Rent has stopped being paid
Non-payment runs faster than the long-notice grounds. Commentary commonly cites a cure period of around 30 days before further steps, after which arrears and possession can both be claimed.
Rental & Tenancy Law · Dubai & Sharjah
Landlord Lawyer Dubai
Whatever the tenant has done, the property and the money are two separate claims — and both are usually worth pursuing together.
MBM acts for Dubai landlords and property owners: recovering rent arrears, regaining possession from tenants who will not leave, claiming for damage and breach, and serving notices that hold up when they are tested.
Start here
What has your tenant done?
Each of these is a different claim with a different timetable. Getting the route right at the start is what prevents a year being lost.
A rent cheque has been returned
A returned cheque is documented evidence of default and may open a route in addition to the tenancy claim. See also debt recovery.
Arrears have built up over months
The longer arrears run, the more important it is that the demand is properly quantified and formally made. We put the claim on a footing that survives a hearing.
The tenant will not vacate
The tenancy has ended and the tenant has stayed. The route is a possession claim and enforcement — not changing the locks, which creates its own liability.
You want to sell or move in
Sale, personal use and major renovation are Article 25 grounds requiring 12 months’ notarised notice. Start early and start correctly — see eviction.
Unauthorised occupants or subletting
Where the property has been sublet or is occupied by people who are not your tenant, the contract terms and the facts on the ground both matter.
The property has been damaged
Whether the cost is recoverable depends on the contract, the condition at check-in and what you can evidence. Inventories matter more than complaints.
The tenant has abandoned the unit
An apparently empty property with a live tenancy is a legal problem, not a practical one. There is a correct way to establish and act on abandonment.
Breach, renewal or rent increase refused
Where a tenant breaches the lease, refuses a lawful renewal or disputes an increase made under Decree No. 43 of 2013, we advise on the position and act on it.
Two timetables, not one
Non-payment moves quickly. Everything else takes a year.
The Dubai landlord–tenant relationship is governed by Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008. The practical consequence for landlords is that the ground you rely on decides your timetable, and the two are very far apart.
Eviction on the Article 25 grounds — sale, personal use, major renovation — requires 12 months’ notice, notarised or by registered mail. Eviction for non-payment follows a much shorter route; a cure notice of around 30 days is commonly cited in current professional commentary before further steps are taken.
Rent increases sit under Decree No. 43 of 2013 and are capped by reference to how far the current rent falls below the market index, with 90 days’ written notice required before expiry to change the rent. The 30-day figure above comes from professional commentary rather than the statute, and all of this is subject to applicable UAE law on your facts.
Primary sources
Rental Disputes Center — rdc.gov.ae · Dubai Land Department — dubailand.gov.ae · UAE Legislation — uaelegislation.gov.ae
What we do
What MBM does for a landlord
Named actions. Most landlord matters need three or four of these, not all six.
Quantify and demand the arrears
We calculate what is properly owed under the contract and serve a formal demand. A notice from counsel resolves a meaningful share of arrears without a filing fee.
Serve notices that survive scrutiny
We identify the correct ground, draft the notice, arrange notarisation or registered-mail service, and preserve proof of service. This is where most failed evictions actually failed.
Claim possession at the RDC
We prepare and file the possession claim at the Rental Disputes Center, make the submissions and appear. Where mediation is realistic, we will tell you.
Pursue damage and breach claims
Damage, unauthorised alterations, subletting and other breaches are pleaded properly, with the evidence assembled to support them.
Enforce awards and recover the money
An award in your favour is not payment or possession. We take the enforcement steps that convert it into both.
Fix the contract for next time
Once the matter is closed we will tell you what in your tenancy documents made it harder than it needed to be — see tenancy contracts.
What happens next
From first call to possession or payment
You will know the likely route, timetable and cost before you instruct us.
Step 01
Free consultation
Tell us what the tenant has done and what you want — the money, the property, or both. We will tell you which timetable you are on.
Step 02
Document review
We read the tenancy contract, the Ejari registration and the payment record, then set out the options and the realistic outcome in writing.
Step 03
Demand or notice
We serve the arrears demand or the correct statutory notice. Many matters end here, which is the cheapest outcome available.
Step 04
RDC claim and enforcement
Where it is needed, we file, argue and then enforce — for the arrears, for possession, or for both.
Before you call
What to have to hand
Landlord claims are won on the tenancy file. If it is incomplete, tell us — that itself changes the advice, and it is better known at the start.
Do not change locks, remove belongings or disconnect utilities. Each can create liability that outlasts the arrears you are trying to recover.
