What Happens When Your Landlord Sells Your Rented Home

A sale does not cancel your tenancy contract in Dubai. The new owner inherits it and must honour it to the end of the term, and if they want the property for themselves they still owe you twelve months of written notice.

Tenants are often told to pack because the landlord is selling. That is not how it works. Here is what actually happens, and what you can insist on.

Does a new owner have to honour your contract?

Current as of August 2026. If a dispute reaches the Rental Disputes Centre, the registered Ejari contract is the document that decides it, which is why registration matters. See Ejari and tenancy contracts explained.

What about the twelve month notice?

An owner who genuinely wants to occupy the property, or to sell it vacant, must give twelve months notice in writing through a notary public or registered post. The clock starts when that notice is properly served, not when the conversation happened, and a new owner does not get a fresh right to shortcut it. If notice was served by the previous owner and properly documented, it carries over.

A message saying the property is sold and you have thirty days is not notice.

Do you have to allow viewings?

You have to be reasonable, not available on demand. Agree a pattern in writing: a day and a window, with notice each time, and no unaccompanied access. You are entitled to quiet enjoyment of the home you are paying for, and a stream of unannounced visits is not that.

If viewings become disruptive, put your objection in writing. A documented request that was ignored is what a dispute turns on.

What happens to your deposit and your cheques?

Your security deposit sits with whoever you paid it to. When ownership changes, confirm in writing who holds it and who will return it at the end of the tenancy, because this is the single most common thing that goes wrong. Do the same for any post dated cheques: get written confirmation of the new payee before you hand anything over, and never cancel existing cheques without that confirmation.

Our guide to renting in Dubai covers deposits and the end of tenancy in full.

What should you do the week you find out?

1. Ask for the sale in writing, including the new owner's details and the date of transfer.
2. Check your Ejari is registered and matches your contract.
3. Confirm who holds the deposit and get it in writing.
4. Confirm where rent goes next, in writing, before the next payment is due.
5. Keep every message. Screenshots and emails are evidence.
6. Do not sign anything cancelling your tenancy in exchange for a promise. If you agree to leave early, agree the compensation in the same document.

Can you be paid to leave early?

Yes, and it is often the sensible outcome. A buyer who wants the property vacant may prefer to compensate you rather than wait a year. If you negotiate, agree the amount, the date, the return of your deposit and the release of your remaining cheques in one written agreement, signed before you start packing.

Where to get help

If notice was served incorrectly or a new owner is pressing you to leave, the Rental Disputes Centre handles it and the registered contract is the reference point. Keep everything documented and you are in a strong position.

Speak to us if you are renting a property that has been sold and you want to know where you stand. If you would rather move on your own terms, browse what is available to rent.