The United Arab Emirates is one of the most attractive destinations for real estate and residential investment in the region. With rapid population and economic growth, the rental market in the UAE has become a focus of great interest, witnessing many challenges that affect both tenants and owners alike To address these challenges, the UAE government has issued a set of laws and legislations that regulate the rental market and protect the rights of the parties involved. The Land and Property Department in each emirate plays a major role in managing and organizing this market through specific procedures and mechanisms to address rental disputes.

In recent years, the rental market in the UAE has witnessed a number of government initiatives aimed at regulating this market and protecting the rights of owners and tenants. Modern technologies and applications have also been developed in the management of rented properties, which has contributed to improving the quality of services and facilitating rental procedures.

Tenant Obligations

  • The tenant is obligated to pay the agreed upon rent to the landlord as follows:
  1. From the date of its due date agreed upon in writing within a period not exceeding twenty-one days if the rent is for residential purposes unless the agreement stipulates otherwise.
  2. From the date of its due date agreed upon in writing within a period of thirty days if the rent is for commercial, industrial, craft or professional purposes, with a receipt indicating payment unless the agreement stipulates otherwise.
  • Payment of the rent due for a specific period with a receipt stating the value of the rent is considered evidence of payment of the rent for the periods preceding it unless proven otherwise.
  • If there is no written agreement, the due date shall be the beginning of each month.
  • The tenant shall be obligated to use the leased property in the manner agreed upon.
  • The tenant may not make any changes to the rented property unless this change does not cause any damage to it.
  • The tenant shall pay the value of water and electricity consumption bills, and telephone bills for the rented property, as well as paying the value of any damages he may have caused to the rented property, and any other fees that he is legally obligated to pay.
  • The tenant is not entitled to waive the lease, or sublease, for all or part of what he has rented, except with the written permission of the landlord.

Obligations of the landlord

  • The landlord shall deliver the rented property and its accessories to the tenant.
  • The landlord must undertake to maintain the leased property to keep it fit for use, and – during the lease period, to carry out all necessary repairs, excluding rental repairs, unless the agreement stipulates otherwise.

Reasons for rental cases

  • Non-payment of rent: This is one of the most common issues, as the tenant may be late in paying the rent or refuse to pay it at all.
  • Rent increase: The two parties may disagree about rent increases, especially when renewing the lease.
  • Property repairs and maintenance: Disputes may arise over the responsibility for property repairs and maintenance, such as who bears the cost of repairs to damage resulting from normal use versus damage resulting from neglect.
  • Eviction: The landlord may face difficulty in evicting the tenant at the end of the contract term or in the event of a breach of the terms of the contract.
  • Property-related issues:
  1. General condition of the property: The tenant may complain about the poor condition of the property or its failure to conform to the agreed specifications.
  2. Noise and harassment: The tenant may suffer from noise or harassment from his neighbors or from the landlord himself.
  3. Alterations to the property: The tenant may make alterations to the property without the landlord’s consent.
  4. Accessing the property: The tenant may object to the landlord’s access to the property without prior notice.

Contract-related cases

  1. Interpretation of contract terms: Disputes may arise over the interpretation of lease terms, such as the term of the contract or eviction terms.
  2. Cancellation of the contract: One party may wish to cancel the lease before its expiration for various reasons.
  3. Renewal: The two parties may disagree over the renewal of the lease and its terms.

Entities responsible for resolving rental disputes

  • Rental Dispute Resolution Centers:
    • They are the first choice for resolving rental disputes quickly and effectively.
    • There is a specialized center in each emirate.
    • They provide their services free of charge.
    • They have broad powers to resolve disputes, including issuing judgments and obligating defaulters.
    • They have quick and easy procedures.
  • The Centre shall be exclusively competent to:
    1. Adjudicate all rental disputes arising between landlords and tenants of real estate located in the Emirate or in the free zones, including counterclaims arising therefrom, as well as requests for temporary or urgent measures submitted by either party to the lease contract.
    2. Adjudicate appeals submitted against decisions and rulings that may be appealed in accordance with the provisions of this Decree and the regulations and decisions issued pursuant thereto.
    3. Implement the decisions and rulings issued by the Centre in rental disputes that it has jurisdiction to consider.
  • The Center is not competent to consider the following rental disputes:
    1. Rental disputes that arise within the free zones that have judicial committees or special courts competent to adjudicate rental disputes that arise within their borders.
    2. Rental disputes arising from a financial leasing contract.
    3. Disputes arising from long-term lease contracts covered by the provisions of Law No. (7) of 2006 referred to.
    • The organizational structure of the Center consists of two sectors, a judicial sector and an administrative sector.
    • The judicial sector consists of the following departments and organizational units:
    • Conciliation and Reconciliation Department
    • Primary Circuit
    • Appeal Circuit
    • Judgment Enforcement Department.
    • The administrative sector of the Center consists of a number of organizational units that are entrusted with the tasks of providing technical and administrative support to the judicial sector.

If you are dealing with any real estate transaction, do not hesitate to contact us, as we have a team of famous real estate lawyers in the Emirates, with more than 25 years of experience in resolving complex rental cases, as we have a long record of successes, as we have achieved a success rate of more than 95% in the cases handled by our office, and we provide comprehensive services including:

  • Specialized legal consultations in rental cases.
  • Representing the client before the Rental Disputes Settlement Center.
  • Preparing and reviewing rental contracts.
  • Following up on all necessary legal procedures.

Do not hesitate to contact us today for a free consultation.