How can the Landlord increase the rent? You should have received three months' notice before your contract end date.
Is your contract close to renewal? If so, your Landlord is required by law to give you 90 days' notice if the rent will be increased. This is stipulated in Articles 6 and 14 of 'Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 Handling Relations between the owner and resident in the Emirate of Dubai' or the Dubai Rent Law.
Rent expansions may not exceed a specific limit
Even if your Landlord decides to increase the rent, it cannot be done over the limit positioned by the Dubai Land Department (DLD). The rate of increase is determined by how lower your rent is likened to the central rent for your apartment in the area in which you live.
According to the DLD, this is how much a landlord can increase rates.
DLD's online rent index is a useful tool for renters to find out if a landlord's rent increase for an apartment or villa is within those limits.
Your landlord cannot shut off electricity and water because of unpaid rent.
Failure to pay rent can lead to serious consequences, up to and including eviction. However, your landlord cannot shut off the electricity and water in the unit. This is clearly stated in the Dubai Rent Act, and if the Landlord is indeed breaking the law, the Tenant has the right to complain to the Rental Dispute Centre to ask the Landlord to reinstate the utilities. After filing the petition, the judge will issue a decision within 24 hours.
Article 25 of the Landlord and Tenant Regulation of the Law No. (26) of 2007. "Regulating Landlord-Tenant Relationships in the Emirate of Dubai" identifies seven cases in which a landlord may evict a tenant before the expiration of the lease.
In these cases, 12 months' notice of eviction must be sent.
The landlord is required by law to issue a 12-month notice for the following types of eviction cases - eviction due to repair or comprehensive maintenance and eviction due to demolition.
Subletting without prior Owner approval can result in an eviction
There are instances where the Landlord is legally allowed to evict a tenant under the Dubai Rent Act. These include when the tenant fails to pay rent within 30 days from the date of service of notice, when the tenant uses the property for any unlawful purpose or purpose that violates public order or morals, and when the tenant sublets the property without the landlord's approval.
Moving to a new neighborhood? You can research average rental prices in the area
If you're moving into an apartment or villa and want to know if the deal you made was reasonable, you can check previous rents charged for the same property through DXBinteract.com, a new platform that provides data on real estate transactions from the Dubai Land Department. Read more here.
How a lease agreement differs from an Ejari
While the two can be used synonymously, a lease agreement is simply your signed agreement with your landlord, while an Ejari is the registration of a lease with the Dubai Land Department. The cost of registration is also paid by the tenant—more information about the Ejari system is here.
Dispute with your landlord? File an official complaint with the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre
If a dispute arises between you and your landlord, you can make an official complaint with the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre (RDSC), which deals with all tenancy-related lawsuits in Dubai. The RDSC attempts to resolve the dispute amicably between both parties, which takes 15 days. For a detailed guide to the lease dispute resolution process, click here.
Are you being asked to give a deposit? Say no.
When you are about to enter into a lease transaction, your real estate agent may ask you for an amount as a deposit to show your seriousness as a buyer. However, this practice is not regulated by any law. But in general, you had better reconsider your option of renting and better think about properties in Dubai for sale.