- The tenancy contractIncluding renewals and any addendum
- The Ejari certificateOr a note that the tenancy was never registered
- The rent recordCheques, transfers, receipts and any returned cheque advice
- Title or ownership proofTitle deed or ownership document for the unit
- Check-in condition recordInventory or photographs from the start of the tenancy, if a damage claim is in issue
- CorrespondenceAnything sent to or received from the tenant, including notices
Why MBM
We also act for tenants — which is exactly why landlords instruct us
Running both sides of tenancy work means we know how a defence gets built, which notices get challenged, and which arguments a tribunal has heard before. That shapes how we prepare a landlord’s file from day one.
- Notices drafted to be tested. We assume the other side will instruct a lawyer, because increasingly they do.
- Money and property together. Arrears recovery and possession are pursued as two claims, not conflated into one.
- Enforcement as standard. Getting the award is the middle of the job; we treat recovery as the end of it.
- Dubai and Sharjah. Sharjah tenancies run under their own framework — new contracts subject to a three-year rent freeze, with increases then capped and permitted only every two years.
17Years in practice as MBM Businessmen Services L.L.C.
90+Years of shared experience across the team
10Lawyers, litigation and arbitration capable
95%Win rate in high-stakes disputes, as published by the firm
Common questions
Landlord questions, answered directly
General information on the current framework, not advice on your tenancy. How it applies depends on your contract and your facts.
What can I do if my tenant does not pay rent?
Non-payment is treated separately from the long-notice eviction grounds and moves faster. A cure notice of around 30 days is commonly cited in current professional commentary before further steps are taken.
After that, a claim may be filed at the Rental Disputes Center for the arrears and, where appropriate, for possession. The money and the property are two separate claims and are usually best pursued together.
How do I recover unpaid rent?
Recovery normally starts with a formal legal notice quantifying the arrears, then a claim at the Rental Disputes Center, then enforcement of the award.
Where rent was paid by cheque and a cheque has been returned unpaid, a separate recovery route may also be available depending on the instrument and the circumstances.
My tenant will not leave after the tenancy ended.
A tenant remaining in occupation after the tenancy has ended does not give you a right to take the property back directly. The route is a possession claim at the Rental Disputes Center, followed by enforcement.
Changing locks, removing belongings or disconnecting utilities can create separate liability and should be avoided, however provoking the situation is.
Can I evict a tenant so I can sell or move in?
Sale of the property, your own use and major renovation are among the grounds in Article 25 of Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended — but they require 12 months’ notice, notarised or sent by registered mail.
This is a much longer route than non-payment, and the notice has to be correct at the outset. See eviction for the detail.
My tenant damaged the property. Can I claim the cost?
A claim may arise, but it depends on the tenancy contract, on the condition of the property at the start of the tenancy, and on what you can evidence.
A documented inventory or check-in condition report is usually what makes these claims work. Without one they become considerably harder.
How much can I increase the rent on renewal?
Rent increases are governed by Decree No. 43 of 2013, which caps the increase by reference to how far the current rent sits below the market index: no increase within 10% of the index average, up to 5% at 11–20% below, up to 10% at 21–30% below, up to 15% at 31–40% below, and up to 20% where more than 40% below.
You must give 90 days’ written notice before the contract expires to change the rent. See rent increase disputes.
Does the tenancy need to be registered with Ejari?
Ejari registration is the formal record of a Dubai tenancy and is routinely required when tenancy matters are dealt with administratively or before the Rental Disputes Center.
An unregistered tenancy can create practical difficulty for a landlord who later needs to enforce, so it is better resolved before a dispute arises than during one.
Free consultation
Tell us about your tenant
Tell us briefly about your matter. Our team will review your enquiry and advise you on the appropriate next step. Everything you send is treated as confidential.
If a notice period is already running or a hearing is listed, please call instead.
- +971 4 570 0204Dubai office · Monday to Friday, 08:00–17:00
- WhatsApp +971 54 596 1111Send the contract and payment record if it is easier
- info@mbm-co.comAttach the tenancy contract, Ejari and rent record
Practice area: Rental & Tenancy Law
Jurisdiction: Dubai & Sharjah, UAE
Last reviewed: September 2026
Thank you — your enquiry is with our team.
A member of the MBM team will review what you have sent and come back to you with the appropriate next step.
If your matter is time-critical, please call +971 4 570 0204 rather than waiting.
Get the property back, and the money owed.
Bring us the tenancy file and we will tell you which route applies, how long it should take and what it will cost. The first consultation is free.