I am negotiating or drafting a lease
Leases for shops, offices and warehouses, drafted to reflect the commercial terms actually agreed. First we check: use, fit-out, service charge and renewal terms together. Talk to us about a lease
Commercial tenancy · Dubai & Sharjah
Commercial Tenancy Lawyer Dubai
Shop, office or warehouse lease in dispute, or about to be signed? Send us the lease before you reply to the other side.
Shop, office and warehouse leases read as business documents: negotiation, rent disputes, eviction and early exit for landlords and business tenants.
- High success rate in the matters we handle
- Free first consultation
- Shops, offices & warehouses
- Landlords & business tenants
Tell us about your premises
Tell us what is happening in your own words. We will explain where you stand and what the sensible next step is.
Commercial leases
Commercial tenancy lawyer in Dubai: shops, offices and warehouses
A commercial tenancy lawyer in Dubai reads your shop, office or warehouse lease as a business document and advises on rent disputes, eviction, early termination, renewal and negotiation. MBM acts for commercial landlords and business tenants, and works from the lease you actually have, including the fit-out, permitted-use and renewal terms that a standard residential contract does not carry.
Your first consultation is free and confidential. You do not need a complete file. Tell us the premises, who the other party is and what has happened, and we give you a clear view of your position. We take the legal work off your shoulders so that your business can carry on, and you will always know where the matter stands. If you search for a commercial lease lawyer in Dubai because a deadline or a notice is close, call us.
Which of these is your situation?
We disagree over rent or charges
Rent calculation, service charges and renewal terms specific to a commercial lease. First we check: the payment clauses, the statements and what each side has said in writing. Talk to us about a rent dispute · Rent
I want to recover the premises
Possession of a shop, office or warehouse where the tenant has breached the lease or the tenancy has ended. First we check: the lease, the notice terms and the payment record. Talk to us about commercial eviction · Eviction
I have received an eviction notice
Your business is at stake, so the notice should be tested. First we check: the notice, the ground given and the lease terms. Talk to us about an eviction notice · Eviction
I want to end the lease early
Whether early termination is available depends on the lease. First we check: the termination clause, the notice terms and the exposure if you leave. Talk to us about early termination · Early exit
The use or fit-out is disputed
Permitted use and reinstatement obligations are common flashpoints. First we check: the use clause, the fit-out terms and the condition record. Talk to us about fit-out and use · Fit-out
The framework
The same law, a different kind of contract
Commercial tenancies in Dubai sit within the same broad framework as residential tenancies, Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, and the Rental Disputes Center remains the tribunal for unresolved matters. As we understand it, commercial leases on mainland Dubai are heard at the Rental Disputes Center, while free-zone premises may fall under the free zone's own regime or the DIFC Courts. Which applies depends on where the premises are and what the lease says, so we confirm the position at your first consultation. What differs in practice is the contract itself. Commercial leases are typically individually negotiated, addressing fit-out and reinstatement, permitted trade or use, service charges, and sometimes turnover-rent arrangements that residential contracts do not carry.
That means a commercial dispute is decided as much by the specific lease as by the general statutory framework. This page describes the general framework. It is not advice on your lease.
| Point | Residential tenancy | Commercial tenancy |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory framework | Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008 | The same broad framework |
| Unresolved disputes | Rental Disputes Center | Rental Disputes Center for mainland premises; free-zone premises may differ |
| The contract | Often a standard form | Typically individually negotiated |
| Typical extra terms | Few | Fit-out and reinstatement, permitted trade or use, service charges, turnover rent |
| Eviction | Notice and grounds framework | The same general notice and grounds framework, with the lease terms also relevant |
What we check first
- Permitted useWhat the lease actually allows the tenant to do on the premises.
- Fit-out and reinstatementWho pays for what, and what condition the tenant must return the premises in.
- Service charges and renewalHow they are calculated, and how renewal is meant to work.
- Payment termsFixed rent, turnover rent, or a combination, and what happens on default.
- Termination and eviction termsWhat triggers them, and on what notice.
What we handle
Commercial lease dispute lawyer Dubai: the disputes we handle
A commercial lease dispute lawyer in Dubai deals with the lease first, then the premises and the business impact. Below are the situations that most often reach us. If yours is not listed, it is still worth a call. The general rules for tenancy documents are on our tenancy contract lawyer Dubai page.
Commercial rent disputes
A commercial rent dispute is a disagreement over rent calculation, service charges or renewal terms specific to a commercial lease. Disagreements over service charges, renewal terms, permitted use and the calculation of a rent increase are common, often complicated by fit-out or turnover-rent arrangements. What MBM handles:
- Reading the payment, service charge and renewal clauses together.
