Rental Disputes in Dubai: How the Process Works

Rental disputes in Dubai go to the Rental Dispute Centre, part of Dubai Land Department. Filing costs 3.5 percent of the annual rent, and you need a registered Ejari to bring a case at all.

Most disputes are about the same four things, and most are avoidable.

What people actually argue about

How the process works

1. Try to settle it directly. Most disputes are cheaper resolved in a conversation than in a filing.
2. File at the Rental Dispute Centre. You need the tenancy contract, the Ejari certificate, Emirates ID and evidence.
3. Pay the fee: 3.5 percent of the annual rent, with a minimum and a cap.
4. Conciliation. The centre attempts a settlement first.
5. Judgment. If that fails, the case is heard and decided, usually within weeks rather than months.

What the rules actually say

Rent increases

Governed by the RERA rental index, which compares your rent to market rates for similar properties. A landlord cannot set an arbitrary increase, and must give 90 days written notice before the contract ends.

Eviction

To take back a property to sell it or live in it, a landlord must give 12 months written notice served through a notary or by registered post. Notice given informally does not count.

Deposits

The deposit is the tenant's money held against damage beyond fair wear and tear. Deductions must be justifiable, which in practice means evidenced.

The one habit that prevents most cases

Photograph the property, dated, on the day you move in and the day you leave. It resolves the most common dispute in Dubai before it starts, for both sides.

Related reading

Our tenant guide covers costs and rights end to end, Ejari and tenancy contracts explains registration, and renting out your property covers the landlord side.

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