The UAE tenancy relationship is heavily regulated, and the regulation is mandatory: a clause that contradicts the statute is simply unenforceable. For landlords and tenants in Dubai, four questions decide almost every dispute, how much the rent can rise, who fixes what, when a sublease is lawful, and when a tenant can be made to leave.
How much can a landlord raise the rent?
Dubai caps rent increases by reference to how far the current rent sits below the market rate. Under Decree No. 43 of 2013, measured against the RERA rental index: there is no increase where the rent is up to 10% below the average market rent; 5% where it is 11 to 20% below; 10% where it is 21 to 30% below; 15% where it is 31 to 40% below; and 20% where it is more than 40% below. The RERA rental calculator applies these bands to each area. Separately, a landlord who wants to increase the rent, or change any term, on renewal must give the tenant at least 90 days' written notice before the end of the term (Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008); miss the notice and the existing terms roll over. The cap and the notice are independent requirements, and both must be satisfied.
Who pays for repairs?
The default allocation is structural to the landlord, routine to the tenant. The landlord must deliver the property fit for use and, unless the parties agree otherwise, maintain it and carry out the repairs needed for the tenant's enjoyment throughout the term (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 16). The tenant must use the property reasonably, carry out minor customary upkeep, make no unauthorised alterations, and return the property as received save for fair wear and tear. From 1 June 2026, the new Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 restates the same general division at federal level. The sharpest disputes are definitional, major versus minor, so a well-drafted lease should spell out who covers what (for example, by setting a dirham threshold per repair) within the limits the mandatory law allows.
When is subleasing lawful?
Subleasing is permitted in Dubai, but only with the landlord's prior written consent. Silence or mere knowledge is not enough. A tenant who sublets without that written consent exposes both itself and the subtenant to eviction under Article 25(1) of Law No. 26 of 2007, and the subtenant, left with a contract that was never enforceable against the landlord, is confined to a compensation claim against the head tenant. The lawful sublease should sit within the scope of the consent given, respect the permitted use, and be registered. The single most effective protection is a clear clause in the head lease stating whether subletting is allowed and how written consent is obtained.
On what grounds can a tenant be evicted?
Dubai separates eviction into two routes. During the term, a landlord may seek eviction only on the specific grounds in Article 25(1), such as non-payment within 30 days of a formal demand, unlawful subletting, illegal use, or serious damage. On expiry, a landlord may recover possession under Article 25(2) only for a closed list of reasons (chiefly sale of the property, the owner's or a first-degree relative's personal use, or demolition and reconstruction), and only on 12 months' notice served through a notary public or registered mail. These are not interchangeable, and the wrong route, or defective notice, is fatal to the claim.
Where tenancy disputes go: the RDSC
In Dubai, rent disputes do not go to the ordinary courts. The Rental Disputes Settlement Centre has exclusive jurisdiction over landlord and tenant disputes in the emirate and its free zones (Decree No. 26 of 2013), including urgent relief and eviction. Other emirates run their own regimes: Abu Dhabi under Law No. 20 of 2006, and Sharjah under its Law No. 5 of 2024 on real estate rental. Because the forum is prescribed and specialised, the practical advice is the same on both sides of the lease: keep written communications and receipts, attempt amicable resolution, and observe the statutory notices to the letter, because the RDSC decides the dispute on the documents and the deadlines.
In a UAE tenancy, the mandatory statute beats the contract every time the two collide.
Key instruments: Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 (as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008); Dubai Decree No. 43 of 2013 (rent increases); Dubai Decree No. 26 of 2013 (Rental Disputes Settlement Centre); Abu Dhabi Law No. 20 of 2006; Sharjah Law No. 5 of 2024; Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 (in force 1 June 2026). General information, not legal advice.