Tenancy deadlines run whether you act or not. Have the notice, the increase or the dispute reviewed before you sign, pay or move out.
Rental lawyers for tenants and landlords in Dubai: eviction notices, rent increases, deposits, arrears and representation at the Rental Disputes Center (RDC).
Tell us what is happening in your own words. We will explain where you stand and what the sensible next step is.
If you need a rental dispute lawyer in Dubai, start by working out which side of the tenancy you are on and what has happened: a notice, an increase, unpaid rent, a withheld deposit or a case already filed. MBM acts for landlords and for tenants, in separate matters and never on both sides of the same one, from the first notice to the Rental Disputes Center (RDC) and the enforcement of the outcome. We have offices in Dubai Media City and in Al Khalidiya, Sharjah.
Your first consultation is free and confidential. You do not have to work this out alone. Tell us what has happened and what papers you hold, and we explain which timetable applies to you, what your options are and what the sensible next step is. We take the legal work off your shoulders, and you will always know where your matter stands.
We are a law firm, not the Rental Disputes Center. The Center’s official website is rdc.gov.ae, and that is the place for its current forms, services and fees. This page explains how Dubai tenancy disputes work and when a rental lawyer in Dubai actually helps, including the cases where you may not need one.
If you searched for a “rental dispute lawyer near me”, you can meet us at either office, or send the notice and the contract by WhatsApp and talk it through by phone. Whether you found us as a “landlord tenant lawyer Dubai” or simply as a tenancy lawyer, the documents help us more than a long story, so start with what you have.
Not sure whether your tenancy problem needs a lawyer? Ask us, and we will tell you honestly. Your first consultation is free.
Tenancy problems run on different timetables, some measured in a year and some in thirty days, so the quickest way to a useful answer is to start with your own issue. Each route below goes to a page written for that situation.
Serving or challenging an eviction notice, the Article 25 grounds, the 12-month notarised notice rule and RDC proceedings. First we check: the period given, the ground relied on and how the notice was served. See eviction lawyer Dubai · Talk to us about an eviction notice
Arrears, returned cheques, holdover tenants, damage, subletting and possession claims. First we check: the contract, the payment record and whether the arrears are properly quantified. See landlord lawyer Dubai · Talk to us about unpaid rent
Eviction defence, unlawful increases, withheld deposits, refused repairs, lock-outs and unauthorised entry. First we check: the notice or demand, your contract and your payment record. See tenant lawyer Dubai · Talk to us as a tenant
Decree No. 43 of 2013 index bands, the 90-day notice requirement and challenging an increase that goes beyond them. First we check: the index position, the gap and the date notice was given. See rent increase disputes · Talk to us about a rent increase
A deposit is security against damage and unpaid obligations, not an extra payment. First we check: the check-in and check-out condition, the deductions claimed and what can be evidenced. Getting your deposit back · Talk to us about a deposit
Drafting, review and renewal of tenancy contracts, and resolving Ejari registration problems. First we check: term, rent, renewal, termination and maintenance clauses. See tenancy contract lawyer Dubai · Talk to us about a contract
Commercial lease disputes and commercial eviction, where the contract and the case value are materially different from a flat. First we check: permitted use, fit-out, service charges and termination terms. See commercial lease disputes · Talk to us about a commercial lease
You have been served, or you have filed, and the timetable is no longer yours alone. First we check: the case number, the next hearing date and what has been filed. How an RDC case works · Talk to us about a case at the RDC
Many tenancy disputes involve more than one issue at once, such as an increase and a refused renewal. First we check: the contract, the dates and what each side has said in writing. Ask us which timetable applies
Dubai tenancies are governed by Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, with rent increases dealt with separately under Decree No. 43 of 2013. Decree No. 43 of 2013 caps any increase against the market rental index, and at least 90 days’ written notice before the contract expires is generally required to change the rent.
