Topic · updated 31.07.2026 · 5 min read · Lucent Legal team
Dubai tenant rights 2026: deposit, rent increase, eviction
Key points
- Dubai tenancies are governed by Law No. 26 of 2007 (amended by Law No. 33 of 2008); contractual and financial rental disputes go to the Rental Dispute Centre (RDC), not RERA and not the police.
- The security deposit is typically 5% of annual rent for an unfurnished unit or 10% for furnished; the law sets no fixed return deadline, and the landlord can only withhold it for proven damage.
- Rent increases are capped by the RERA rental index scale (Decree No. 43 of 2013): 0–20% depending on how far your rent sits below the market rate, with at least 90 days' written notice.
- Eviction at the end of a contract requires at least 12 months' written notice, sent via notary or registered mail; eviction during an active contract falls under Article 25(1), with shorter notice periods (for example 30 days for non-payment of rent).
- The RDC filing fee is 3.5% of the claim amount or annual rent (minimum AED 500, capped at AED 15,000–20,000 depending on the dispute type); since 2 January 2022, an unpaid rent cheque is a civil matter, not a criminal one.
Tenancy contracts in Dubai are governed by Law No. 26 of 2007 (as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008), and disputes over them don't go to a regular court or the police — they go to the specialised Rental Dispute Centre (RDC) at the Dubai Land Department. Almost everywhere a landlord makes it sound like "whatever we agree on," there's actually a fixed number or deadline in the law: how much deposit is standard, how much rent can legally go up, how much notice eviction requires. Below is each topic on its own, with links to the full guides.
Security deposit: how much and how to get it back
The deposit is the most common flashpoint at move-out — the landlord goes quiet, or withholds the money with no explanation. The rule is straightforward: the law sets no return deadline, but it also doesn't let the landlord keep the money without evidence.
- Landlord won't return the deposit in Dubai: how to get it back through the RDC — read this if your deposit is already being withheld and you need to know what withholding is legal, what isn't, and how to file with the RDC.
Rent increase: how much is actually legal
The letter announcing a new rent figure almost never explains where the number came from — but the legal ceiling is calculated by a specific formula, not whatever the landlord decides.
- Landlord raising the rent in Dubai: is it legal, and how to challenge it — read before signing a renewal, to check the demanded figure against the RERA rent calculator and confirm whether the 90-day notice requirement was met.
Eviction and rent cheque default
A tenant can only be evicted through a strict procedure — a set notice period and a specific list of legal grounds. A separate situation is a bounced rent cheque: it doesn't trigger automatic eviction, but it opens a parallel track through the RDC.
- Eviction notice in Dubai: what to do and when you can challenge it — read as soon as you get an eviction notice, to check the notice period and grounds and see whether it can be contested.
- Rent cheque bounced: what the landlord can actually do in 2026 — read if your rent cheque was returned by the bank, to understand whether it's a criminal matter and how to handle debt and eviction risk at the same time.
Where to complain: RDC or RERA
Filing in the wrong place wastes time without fixing anything: money and contract disputes over rent go to one body, complaints about broker licences and agent fraud go to another.
- Dispute with a landlord or tenant in Dubai: how to file with the RDC — read once negotiation hasn't worked and you need the filing fee, steps, and hearing timeline.
- How to report a landlord to RERA and the DLD in Dubai — read if the dispute isn't about contract money but about an agent's licence, broker misconduct, or an unresponsive management company.
FAQ
Should I complain to RERA or the RDC about my landlord in Dubai?
It depends on what the dispute is actually about. Deposit, rent increase, and eviction disputes go to the Rental Dispute Centre (RDC). Complaints about brokers, unlicensed agents, and management companies go to RERA through the Real Estate Violation System (RVS), not the RDC.
How much does it cost to file a claim with the Rental Dispute Centre?
The fee is 3.5% of the claim amount or the annual rent, with a minimum of AED 500 and a cap of AED 15,000–20,000 depending on the type of claim. The hearing is scheduled no earlier than 7 days after payment.
Does an eviction notice have to go through a notary?
Yes — the law requires the notice to be sent via notary public or registered mail, otherwise it's invalid. A rent increase only needs 90 days' written notice; without it, the increase doesn't take effect.
What happens if a rent cheque bounces for insufficient funds?
Since 2 January 2022, this is a civil matter, not a criminal one: recovery goes through the Execution Court, not the police. The landlord can separately pursue eviction through the RDC in parallel — paying off the cheque debt doesn't automatically cancel that.
This material is for information only and is not legal advice. UAE law changes — a lawyer will assess how it applies to your situation.