Being told to leave, pay more or forfeit your deposit is not the same as being legally required to. Have it checked first.
Eviction notice, a rent increase you think is unlawful, a withheld deposit, a landlord who enters without permission or will not repair? Get tenant legal advice and know your rights under Dubai tenancy law before you agree to anything.
Tell us what is happening in your own words. We will explain where you stand and what the sensible next step is.
If you are looking for a tenant lawyer in Dubai, the first step is to know what your landlord has actually done: served a notice, demanded more rent, kept your deposit, refused repairs or taken matters into their own hands. MBM acts for tenants in Dubai, testing eviction notices, challenging rent increases that exceed the permitted bands, recovering withheld deposits and responding to landlords who act without process. We also act for landlords, in separate matters, and never on both sides of the same one. Our offices are 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. Even a photograph of the notice and the first page of your contract is enough for a first view. We take the legal work off your shoulders, and you will always know where your matter stands. If you are looking for tenant legal advice in Dubai, this is a good place to start, and you can meet us at either office or begin by phone or WhatsApp.
Landlord wants you out, wants more rent or will not return your deposit? Ask us whether it holds up. Your first consultation is free.
These are the tenant matters we are most often instructed on. Several have short windows, so the earlier the file is reviewed, the more options remain.
The period, the ground, the form and the service are four separate requirements, and a shortfall on any of them may matter. First we check: the notice, how it arrived and what it relies on. See eviction lawyer Dubai. Talk to us about a notice
Where notice is given to sell or to occupy and the property is then re-let, your position may be different from what the notice assumed. First we check: what the notice says and what has happened to the unit. Talk to us about a false ground
Once proceedings begin at the Rental Disputes Center the timetable is no longer yours. We take over the file and appear. First we check: the case number, the date on the papers and your response deadline. Talk to us about a case against you
Decree No. 43 of 2013 caps increases against the market index. A demand above the applicable band is a matter you can raise. First we check: the index position, the gap and the notice. See rent increases. Talk to us about an increase
A landlord generally has to give at least 90 days’ written notice before the contract expires to change the rent. Late notice is a point worth taking. First we check: the renewal date and when the notice reached you. Talk to us about late notice
A deposit is security against damage and unpaid obligations, not an extra payment. A landlord withholding it generally has to justify the deduction. First we check: the receipt, the check-in condition and the deductions. Getting your deposit back · Talk to us about a deposit
Fair wear and tear, pre-existing defects and inflated repair quotes are all contestable where the check-in condition can be shown. First we check: the photos, the quotes and the contract. Talk to us about deductions
This is separate from any eviction and needs raising immediately. Self-help of this kind can create liability for a landlord. First we check: what happened, when and who did it. Tell us about a lock-out
Access rights and maintenance obligations are generally set by the contract, and these matters turn on evidence. First we check: the contract clauses and your dated records. Talk to us about entry or repairs
People often search “tenant rights lawyer Dubai” hoping for a single rule. In practice the answer starts with the statute, not the contract alone. The landlord–tenant relationship is governed by Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, and two provisions do most of the work in a tenant’s favour. First, eviction on the Article 25 grounds of sale, the landlord’s own use or major renovation requires 12 months’ notice, notarised or sent by registered mail. Second, Decree No. 43 of 2013 caps rent increases against the market index, and at least 90 days’ written notice before the contract expires is generally required to change the rent at all.
