Question 1

What is the Rental Disputes Centre and what does it handle?

Accepted Answer

The Rental Disputes Centre (RDC) is Dubai's specialised tribunal for rental disputes, established under Decree No. 26 of 2013 within the Dubai Land Department. It has exclusive jurisdiction over rental disputes in Dubai (residential and commercial leases) and operates a fast-track procedure designed for landlord-tenant matters. Common case types: rent default and recovery; eviction (owner-use, sale, non-payment, tenant breach); rent-increase challenges; security-deposit retention disputes; maintenance and habitability disputes; commercial-lease termination; service-charge defaults (often filed by JOPOAs and OA Managers). Abu Dhabi has the parallel Rent Disputes Settlement Committee under DMT supervision.

Question 2

How long does an eviction take in Dubai?

Accepted Answer

Two scenarios. Owner-use or sale eviction requires 12-month written notice, served through the Notary Public (not direct to tenant). Once the 12-month period expires and the tenant has not vacated, RDC eviction proceedings can be filed — typical timeline 90-150 days from filing to enforceable eviction order. Eviction for non-payment requires a 30-day cure period, after which RDC eviction can be filed and is typically completed in 60-120 days. Eviction for tenant breach (subletting without consent, illegal use, structural alteration) follows a similar 60-150 day timeline depending on the strength of evidence. Ejari registration of the tenancy is critical throughout — the RDC will not entertain disputes over unregistered tenancies.

Question 3

How does the RERA Rental Index control rent increases?

Accepted Answer

Decree No. 43 of 2013 sets the rent-increase regime for Dubai. The RERA Rental Index (an annually-updated database of market rents by area, building and unit type) determines permitted increases at lease renewal, calibrated to the gap between the unit's current rent and market rent: no increase if current rent is within 10% of market; 5% if 11-20% below market; 10% if 21-30% below market; 15% if 31-40% below market; 20% if more than 40% below market. Landlords proposing increases above the cap, or tenants disputing applied increases, file with the RDC. The RDC consults the Rental Index as the primary determinant of dispute resolution.

Question 4

What is required for a valid eviction notice?

Accepted Answer

For owner-use or sale: written notice with 12-month period; served through the Notary Public; specifying the ground (owner-use, sale, demolition, major works); accompanied by supporting evidence (declaration of intent for owner-use; sale agreement; demolition permit; major-works approval). For non-payment: written demand identifying the unpaid rent and a 30-day cure period; ejari-registered tenancy contract. The single most common reason RDC eviction applications fail is defective notice — wrong service method, insufficient period, missing supporting evidence, or service on the wrong party.

Question 5

Can a commercial tenant negotiate the same protections as a residential tenant?

Accepted Answer

Largely yes, with negotiated variations. Decree 26 of 2013 and the supporting tenancy laws apply to both residential and commercial leases in Dubai, but commercial leases are typically more heavily negotiated — particularly around fit-out periods, rent-free periods, exclusivity (especially for F&B and retail), assignment and sub-letting rights, break options, dilapidations and reinstatement on exit. The RDC will enforce the commercial-lease terms as drafted, which means the negotiated protection layer matters more than for residential leases. We act for both landlords and tenants on commercial-lease negotiation, drafting and dispute work.

Question 6

What does it cost to file before the RDC?

Accepted Answer

Statutory RDC filing fees scale with the claim value — typically 3.5% of the annual rent or claim amount, capped at AED 20,000 per matter. Additional disbursements include bilingual translation of any non-Arabic documents, expert reports where required, and execution-court fees post-judgement. Legal fees are scoped at the engagement stage. Costs orders are increasingly granted by the RDC against the unsuccessful party, materially improving the recovery economics.

Case type	Typical timeline	Key statute / decree
Rent default + recovery	60-90 days to enforceable order	Decree 26/2013; Law 26/2007
Owner-use eviction	12 months notice + 90-150 days RDC	Law 33/2008 (amendments)
Non-payment eviction	30 days cure + 60-120 days RDC	Law 26/2007
Rent-increase dispute	60-90 days	Decree 43/2013 + RERA Rental Index
Security deposit	30-60 days	Law 26/2007
Commercial lease termination	4-9 months (heavily fact-dependent)	Decree 26/2013 + lease terms
Maintenance & habitability	2-4 months	Law 26/2007
Service-charge default (JOPOA)	60-90 days	Law 6/2019 + RDC procedure

Dubai's Rental Disputes Centre — for landlords, tenants and property managers.

Case types and timelines

Critical practical points

Frequently asked questions

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