- A clear, lease-based position stated early, which often resolves the dispute.
- Where the issue is an increase, checking it against the applicable rental index framework. See rent increase dispute lawyer Dubai.
Commercial eviction
Commercial eviction in Dubai follows the same general notice and grounds framework as residential eviction, with the specific commercial lease terms also relevant. For a landlord, it means recovering possession of shop, office or warehouse premises where the tenant has breached the lease or the tenancy has ended. For a business tenant, it means testing the notice before the business is disrupted. What MBM handles:
- Recovering possession, or defending against it, at the Rental Disputes Center.
- Testing a notice against the lease and the ground relied on.
- Rent arrears, which a landlord can pursue alongside possession depending on the lease and the circumstances.
As we understand it, a commercial unit left unoccupied for 30 consecutive days, or 90 non-consecutive days in a year, can be a ground for eviction unless the parties have agreed otherwise. As reported by legal publishers, after an eviction for the landlord’s own use or for sale, the landlord may be restricted from re-letting the unit to someone else for 2 years (residential) or 3 years (non-residential). Locking a tenant out or cutting services such as chiller supply is not the answer either: cutting services or changing locks is reported to be prohibited under Article 34, and possession has to be recovered through the proper process. Requirements change, so we confirm the current position at your first consultation.
For the wider eviction process see eviction lawyer Dubai and, for landlords, landlord lawyer Dubai.
Commercial lease termination and early exit
Whether a business can end a commercial lease early depends heavily on the specific lease terms, which for commercial premises are often individually negotiated. Early termination without a proper contractual basis can expose the terminating party to a claim. What MBM handles:
- Whether an early exit is available and on what notice.
- The exposure if a tenant leaves without a proper basis.
- A negotiated exit recorded in writing.
Commercial lease negotiation and drafting
Whether drafting a new lease or renewing an existing one, we negotiate the commercial terms directly with the other party. Both landlords and tenants are advised, though never in the same matter. What MBM handles:
- Drafting and negotiating the commercial terms actually agreed.
- Renewal terms, including how a renewal is meant to work.
- Aligning the lease with what is registered.
Shop lease dispute lawyer in Dubai: retail premises
A shop lease dispute lawyer in Dubai handles disputes specific to retail premises, including turnover rent, fit-out standards and exclusivity or trading-hours terms. These terms vary from lease to lease, so we start from the wording.
Office lease lawyer in Dubai and warehouse lease disputes in Dubai
Office and warehouse premises raise their own issues, including service charges, permitted use and reinstatement obligations. As an office lease lawyer in Dubai, we most often see disputes about service charges and fit-out. Warehouse lease disputes in Dubai more often turn on use and the condition of the premises at handback.
Shop, office or warehouse lease in dispute? Send us the lease and the latest correspondence. Your first consultation is free.
Lease terms
Fit-out, permitted use and service charges
Fit-out, permitted use and service charges are the terms most likely to separate a commercial lease from a residential one, and they are where many commercial disputes start. We read them as a set, because a dispute about one often turns on another.
| Term | What the lease usually has to say | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| Fit-out | Who may fit out, at whose cost and with what approval | The lease wording and any approvals on record |
| Reinstatement | What condition the tenant must return the premises in | The handback clause and the condition record |
| Permitted use | The trade or use the tenant may carry on | Whether the actual use falls inside the lease |
| Service charges | How they are calculated and when they are due | The calculation clause and the statements |
| Renewal | How renewal is meant to work | The renewal clause and what each side has said |
| Turnover rent | Whether rent includes a share of the tenant’s sales | The wording and any reporting obligations |
A landlord can dispute a tenant’s use of the property where the use falls outside what the lease permits, because commercial leases typically specify the permitted trade or use closely. Make sure the trade licence activity matches the use in the lease. Commercial leases also sit alongside the tenant’s own business arrangements. Where a lease forms part of a wider deal, see our corporate and commercial lawyer Dubai page.
Dubai and Sharjah
Dubai and Sharjah: which rules apply to your premises?
MBM has offices in Dubai Media City and in Al Khalidiya, Sharjah, and the rules that apply depend on where the premises are.
Commercial premises in Sharjah
Sharjah operates its own distinct tenancy framework, so the Dubai rules should not be assumed to apply there. MBM has a Sharjah office and advises on both frameworks. If your premises are in Sharjah, tell us at the first consultation.
Rental issue router
Other rental problems: go straight to the right page
A commercial lease question often sits next to another rental problem. Use these pages for the others, or start at the rental dispute lawyer Dubai hub.