Disputes are heard by the Rental Disputes Center. As at September 2026 the Rental Disputes Center remains a distinct tribunal and has not been merged into Dubai Courts. Current legal publishers report typical timelines of roughly 30 to 60 days once a case is filed, with simpler mediated matters resolving faster. The table shows how the main issues map to a rule and a forum.
| Issue | The rule in outline | Where it is decided |
|---|---|---|
| Eviction at the end of the tenancy: sale, the landlord’s own use or major renovation | Article 25 of Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended: 12 months’ notice, notarised or sent by registered mail | The Rental Disputes Center, if the notice is disputed or the tenant stays on. See eviction lawyer in Dubai |
| Eviction for non-payment of rent | A faster route. A cure period of around 30 days is commonly cited in professional commentary before further steps. It comes from commentary, not from the statute | The Rental Disputes Center. See landlord lawyer in Dubai |
| Rent increase | Decree No. 43 of 2013 caps the increase against the market rental index, and at least 90 days’ written notice before expiry is generally required | The Rental Disputes Center, if the increase is disputed. See rent increase disputes |
| Security deposit | Held against damage and unpaid obligations. A landlord withholding it generally has to justify the deduction | Negotiation first, then the Rental Disputes Center where needed. See tenant lawyer in Dubai |
| Ejari registration | The formal record of a Dubai tenancy, routinely required when tenancy matters are dealt with administratively or before the Center | Not a forum. Problems are best fixed before a dispute, or alongside it |
| Commercial leases | Generally within the same framework, with the lease itself carrying more weight than in a residential tenancy | The Rental Disputes Center, for unresolved matters. See commercial tenancy lawyer |
All of this is subject to applicable UAE law on your facts. Requirements change, so we confirm the current position at your first consultation. This page describes the general framework. It is not advice on your tenancy.
People looking for a “tenancy law firm Dubai” usually want to know what the firm will actually do. We work in a set order: we read the file, test the notice or the demand, put your position on record, and file or defend if the matter does not settle. Here is what that means for each type of matter.
For tenants, the first question is never when to leave. It is whether the notice or the demand can require you to. MBM handles:
See tenant lawyer Dubai for the detail.
For landlords, the money and the property are two separate claims, usually best pursued together. MBM handles:
See landlord lawyer Dubai for the detail.
Eviction looks completely different depending on where you stand. We draft and serve notices for landlords and test and defend them for tenants, including notices on Article 25 grounds that must give 12 months, notarised or by registered mail. See eviction lawyer Dubai.
An increase is lawful only if the figure sits within the permitted band and the notice was given in time. We check the index position and the notice, write to the other side and, where it does not resolve, act at the Rental Disputes Center. See rent increase dispute lawyer Dubai.
A deposit dispute usually turns on the condition of the property at check-in and check-out and on what each side can prove. We put deductions to proof, contest what cannot be justified and pursue or defend damage claims. See getting your deposit back.
Where a rent cheque has been returned, there may be a recovery route in addition to the tenancy claim. We look at both together and, where the money side is a debt in its own right, coordinate with our debt recovery work.
Most tenancy disputes trace back to a term that was unclear from the start. We draft, review and renew tenancy contracts and help resolve Ejari registration problems before they become disputes. See tenancy contract lawyer Dubai.
Shop, office and warehouse leases are individually negotiated business documents, so a dispute is decided as much by the lease as by the statute. See commercial tenancy lawyer Dubai.
An RDC lawyer in Dubai prepares your file, files or answers the case, appears at the hearings and, once there is an outcome, takes the steps needed to enforce it. Both landlords and tenants can file at the Rental Disputes Center. The detail of its procedure, forms and fees is published by the Center itself, so treat the steps below as a map rather than a prediction.
We read the tenancy contract, the Ejari record, the notice and the payment history, and tell you whether you have a case or a defence and what the realistic outcome is.
A formal letter or a negotiated settlement often ends a dispute before any filing. Many cases go through a settlement or mediation stage, and mediated matters generally resolve faster than contested ones.
The claim or the defence is put together with the contract, the notices, the payment records and the correspondence. If a document is not in Arabic, we tell you early whether a certified translation is needed.
