Dubai's rental market moves fast, and so do disagreements over rent increases, deposits and evictions. Since 2013, almost all of these disputes go to one place: the Rental Disputes Centre (RDC), a specialized judicial body created by Decree No. 26 of 2013 to replace the old Special Tribunal and take rental cases out of the ordinary Dubai Courts docket. This guide covers what the RDC handles, what filing costs, what documents you need, and how a case moves from mediation to judgment and enforcement. This is general information, not advice on a specific contract; confirm any figure or deadline that matters to your case with the RDC or a licensed UAE lawyer.
What the RDC Is and What It Hears
The RDC has exclusive jurisdiction over disputes between landlords and tenants involving real property in Dubai, including free zones, with a few carve-outs: free zones running their own tribunals, lease finance contracts, and long-term leases registered under real property law (Decree No. 26 of 2013). Internally it runs a Mediation and Conciliation Directorate, a First Instance Division, an Appellate Division, and a Judgment Enforcement Directorate, all part of the Dubai Land Department (Decree No. 26 of 2013). Since 2019 it has also handled jointly-owned property (owners' association) disputes under Law No. 6 of 2019 (RDC, About RDC); this guide focuses on the tenancy side.
In practice, that means eviction claims (both for cause and at lease expiry), unpaid rent and other monetary claims, contested rent increases, security deposit disputes, and payment writs for straightforward debt recovery, all running on the framework set by Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008.
Eviction Cases: Two Different Notice Tracks
Article 25 of Law No. 26 of 2007 splits eviction into two tracks, and confusing them is a common mistake. The first covers eviction mid-term, for cause: non-payment within 30 days of a written payment notice, subletting without the landlord's written consent, illegal or morally objectionable use, deliberate or grossly negligent damage, unapproved change of use, a condemned building certified by Dubai Municipality, or failure to fix any other breach within 30 days of notice (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 25).
The second applies only at the natural end of a lease, on one of four grounds set out in Law No. 33 of 2008: the owner wants to demolish and reconstruct, or add structures that would prevent the tenant using the property, with the required permits secured; the property needs restoration or comprehensive maintenance that cannot happen with the tenant in place, verified by a Dubai Municipality report; the owner or a first-degree relative wants to move in, provided the owner has no other suitable property available; or the owner wants to sell. For all four, notice must be served at least 12 months before the eviction date, through a Notary Public or by registered mail (RDC, Frequently Asked Questions). A landlord who repossesses for personal use and re-lets within a year owes the evicted tenant compensation (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 26). Filing an eviction claim does not pause rent, which stays due until judgment is issued and executed (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 31).
Rent Increase and Deposit Disputes
Rent cannot rise inside the first two years of a tenancy, and after that any increase must sit inside the bands set by Decree No. 43 of 2013: no increase where current rent is within 10% of the RERA rental index, rising in steps to a maximum 20% where rent sits more than 40% below it (Law No. 26 of 2007, Articles 9-10). A landlord must give at least 90 days' notice before renewal to raise the rent or change any other term (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 14); disputes over whether that notice was served, or whether an increase exceeds the permitted band, are common at the RDC.
Deposit disputes run the other way. A landlord may hold a security deposit against damage beyond fair wear and tear but must return it, or the balance, once the tenant hands the property back in the condition received (Law No. 26 of 2007, Articles 20-21). When a landlord withholds all or part of a deposit and the tenant disagrees, that becomes a monetary claim filed the same way as an unpaid-rent case.
Documents You Need Before You File
For a first-instance rental lawsuit, the RDC generally asks for the latest Ejari-registered tenancy contract, an Emirates ID copy or, for a company, a trade license and manager's ID, a valid passport and residence permit, and, for eviction cases, proof the required notice was served, meaning the notary or registered-mail receipt (RDC, Frequently Asked Questions). Filing through a representative adds a Power of Attorney. A payment writ, used for straightforward debt recovery such as unpaid rent, needs the same basics plus written proof of the amount owed, the debtor's address, prior payment notices, and a cheque return memo if a bounced cheque is involved (RDC, Frequently Asked Questions). A contract must be Ejari-registered before a case can be accepted at all (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 4), so an unregistered lease is the first thing to fix.
How to File and What It Costs
Cases go in through the RDC's e-services portal, covering a first-instance rental lawsuit, an execution proceeding, a payment writ, or a petition order for urgent matters, or in person at the centre. Filing fees, per the RDC's published schedule, run roughly as follows (RDC, Frequently Asked Questions):
- Eviction, renewal or termination claims: 3.5% of the annual rent, minimum AED 500, maximum AED 20,000
- Monetary claims (unpaid rent, deposit, damages): 3.5% of the claimed amount, minimum AED 500, maximum AED 15,000
- Power of Attorney registration: AED 25, where applicable
- Process service (notifying the other party): AED 100
- Knowledge fee and innovation fee: AED 10 each
- Filing at a real estate trustee center instead of online adds roughly AED 130 plus VAT
- An appeal carries the same AED 100 process service fee, plus a refundable deposit of 50% of the amount awarded in the first-instance judgment
- A Writ of Certiorari (reconsideration): AED 500
Treat these as a budgeting guide and confirm the exact schedule on the day you file, since fees are periodically revised.
