tenancy contract dubai

Tenancy Contract Dubai: What You Need to Know in 2025

If you're signing a lease in Dubai for the first time — or renewing one — the contract you sign is only half the story. The other half is Ejari, the mandatory registration system, and a tight set of rules under Law No. 26 of 2007 that quietly override anything sneaky your landlord may have slipped into the document.

Quick Answer

A tenancy contract Dubai-side must be in writing, signed by both parties, and registered with Ejari (the Real Estate Regulatory Agency's tenancy registration system, part of the Dubai Land Department). Without Ejari registration, you can't get DEWA connected, you can't sponsor a family visa using the lease, and you can't file at the Rental Disputes Centre. Standard term is 12 months. Rent increases are capped by the RERA rental index. The landlord must give 12 months' written notice via notary or registered mail to evict for sale or personal use.

What Makes a Tenancy Contract Valid in Dubai

Four things. The Unified Tenancy Contract form (issued by Dubai Land Department), signatures of both parties, a clear rent figure with payment schedule, and Ejari registration. Skip any one and you're exposed.

The landlord is legally responsible for registering the contract under Article 4 of Law No. 26 of 2007, though in practice the cost (AED 219.75 as of 2025, including VAT and service fees) often gets pushed onto tenants. Honestly, most clients don't argue this — it's small money and you want the certificate fast.

You'll need: passport copies, Emirates ID, title deed copy, the signed contract, and DEWA premises number. Registration is done through the Dubai REST app or an Ejari typing centre. Turnaround is usually same-day.

One thing tenants miss: the Ejari certificate is what the Rental Disputes Centre (RDC) asks for first when you file a claim. No Ejari, no case.

Rent, Deposits, and the RERA Index

Security deposit is typically 5% of annual rent for unfurnished, 10% for furnished. There's no statute fixing this — it's market practice. Get it in writing that the deposit is refundable within 30 days of handover, minus documented damages.

Rent is usually paid in 1, 2, 4, or 12 cheques. Fewer cheques means a lower rent, almost always. If you're paying by bank transfer instead of cheque, get a signed acknowledgment for each payment — landlords occasionally "forget".

Rent increases are governed by Decree No. 43 of 2013 and calculated using the RERA Rental Index, which you can check on the Dubai REST app. The cap works on a sliding scale:

• 0% increase if your rent is up to 10% below market
• 5% if 11–20% below market
• 10% if 21–30% below market
• 15% if 31–40% below market
• 20% if more than 40% below market

The landlord must give you 90 days' written notice before renewal to apply any increase. Miss that window and the rent stays flat for another year. Frankly, this is the single most useful rule for tenants and most don't know it exists.

Watch out: A WhatsApp message saying "rent going up 15%" is not legal notice. It must be in writing, served properly, and at least 90 days before renewal date.

Ending the Contract Early or Avoiding Eviction

Early termination clauses are not standardised. Some contracts have a 2-month rent penalty, some require 60 days' notice, some say nothing — in which case you negotiate or risk forfeiting the deposit and remaining cheques.

For the landlord to evict you mid-term, the grounds in Article 25(1) of Law No. 26 of 2007 are narrow: non-payment after 30 days' notice, subletting without consent, illegal use, or major damage. That's largely it.

For non-renewal at end of term, Article 25(2) requires 12 months' written notice served via notary public or registered mail, and only for limited reasons — owner wants to sell, owner or first-degree relative wants to move in, or major renovation. A landlord telling you in person that they "need the flat back next month" carries zero legal weight.

If you receive a notice you think is invalid, you have a strong case at the RDC. Filing fee is 3.5% of annual rent (minimum AED 500, maximum AED 20,000), and most cases are decided within 30–45 days.

For more on related disputes, see our tenancy category.

Common Traps in the Tenancy Contract

Read the addendum. The Unified Contract is one page; the addendum is where landlords hide chiller fees, maintenance caps, exit penalties, and pet clauses. In my experience, 80% of disputes start in the addendum.

Watch for:

• Maintenance threshold — anything above AED 500 or AED 1,000 is often pushed to the tenant. Negotiate this down or out.
• Chiller/district cooling — confirm whether it's included or on a separate Empower/Emicool account. Empower deposits run AED 2,000+ and surprise people.
• Exit clause — "2 months' rent penalty" sounds simple but check whether it applies after notice or in addition to notice period.
• Renewal terms — silence here means the contract auto-renews on the same terms, which can actually work in your favour.

And confirm the landlord on the contract matches the title deed holder. Subletting by a head tenant is common and creates a mess if the real owner shows up.

Key dates: 90 days before renewal — deadline for landlord to notify of rent increase. 12 months before end of term — minimum notice for non-renewal eviction under Article 25(2).

Sources

^[1] Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai (as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008).

^[2] Dubai Decree No. 43 of 2013 Determining Rent Increases in the Emirate of Dubai.

^[3] Dubai Land Department — Ejari registration service and fees, dubailand.gov.ae.

^[4] Rental Disputes Centre — filing procedures and fees, rdc.gov.ae.

^[5] RERA Rental Index, accessible via Dubai REST app.

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