Where the matter does not settle, the claim is filed, or the defence to a case against you is prepared in time. Check the date on the papers you received and call us before the response date.
The parties present their position on the documents. A clear, dated file matters more than a long account of who is more aggrieved.
The Center decides the case. Rent, possession, deposits and compensation can all be in issue, depending on the claim.
An appeal is reported to be possible within 15 days and may need a deposit of 50% of a money judgment, and judgments under AED 100,000 are generally final. Whether your judgment can be appealed, and within what time, depends on the judgment, so ask for advice as soon as you have it. A judgment is not the same as payment or vacant possession, so enforcement is part of the job.
Bring everything you have, even if it is incomplete. If a key document is in another language, tell us at the start, so that translation is not discovered as a problem on the day a deadline falls.
Not every tenancy problem needs a lawyer, and a good firm will tell you so. The Center publishes guidance on how to start a case on its own website, rdc.gov.ae, and a simple, undisputed matter with clean paperwork may be something you can handle yourself. Whether representation is required, and who may appear for you, is set by the Center’s own rules, which you should check there.
A lawyer adds the most where the other side disputes the facts, where an eviction is involved, where the sums are significant, where the documents are in Arabic or incomplete, or where you need to enforce an outcome.
| Part of the matter | If you manage it yourself | What a lawyer adds |
|---|---|---|
| Reading the contract and the notice | You rely on your own reading of the terms and the dates | A check of period, ground, form and service, and of how the clauses interact |
| Evidence | You assemble what you have | A file organised around the points the case will actually turn on |
| Documents and translation | You find out what is needed as you go | An early view on whether translation is needed |
| Hearings | You present your own case | Preparation and appearance at the hearings |
| Settlement | You negotiate directly | A formal, documented position that gives the other side a reason to settle |
| Enforcement | You work out the next steps after the judgment | Enforcement treated as part of the job, not an afterthought |
| Cost | Your time, plus fees that are payable either way | Legal fees, agreed in writing before paid work starts, plus fees payable either way |
If you are unsure, the first consultation is the quickest way to find out. It is free. You will leave knowing whether you need us.
Once a case is before the Rental Disputes Center, current legal publishers report typical timelines of roughly 30 to 60 days, with simpler mediated matters resolving faster. Enforcement of an award can add further time. Where the dispute involves a landlord-initiated eviction on Article 25 grounds, the 12-month notice period runs before any filing, so the full timeline is considerably longer.
The Center has reported an average of about 6 days for amicable settlements in 2026. That is an average across the cases it reports on, so treat it as a guide and not as a prediction for your matter.
| Deadline | What it covers |
|---|---|
| 12 months | Notice for eviction on Article 25 grounds, notarised or by registered mail |
| 90 days | Notice before expiry to change the rent at all |
| About 30 days | The cure period commonly cited for non-payment before further steps |
| 30 to 60 days | The reported Rental Disputes Center timeline once a case has been filed |
The 30-day and 30 to 60-day figures come from current professional commentary rather than statute and should be confirmed on your facts.
Every tenancy matter starts with the same question, which timetable are you on, and then follows a clear path. You will know the likely route before you instruct us.
Your first consultation is free and confidential. Tell us what has happened and which side you are on. We tell you which timetable applies and whether there is something to work with.
We read the tenancy contract, the Ejari registration, the notice and the payment record, then set out your position and your options in writing.
Before paid work starts you get a written scope and a fee position, so you know what is covered and what is not.
We serve a compliant notice or respond formally to one. Many tenancy matters resolve at this stage, before any filing.
Where the matter proceeds, we file or defend at the Rental Disputes Center and appear for you.
We advise on the outcome and take the steps needed to enforce it, so that the result becomes payment or possession.
Tenancy disputes are decided on what can be shown, not on who feels more aggrieved. What makes the difference is a team that reads the file the way the tribunal will, and that is prepared to argue it if the matter does not settle.