- Eviction lawyer Dubai: eviction notices, validity checks and RDC eviction cases.
- Rent increase dispute lawyer Dubai: the RERA rental index and the 90-day notice.
- Tenant lawyer Dubai: deposits, repairs and tenants’ rights.
- Tenancy contract lawyer Dubai: drafting, review, breach and early termination.
- Commercial tenancy lawyer Dubai: you are here.
- Landlord lawyer Dubai: unpaid rent, possession and RDC claims.
How it works
How MBM works on a commercial tenancy matter
The steps below are grounded in your specific lease, not a generic template. We tell you which ones your matter needs.
- Step 01
Free first consultation
Your first consultation is free. Tell us the premises, your role and what has happened. We say what we need to see and what stands out.
- Step 02
Read the lease as a commercial document
We assess use, fit-out, service charge and renewal terms together, since commercial disputes usually turn on how these interact. You receive a written view with a scope and fee position before you instruct us.
- Step 03
Negotiate or address the dispute early
Rent, service charge and use disputes are often resolved through a clear, lease-based position stated early, and we negotiate commercial terms directly with the other party.
- Step 04
Recover possession or defend it
Where eviction is necessary, or being challenged, we prepare and present the case at the Rental Disputes Center.
- Step 05
Advise on the business impact
Commercial tenancy decisions carry business consequences beyond the lease itself, and we advise with that in view.
Before you call
What to have to hand
You do not need any of this to call us, but having it ready makes the first conversation more useful.
- The commercial leaseAll pages, including any side letters or amendments.
- The Ejari certificateOr details of the registered tenancy.
- Service charge or rent statementsWhere the dispute concerns charges or rent.
- Correspondence connected to the matterEmails, letters or messages between the parties.
- Any notice served or receivedWith the date it was sent and received.
- A timeline of eventsAs you understand them, with dates where you can.
Avoid these
Common mistakes in a commercial lease dispute
- Withholding rent or service charges before checking what the lease allows.
- Handing back the premises without a written record of their condition.
- Starting a fit-out or changing the use without confirming the lease permits it.
- Relying on a verbal assurance from the landlord or the tenant.
- Negotiating a renewal as if it were a residential one, without reading the commercial terms.
- Leaving a service charge or use dispute unaddressed until it becomes an eviction.
Why MBM
Commercial tenancy, read as a business document
Commercial leases are business documents first, and MBM reads them that way, with the commercial consequences in view, not just the legal ones.
Rated 4.9 on Google reviews. MBM is founder-led, by Mohamed Badr, Founder & Managing Partner, who has 17 years of legal experience including commercial litigation. For a business, that means one team from the first read of the lease to the Rental Disputes Center if it comes to that, plain-language advice and a written scope and fee before work starts. MBM works with group companies in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and the Gulf, which helps when a matter has an international side. That matters for businesses whose owners or head offices are abroad.
- We act on both sides. Advising landlords and business tenants gives us a practical understanding of how commercial leases are negotiated and enforced, though never for both sides of the same matter.
- Litigation handled by the same team. If a matter has to be argued at the RDC, the people advising you are the people who will argue it.
- Straight answers on merits. If a claim is weak on the lease terms, we tell you early. No outcome is guaranteed.
- Two offices. Dubai and Sharjah.
Fees
How fees work
Your first consultation with MBM is free and confidential. If you decide to instruct us, we give you a scope and a fee position in writing before paid work starts.
Cost depends on whether the matter is a lease review, a negotiation or a dispute, and on its complexity. Tribunal fees depend on the matter and are separate from legal fees, and we explain which are likely to apply. We do not publish a price list because each lease and dispute is different.
Negotiating a lease or already in dispute? Send us the lease. Your first consultation is free and confidential.
MBM legal team
Who you will speak to about your commercial lease
Your free first consultation is with a member of MBM’s legal team in Dubai or Sharjah. Bring the lease and any notices, and we start from there.
Mohamed Badr
Founder & Managing Partner
Mohamed Badr leads MBM and has 17 years of legal experience. His career has included roles at law firms and multinational corporations in the UAE, advising businesses on high-stakes disputes, corporate restructuring and commercial litigation.
- Mana Ahmad Al HarmodiLawyer
- Mohamed KhamisLegal Consultant
- Sobhy BadrLegal Consultant
- Abdelsabour ElnasrLegal Associate
- Hamada KhedrLegal Associate
- Yasser ElbakryLegal Associate
- Afreen SiddiquiLegal Associate
Names and titles as published on mbm-co.com. Your first consultation is with a member of MBM’s legal team in Dubai or Sharjah.