| Issue | What the framework says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Eviction notice | Article 25 grounds need 12 months’ notice, notarised or by registered mail. A notice that gives less, or that arrives by email or messaging app, may not meet the requirement | Keep the notice and have it reviewed before you respond. See eviction lawyer Dubai |
| Rent increase | Capped by Decree No. 43 of 2013 against the market index, and at least 90 days’ written notice before the contract expires is generally required | Check the band below and the date of the notice before you accept an increase. See rent increase dispute lawyer Dubai |
| Deposit | Held against damage and unpaid obligations. A landlord withholding it generally has to justify the deduction | Gather check-in and check-out evidence, then ask for the justification in writing |
| Repairs | Responsibility is normally allocated by the tenancy contract | Put every request in writing and keep the replies |
| Entry | What access a landlord may have is generally governed by the tenancy contract | Keep a dated record of each occasion |
| Lock-outs and utilities | Self-help of this kind can create liability for a landlord. Cutting services or changing locks is reported to be prohibited under Article 34 | Raise it immediately, as its own matter |
| Sale of the building | As reported, a sale of the property does not end the lease, which continues with the new owner | Keep your contract and Ejari record, and tell us if a new owner contacts you |
| Where your rent sits against the index | Increase permitted |
|---|---|
| Rent within 10% of the index | No increase permitted |
| 11–20% below the index | Up to 5% |
| 21–30% below | Up to 10% |
| 31–40% below | Up to 15% |
| More than 40% below | Up to 20% |
Bands set by Decree No. 43 of 2013, unchanged as at September 2026. The index figure for your property should be checked against the Dubai Land Department’s calculator before you accept an increase. Whether the band or the notice point helps you depends on your facts and is subject to applicable UAE law.
If your landlord refuses to return your deposit, a lawyer helps by turning the dispute into a documented claim. A security deposit is held against damage and unpaid obligations, not as an additional payment, so a landlord withholding it generally has to justify the deduction. Whether a deduction is proper depends on the tenancy contract, the condition of the property at check-in and check-out and what each side can evidence.
As we understand it, the law sets no statutory cap on the deposit; 5% of annual rent for unfurnished and 10% for furnished homes is market practice. Likewise, as we understand it, the law sets no fixed deadline for returning the deposit. Requirements change, so we confirm the current position at your first consultation.
The tenancy contract, the deposit receipt, check-in and check-out photos or inventory, handover documents and final utility bills if you have them.
Request the return, and ask the landlord to justify each deduction. Keep the reply, or a record that none came.
Fair wear and tear, pre-existing defects and inflated repair quotes are all contestable where the check-in condition can be shown.
A formal letter on record often resolves a deposit dispute without a filing, and becomes part of the file if it does not.
Where a deduction cannot be justified, recovery can be pursued, including through the Rental Disputes Center. A Payment Writ for a deposit, a separate and faster route than an ordinary rental case, is reported to cost 3.5% of the claim, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 15,000 (the filing fee for an ordinary case is reported to be capped at AED 20,000).
A judgment is not the same as payment, so enforcement is part of the work.
A lawyer puts the deduction to proof, challenges what cannot be justified and pursues recovery. A deposit can look too small to argue about, but a deduction that cannot be justified is worth testing.
Fair wear and tear is the ordinary ageing of a property in normal use. Whether a particular mark, repair or repaint falls into it depends on the contract and on what the property looked like at the start, which is why the check-in record matters more than anything said afterwards.
The aim is not always to stay. Sometimes it is to leave later, on better terms, with your deposit. Here is how that breaks down.
The advice tenants ask for often starts before any dispute: a contract about to be signed, a renewal offer, an increase demand or a deduction you are unsure about. We can read the document with you and tell you what it means, what is open to question and what to keep on record. Typical questions:
Tenant eviction defence work begins with whether the notice can require you to leave, not when you must go.
Eviction notice received? A lawyer will first record how and when it reached you, then test it. If you ask whether you can fight an eviction notice in Dubai, the answer is that a notice can be disputed, and the first step is to have it reviewed before you respond.
If that is how you would put it, the questions are the ground, the period and the form. Do not simply move out on the strength of a message. We give you a straight answer on which points are arguable.
An unlawful eviction lawyer deals with notices that do not meet the requirements, grounds that prove false and removals carried out without process. Whether a remedy arises depends on what can be established on the facts.
If your landlord has disconnected the water, electricity or air conditioning, treat it as urgent and as a matter of its own. 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 may have remedies, and we deal with it separately from any eviction.
Repeated visits, pressure to leave or interference with your use of the home are matters of evidence. We build the record, write to the landlord and act where the conduct continues.