Rated 4.9 on Google reviews. MBM is founder-led, by Mohamed Badr, Founder & Managing Partner, who has 17 years of legal experience. For a tenancy matter that means one team from the first notice to enforcement, litigation and arbitration handled together, plain-language updates, and a written scope and fee before paid 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 is useful for landlords and tenants who are based abroad, or whose contract and documents were prepared outside the UAE.
Landlord and tenant matters are run as separate matters, which is how we know where each side’s case is usually weak. We never act on both sides of the same dispute.
If a notice is sound or an increase is lawful, we say so at the first meeting. No outcome is guaranteed in a tenancy dispute, and we will not suggest otherwise.
Two offices, and two genuinely different tenancy frameworks. We tell you early which one your matter falls under.
You do not need any of this to call us, but having it ready makes the first conversation much more useful. If a notice period is running or a hearing is listed, call first and gather documents afterwards.
Most avoidable tenancy problems are caused by something done in the first week. These are the ones we see most often, and none of them is fatal if it is caught early.
MBM is based in Dubai and Sharjah, with offices in Dubai Media City and Al Khalidiya. The rules described above are Dubai’s, and other emirates have their own.
Sharjah operates its own distinct tenancy framework, so the Dubai rules should not be assumed to apply there. As we understand it, Sharjah Law No. 5 of 2024 provides for a three-year rent freeze, after which increases are capped and may be made only every two years. Requirements change, so we confirm the current position at your first consultation. MBM has a Sharjah office and advises on both frameworks. If your property is in Sharjah or another emirate, tell us at the first consultation, so that we can confirm which rules and which forum apply before any step is taken.
Many landlords and some tenants are outside the UAE when a dispute starts. Tell us where you are at the first consultation, and we explain what we need from you, including whether a power of attorney is needed for your matter. See power of attorney.
Your first consultation with MBM is free and confidential. If you decide to go further, we give you a scope and a fee position in writing first, so that you know what is covered before any paid work starts.
The cost of a rental dispute lawyer in Dubai depends on the stage and the route. Drafting and serving a notice is a smaller piece of work than preparing and arguing a contested case through to enforcement. Rental Disputes Center fees, translation costs and other third-party charges are separate from legal fees, and we explain which are likely to apply in your case. The Center’s filing fee for an ordinary rental case is reported as 3.5% of annual rent, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 20,000. A Payment Writ, the separate faster route for an undisputed sum such as a deposit, is reported to have its own cap of AED 15,000. The Center publishes its current fees on rdc.gov.ae, and requirements change, so we confirm the current position at your first consultation. Because every tenancy matter is different, we do not publish a price list. Ask at your first consultation and we will answer directly.
Ready to talk about your tenancy? Your first consultation is free and confidential.
Your free first consultation is with a member of MBM’s legal team in Dubai or Sharjah. Tenancy matters are handled in confidence from the first call.
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.
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.
General information on the current framework. It is not legal advice, and every tenancy depends on its own facts, so please contact MBM directly to discuss yours.
Current legal publishers report roughly 30 to 60 days once a case is before the Rental Disputes Center, with simpler mediated matters resolving faster and enforcement adding further time. If the dispute is about an eviction on Article 25 grounds, the 12-month notice period runs before any filing. The timeline section explains what makes a case slower or faster.
It is the tribunal that deals with Dubai rental disputes. Both landlords and tenants can file there, and MBM files and defends cases before it. Its own website, rdc.gov.ae, is the place for its current forms, services and fees. As at September 2026 it remains a distinct tribunal and has not been merged into Dubai Courts. MBM is a law firm and is not part of the Center.
Not always. A simple, undisputed matter with clean paperwork may be something you can handle yourself, and the Center publishes guidance on its own website. A lawyer adds the most where the facts are disputed, an eviction is involved, the sums are significant, documents are in Arabic or incomplete, or you need to enforce an outcome. Ask us, and we will tell you honestly.
Yes. MBM's first consultation is free and confidential. It is a discussion of your situation and your options, and you do not need to have gathered every document. If you then choose to instruct MBM, we confirm the scope and the fee in writing before any paid work starts.