Common questions
Commercial tenancy in Dubai: your questions answered
General information, not advice on your lease. Positions and procedures can change and depend on your specific facts.
Does the same tenancy law apply to commercial and residential leases in Dubai?
Commercial tenancies in Dubai generally sit within the same overall framework, Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended, but commercial leases are typically more heavily negotiated, with terms addressing fit-out, permitted trade, service charges and renewal that go well beyond a standard residential contract.
Is the first consultation really free?
Yes. MBM’s first consultation is free and confidential. It is a discussion of your premises and the lease. If you then choose to instruct MBM, we confirm the scope and the fee in writing before any paid work starts.
Can a commercial landlord evict a business tenant in Dubai?
Eviction of a commercial tenant follows the same general notice and grounds framework as residential eviction, with the specific commercial lease terms also relevant. See eviction lawyer Dubai for how notices are tested.
Where are commercial lease disputes decided?
Unresolved commercial tenancy matters can be raised at the Rental Disputes Center. As we understand it, commercial leases on mainland Dubai are heard there, while free-zone premises may fall under the free zone's own regime or the DIFC Courts. Tell us where the premises are and what the lease says about disputes, and we confirm the right forum before anything is filed.
What is a common cause of commercial rent disputes in Dubai?
Disagreements over service charges, renewal terms, permitted use, and the calculation of a rent increase are common in commercial tenancies, often complicated by fit-out or turnover-rent arrangements not present in residential leases.
Can a business terminate a commercial lease early?
This depends heavily on the specific lease terms, which for commercial premises are often individually negotiated. Early termination without a proper contractual basis can expose the terminating party to a claim.
What should a business check before signing a shop, office or warehouse lease?
Permitted use, fit-out and reinstatement obligations, service charge calculation, renewal terms and any turnover-rent or exclusivity clauses are worth particular attention before signing a commercial lease. See also tenancy contract lawyer Dubai.
Can a landlord dispute a commercial tenant’s use of the property?
Yes, where the use falls outside what the lease permits. Commercial leases typically specify permitted trade or use closely, and a departure from that can be a basis for dispute.
Who pays for fit-out and reinstatement?
The lease decides. Commercial leases usually address who may fit out, at whose cost and what condition the premises must be returned in. Send us the clauses and any approvals or condition records, and we tell you where you stand.
How are commercial lease renewal disputes handled?
Renewal disputes are assessed against the lease’s own renewal mechanism first, and where a rent increase is the specific issue, against the applicable rental index framework. Unresolved disputes can be raised at the Rental Disputes Center. See rent increase dispute lawyer Dubai.
Does MBM act for both commercial landlords and business tenants?
Yes, though not in the same matter. MBM advises commercial landlords on leasing, renewal and eviction, and business tenants on negotiating, defending and disputing commercial tenancy terms.
What happens if a commercial tenant stops paying rent?
A commercial landlord can pursue rent arrears and, depending on the lease and the circumstances, eviction, following a broadly similar process to residential non-payment cases but often with more detailed lease-specific provisions to work through. See landlord lawyer Dubai.
Do the same rules apply to commercial premises in Sharjah?
No. Sharjah operates its own distinct tenancy framework. MBM has a Sharjah office and advises on both frameworks, but the Dubai rules should not be assumed to apply.
How much does commercial tenancy advice cost in Dubai?
Cost depends on whether the matter is a lease review, negotiation or a dispute, and on its complexity. The first consultation is free. MBM provides a scope and fee position before you instruct.
Free first consultation
Tell us about your premises
Your first consultation with MBM is free and confidential. Tell us briefly what has happened. A member of MBM’s legal team will review your enquiry and come back to you with the appropriate next step.
If a notice has been served or a hearing is close, please call rather than waiting for a reply.
- Call +971 4 570 0204Dubai office
- WhatsApp +971 54 596 1111Send a message and the documents you have
- info@mbm-co.comSend the details and documents by email
Dubai · Office 3204, Level 32, Business Central Towers – Tower B, Dubai Media City
Sharjah · Office 2001, Level 20, Al Hind Tower, Al Khalidiya District
Practice area: Rental & Tenancy LawOffices: Dubai & SharjahContent updated: October 2026
Tell us about your premises
Tell us what is happening in your own words. We will explain where you stand and what the sensible next step is.
A commercial lease carries commercial risk. Have it reviewed properly.
Your first consultation is free and confidential. Whether you are negotiating a new lease or already in dispute, the earlier the lease is reviewed, the more options remain open.