculator cuts both ways, and it is worth running before you send anything. An increase demanded above the permitted figure tends to end at the Rental Dispute Centre, cost more in time than it gains in rent, and lose a paying tenant. If your rent has drifted well below market, the sensible route is a staged, documented increase inside the rules. If you would like us to check where a property sits against current market rents, ask us.