Tenant Rights in the UAE: Deposits, Maintenance, and Eviction Protections
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Your deposit can only be deducted for damage beyond normal wear and tear or genuine unpaid obligations; repainting-by-default and "cleaning fees" for ordinary use are not lawful deductions, and the Rental Dispute Centre routinely orders refunds.
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Major maintenance is the landlord's job by default (Law 26/2007, Article 16): structural repairs, AC systems, plumbing, and electrical faults, unless the contract clearly assigns specifics otherwise.
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You cannot be evicted casually: mid-contract only for listed breaches, and at expiry only on four legal grounds with 12 months' notarised notice.
Dubai tenancy law (Law 26 of 2007, amended by Law 33 of 2008) is more protective than most tenants assume, provided the tenancy is registered and the tenant keeps records. Here are the rights that matter most in practice. (This article covers Dubai; Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and other emirates run separate frameworks with different caps and procedures.)
1. The security deposit
The law recognises the deposit (Article 20) as security for the property's condition, refundable on vacating. The working standard applied at the RDC: deductions must correspond to actual damage beyond fair wear and tear or genuine unpaid amounts (rent, final utilities). Depreciation from normal living, faded paint, minor scuffs, and routine end-of-tenancy cleaning are the landlord's cost of doing business.
Protect yourself mechanically: a dated photo/video walkthrough at move-in and move-out, a written inventory if furnished, and all deposit payments by traceable transfer with the amount stated in the contract. Deposit disputes are among the most common and most tenant-won cases at the Rental Dispute Centre; the filing fee math usually works even for a AED 5,000 deposit because the judge can assign fees to the losing side.
2. Maintenance
Article 16 places responsibility for the property's maintenance and for repairing defects on the landlord unless the parties agree otherwise. The market convention that grew around it: landlords handle major items (structure, AC plant, water heaters, plumbing and electrical systems), tenants handle minor upkeep, often defined in contracts as items below a threshold like AED 500 per incident. Read your clause; if it's silent, the default favours you.
When something breaks: report in writing (email creates the record), allow reasonable access for repair, and never withhold rent as leverage, which converts your strong maintenance claim into their strong non-payment claim. Persistent refusal to repair is itself actionable at the RDC, including claims to recover documented repair costs you reasonably incurred.
3. Rent increases
Covered fully in Decree 43/2013 explained: increases only at renewal, only within the slab your rent's gap to the Smart Rental Index benchmark permits, and only with 90 days' written notice. Check any demand against the free RERA Rent Increase Calculator before agreeing to anything.
4. Eviction protection
Two tracks, both narrow:
During the tenancy (Article 25(1)): only for tenant breach, chiefly non-payment persisting 30 days after formal written demand, unauthorised subletting, unlawful or immoral use, damage or dangerous alteration, and use violating planning regulations. No breach, no mid-term eviction.
At expiry (Article 25(2)): only four grounds (demolition/reconstruction, major renovation impossible while occupied, personal or first-degree-relative use, sale), each requiring 12 months' notice via notary public or registered mail. Personal-use evictions carry a sting: re-letting shortly after the tenant leaves supports a compensation claim.
Sale of the property (Article 28): doesn't touch your tenancy. The buyer inherits the contract and the notice requirements.
5. Quiet enjoyment and access
The landlord cannot enter at will, change locks, or cut utilities to pressure you; these are actionable and, in the case of utilities, treated seriously by the RDC. Viewings and inspections happen with your agreement at reasonable times.
The meta-right that unlocks the rest
Every protection above is enforced through a registered contract. An unregistered tenancy leaves you arguing about whether a tenancy exists before arguing about your deposit. Ejari registration costs about AED 120 to 220; it is the cheapest legal protection you will ever buy in Dubai.
Sources and References
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Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, Articles 16, 20, 25 and 28 (DLD official tenancy guide, dubailand.gov.ae)
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Decree No. 43 of 2013 (rent caps); Rental Disputes Centre guidance (rdc.gov.ae)
This article is for general information and does not constitute legal advice.
Published on 9 September 2026.