It depends on the stage and the route. Drafting and serving a notice is a smaller piece of work than preparing and arguing a contested case through to enforcement. We give you a scope and a fee position before you instruct us, and we explain which third-party fees, such as Center fees or translation, are separate from legal fees. The Center’s filing fee for an ordinary rental case is reported as 3.5% of annual rent, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 20,000. A Payment Writ, the separate faster route for an undisputed sum such as a deposit, is reported to have its own cap of AED 15,000. The first consultation is free.
The landlord-tenant relationship in Dubai is governed by Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008. Rent increases are governed separately by Decree No. 43 of 2013, which caps increases against the market rental index, and at least 90 days' written notice before the contract expires is generally required to change the rent.
Both, but never on both sides of the same matter. Acting for landlords and tenants in separate matters means we know how each side's case is usually built, which is useful whichever side instructs us.
No. Sharjah operates its own distinct tenancy framework, so the Dubai rules should not be assumed to apply there. As we understand it, Sharjah Law No. 5 of 2024 provides for a three-year rent freeze, after which increases are capped and may be made only every two years. MBM has a Sharjah office and advises on both frameworks. Tell us where the property is at your first consultation and we will confirm which rules and which forum apply.
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 either party who later needs to enforce, so it is better resolved before a dispute than during one.
How rent is paid is a term of your tenancy contract, and the traditional structure in Dubai is one or more post-dated cheques. Whether monthly payments are possible for your tenancy depends on the contract and on what your landlord agrees, and you should check any new payment option against the Dubai Land Department's own current guidance.
Do not stop paying without advice. Responsibility for repairs is normally allocated by the tenancy contract, and withholding rent can create a claim against you. Put each request in writing, keep the responses and photographs, and call us. A documented refusal is what makes a claim or an application to the Center workable.
Often, yes. Many tenancy matters resolve with a formal letter or a negotiated settlement, and simpler mediated matters generally resolve faster than contested ones. A settlement should be recorded in writing and checked before you sign it, so that it deals with rent, the deposit and any claim for damage.
A judgment is not the same as payment or vacant possession, so the winning party may need to take enforcement steps. An appeal is reported to be possible within 15 days and may need a deposit of 50% of a money judgment, and judgments under AED 100,000 are generally final. Whether your judgment can be appealed, and within what time, depends on the judgment, so ask for advice as soon as you have it. We treat enforcement as part of the job.
The tenancy contract, the Ejari certificate, any notice or demand, your payment record, correspondence and, for deposits or damage, check-in and check-out photos. You do not need all of it to make the first call. Even a photograph of the notice and the first page of the contract gives us enough for a first view.
Raise it immediately and separately from any other dispute. Self-help of this kind can create liability for a landlord, and cutting services or changing locks is reported to be prohibited under Article 34. A tenant affected by it may have remedies. Call us as soon as you can, and keep a dated record of what happened.
Yes. MBM represents commercial landlords and business tenants in disputes over shop, office and warehouse leases. Commercial tenancies generally sit within the same broad framework, but the lease itself usually carries more weight. See commercial tenancy lawyer Dubai.
Tell us where you are at your first consultation. We explain what we need from you, including whether a power of attorney is needed for your matter, and how to arrange it. Many owners deal with a tenancy matter by phone, WhatsApp and email.
MBM has offices in Dubai Media City (Business Central Towers, Tower B) and Al Khalidiya, Sharjah. Call +971 4 570 0204, send a message on WhatsApp, or use the form on this page. Your first consultation is free.
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 period is running or a hearing is listed, please call rather than waiting for a reply.
Dubai · Office 3204, Level 32, Business Central Towers – Tower B, Dubai Media City
Sharjah · Office 2001, Level 20, Al Hind Tower, Al Khalidiya District
Tell us what is happening in your own words. We will explain where you stand and what the sensible next step is.
Your first consultation is free and confidential. Whichever side you are on, the earlier the file is reviewed, the more options remain open. Tell us what has happened and we will explain which timetable applies and what the next step should be.
