Dubai · tenancy law
Your rights as a tenant
A landlord in Dubai cannot raise your rent by whatever they like. The lawful maximum depends on how far below the market average you are already paying — and the market average is a published figure, not their opinion.
Check your increase
Four details, and the answer is computed from the decree and the index rather than estimated. Nothing you enter is stored.
What the law allows
Set by Dubai Decree No. 43 of 2013, Article 1. The band is decided by how far your current rent sits below the index average for comparable units — not by how long you have lived there, and not by what the landlord's costs have done.
- Within 10% of the average0%
Rent is within 10% of the market average — no increase is permitted.
- 10–20% below5%
Rent is 11–20% below the market average — up to 5%.
- 20–30% below10%
Rent is 21–30% below the market average — up to 10%.
- 30–40% below15%
Rent is 31–40% below the market average — up to 15%.
- More than 40% below20%
Rent is more than 40% below the market average — up to 20%, the statutory ceiling.
| How far below the average you pay | Maximum increase | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| Within 10% of the average | 0% | Rent is within 10% of the market average — no increase is permitted. |
| 10–20% below | 5% | Rent is 11–20% below the market average — up to 5%. |
| 20–30% below | 10% | Rent is 21–30% below the market average — up to 10%. |
| 30–40% below | 15% | Rent is 31–40% below the market average — up to 15%. |
| More than 40% below | 20% | Rent is more than 40% below the market average — up to 20%, the statutory ceiling. |
SourceDubai Decree No. 43 of 2013, Article 1·90 days’ written notice requiredDubai Land Department
Three things worth knowing
Notice matters as much as the amount
An increase needs 90 days' written notice before the contract expires, whatever the figure. Most disputes are won on the notice, not the percentage.
The average is per unit type, per community
A 2-bed in one tower and a 2-bed in the next are compared against the same published figure for that community — not against what your neighbour agreed to pay.
Eviction has its own rules
Wanting a higher rent is not a ground for eviction. Selling the property or moving in a family member requires 12 months' notice through a notary or registered post.
A calculator cannot read your contract. Ask Hadi about the notice you were given, your Ejari, or what to file at the Rental Disputes Centre.
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