If your landlord has come in without permission, keep a dated record of each occasion. What access a landlord may have is generally governed by the tenancy contract. Entry without notice or agreement, or repeated entry, may be a breach depending on the terms and the circumstances. As reported, a landlord may not interfere with the tenant’s use of the property.
Responsibility for maintenance and repair is normally allocated by the tenancy contract. Put requests in writing and keep the responses, because a documented refusal is what makes a claim, or an application to the Rental Disputes Center, workable. That is why our review starts with the contract.
Where the landlord refuses to renew, the questions are the notice and the ground. Eviction on an Article 25 ground needs 12 months’ notice, notarised or by registered mail, and an increase at renewal generally needs at least 90 days’ written notice. We check each. See tenancy contract lawyer Dubai.
Wrongful eviction, a lock-out or a ground that proves false may give rise to a claim. Whether it does depends on the facts and the applicable law. Our work starts by assessing what can be shown and what remedy may follow.
We look first at the contract, because whether early termination is available is a question for its terms, and terminating without a proper basis carries risk. As reported, early-termination clauses often provide for two months’ rent, but whether that applies to you depends on your contract. We advise on whether early termination is available and on how to negotiate an exit on better terms. See tenancy contract lawyer Dubai.
You will get a view, not a sales pitch, and you will know the likely route before you instruct us.
Your first consultation is free and confidential. Send the notice or the increase demand, or describe what has happened. We tell you whether there is a point to take.
We read the tenancy contract, the Ejari registration, the notice and your payment record, and set out your position in writing.
Before paid work starts you get a written scope and a fee position.
We put your position to the landlord properly. Many matters resolve here, without a filing.
Where the matter proceeds, we file or defend at the Rental Disputes Center and appear for you.
We enforce the outcome, or negotiate when you leave, on what terms and with what compensation.
Tenant matters are decided on documents and dates. If you have been locked out or your utilities have been disconnected, call first and gather documents afterwards.
Most tenants concede points they did not have to. Not because they are wrong, but because a notice on letterhead feels final and the alternative is unclear.
Tenancy disputes in Dubai are heard by the Rental Disputes Center. Both landlords and tenants can file there, and MBM files and defends cases before it. As at September 2026 the Rental Disputes Center remains a distinct tribunal and has not been merged into Dubai Courts. Its own website, rdc.gov.ae, publishes its current forms, services and fees, and MBM is a law firm and is not part of the Center. For how a case runs from filing to enforcement, see rental dispute lawyer Dubai. If you are a landlord, see landlord lawyer Dubai, and for a shop or office lease see commercial tenancy lawyer Dubai.
Once a case is before the Center, current legal publishers report typical timelines of roughly 30 to 60 days, with simpler mediated matters resolving faster. The landlord’s route against a tenant who stays on is to file and seek an order, then enforce it. Remaining in occupation is not itself a defence, but it also does not mean the notice was valid.
Sharjah tenancies run under their own distinct framework, so the Dubai rules should not be assumed to apply. 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. If your property is in Sharjah, tell us at the first consultation so that we confirm which rules and forum apply.
What changes the position for a tenant is a lawyer testing the document against the statute, and being willing to argue it at the tribunal.
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 tenant that means plain-language advice, one team from the first notice to the outcome, litigation and arbitration handled together, 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 tenants who relocate, or whose landlord is based abroad.
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 tenant lawyer in Dubai depends on the stage and the route. A formal response to a notice is a smaller piece of work than a defended case through to enforcement. Rental Disputes Center fees and translation costs are separate from legal fees, and we explain which are likely to apply, including for a deposit claim. A Payment Writ for a deposit, a separate and faster route than an ordinary rental case, is reported to cost 3.5% of the claim, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 15,000 (the filing fee for an ordinary case is reported to be capped at AED 20,000). We do not publish a price list, because every tenancy matter is different. Ask at your first consultation and we will answer directly.
Ready to find out where you stand? Send us the notice, the demand or the deduction. Your first consultation is free and confidential.
Your free first consultation is with a member of MBM’s legal team in Dubai or Sharjah. Tenant 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 advice on your tenancy, and how it applies depends on your contract and your facts.
That depends on the ground relied on, the notice period given and how the notice was served. On the Article 25 grounds in Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended (sale, the landlord's own use, or major renovation) the period is 12 months and the notice must be notarised or sent by registered mail. A notice that falls short on any of those points may be open to challenge, but this is fact-sensitive and should be assessed on your documents rather than assumed.
Increases are capped by Decree No. 43 of 2013 according to how far your 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. The landlord generally has to give at least 90 days' written notice before the contract expires to change the rent at all.
Gather your contract, the deposit receipt and your check-in and check-out evidence, then ask the landlord in writing for the deposit and for the justification of any deduction. If a deduction cannot be justified, recovery can be pursued, including through the Rental Disputes Center. A formal letter often resolves the matter without a filing. As we understand it, the law sets no fixed deadline for returning the deposit, and a Payment Writ for a deposit is reported to cost 3.5% of the claim, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 15,000.
A security deposit is held against damage and unpaid obligations, not as an additional payment, so a landlord withholding it generally has to justify the deduction. Whether a deduction is proper depends on the tenancy contract, the condition of the property at check-in and check-out, and what each side can evidence. As we understand it, the law sets no statutory cap on the deposit; 5% of annual rent for unfurnished and 10% for furnished homes is market practice.
Yes, a notice can be disputed. The first step is to have it reviewed before you respond, sign anything or move out. Period, ground, form and service are separate requirements and a failure on any of them may affect enforceability. Do not ignore the notice, because silence can weaken your position if the matter reaches the tribunal.
What matters is the notice and the ground. Where a landlord wants you out at the end of the tenancy on an Article 25 ground, 12 months' notice is required, notarised or sent by registered mail. A change to the rent at renewal generally needs at least 90 days' written notice and must sit within the permitted band. Have any refusal or demand checked before you reply.
This is a separate issue from any eviction notice and should be raised immediately rather than treated as part of the same dispute. Self-help measures 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 them may have remedies. Call us as soon as you can, and keep a dated record of what happened.
What access a landlord may have is generally governed by the tenancy contract and by the parties' obligations under it. Entry without notice or agreement, or repeated entry, may be a breach depending on the terms and the circumstances. As reported, a landlord may not interfere with the tenant's use of the property. Keep a dated record of each occasion, because these matters turn on evidence.
Responsibility for maintenance and repair is normally allocated by the tenancy contract, and what you can require depends on those terms and on the nature of the defect. Put requests in writing and keep the responses. Do not stop paying rent without advice, because withholding it can create a claim against you.
Wrongful eviction, a lock-out or a ground that proves false may give rise to a claim, but whether it does depends on the facts and the applicable law. We assess what can be shown and what remedy may follow. Compensation is not automatic.
Whether early termination is available is a question for the terms of your tenancy contract, and terminating without a proper basis carries risk. As reported, early-termination clauses often provide for two months' rent, but whether that applies to you depends on your contract. Bring the contract to your first consultation and we advise on whether an exit is available, and on negotiating one on better terms.
The landlord's route is to file at the Rental Disputes Center and seek an order, then enforce it. Remaining in occupation is not itself a defence, but it also does not mean the notice was valid. The better course is to have the notice assessed while there is still time to respond.
As reported, a sale of the property does not end the lease, which continues with the new owner. Keep your contract and Ejari record, and tell us if a new owner or agent contacts you about leaving or a change of terms.
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, including where a landlord's notice tends to fail.
It depends on the stage and the route. A formal response to a notice is a smaller piece of work than a defended case through to enforcement. We give you a scope and a fee position before you instruct us, and Center fees and translation costs are separate. The first consultation is free.
Yes. MBM's first consultation is free and confidential. It is a discussion of your situation and your options, and you do not need every document. If you then choose to instruct MBM, we confirm the scope and the fee in writing before any paid work starts.
No. Sharjah operates its own distinct tenancy framework, so the Dubai rules should not be assumed to apply. 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. Tell us where the property is and we confirm which rules and forum apply.
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 you have been locked out, your utilities have been cut 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. Send us the notice, the increase demand or the deposit deduction and we will tell you whether it holds up and what your options are.