Mediation First, Judgment Second
Every case is routed to the Mediation and Conciliation Directorate before it reaches a judge, and the decree establishing the RDC targets amicable settlement within 15 days of a case landing there (Decree No. 26 of 2013). Conciliators work by phone, video call, WhatsApp Business and Microsoft Teams (RDC, Frequently Asked Questions), and settling here has a direct upside: half the filing fee on a basic claim is refunded when a case settles in conciliation (RDC, Frequently Asked Questions).
If no settlement is reached, the case moves to the First Instance Division, where the first hearing is typically scheduled at least seven days after the fee is paid (RDC, Frequently Asked Questions). The RDC also runs a Virtual Court for remote hearings and a case-tracking service, so appearing in person for every session is not always necessary.
Appeals and Enforcement
A first-instance judgment can be appealed within 15 days, running from the hearing if the losing party attended, or from formal notification if not. Eviction judgments can be appealed regardless of value; a purely financial judgment needs a claim of AED 100,000 or more, and the appellant deposits 50% of the awarded amount, refundable if the appeal succeeds. A Writ of Certiorari (reconsideration), available only on specific grounds such as fraud, forged evidence or false testimony, suppression of decisive documents, a judgment beyond what was claimed, contradictory judgments, or a party not properly represented, becomes available starting thirty days after the judgment is issued in presentia, or after its notification in absentia, not within 30 days of it; the RDC's published FAQ does not state a closing deadline for the petition, so confirm the current filing window with the RDC or a licensed UAE lawyer before relying on this remedy (RDC, Frequently Asked Questions).
Once a judgment is final, enforcement is filed through the RDC's own execution service, generally from 15 days after the judgment or notification onward. Enforcing an eviction carries its own fee, 1% of the annual rent capped at AED 5,000, and each electronic request to extend an eviction deadline costs AED 20; payment can be made online by card, noqodi wallet, or net banking (RDC, Frequently Asked Questions).
Practical Notes for Tenants and Landlords
Register the tenancy on Ejari before anything else; neither the RDC nor the ordinary courts will hear a claim on an unregistered contract (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 4). Serve every notice the way the law requires, notary public or registered mail for the 12-month eviction notice, not a WhatsApp message, and keep the receipt. Tenants should keep paying rent while a dispute is pending. Landlords should not assume a filed claim lets them cut services or change locks: Article 34 gives tenants a direct route to the police and to compensation (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 34). Individual cases turn on contract wording, notice dates and evidence, so confirm your own position with the RDC or a licensed UAE lawyer before filing or responding to a claim.
FAQ
What kinds of disputes does the Rental Disputes Centre handle? Eviction claims, unpaid rent and other monetary claims, contested rent increases, and security deposit disputes on Dubai tenancies under Law No. 26 of 2007, plus jointly-owned property disputes since 2019 (RDC, About RDC).
How much does it cost to file a rental dispute? 3.5% of the annual rent for eviction and renewal claims (AED 500 to AED 20,000), or 3.5% of the claimed amount for monetary claims (AED 500 to AED 15,000), plus smaller fixed fees for process service and administration (RDC, Frequently Asked Questions).
What documents do I need to file a case? An Ejari-registered tenancy contract, Emirates ID or trade license, passport and residence permit, and, for eviction cases, proof the required notice was served (RDC, Frequently Asked Questions).
How long does a rental dispute take at the RDC? Mediation targets settlement within 15 days of referral (Decree No. 26 of 2013); unresolved cases move to a first hearing usually within about seven days of the fee being paid (RDC, Frequently Asked Questions). Total time to a final, enforced judgment depends on complexity and any appeal.
What is the eviction notice period in Dubai? Thirty days to cure a mid-term breach such as non-payment; 12 months by Notary Public or registered mail for the four end-of-term grounds of demolition/reconstruction, restoration, personal use, or sale (Law No. 33 of 2008; RDC, Frequently Asked Questions).
Can I appeal an RDC judgment? Yes. Eviction judgments can be appealed regardless of value within 15 days; financial-only judgments need a claim of AED 100,000 or more, and the appellant deposits 50% of the awarded amount (RDC, Frequently Asked Questions).
Sources
- Rental Disputes Centre, About RDC: https://rdc.gov.ae/en/about-rdc/about-rental-disputes-center/
- Rental Disputes Centre, Frequently Asked Questions: https://rdc.gov.ae/en/frequently-asked-questions/
- Rental Disputes Centre, E-Services: https://rdc.gov.ae/en/eservices/
- Dubai Legislation Portal, Decree No. (26) of 2013 Concerning the Rent Disputes Settlement Centre in the Emirate of Dubai: https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2013/Decree%2026%20of%202013.html
- Dubai Legislation Portal, Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai: https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2007/Law%20No.%20%2826%29%20of%202007.html
- Dubai Legislation Portal, Law No. (33) of 2008 Amending Law No. (26) of 2007: https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2009/Law%20No.%20%2833%29%20of%202008%20Amending%20Law%20No.%20%2826%29%20of%202007.html
- Dubai Legislation Portal, Decree No. (43) of 2013 Determining Rent Increase for Real Property in the Emirate of Dubai: https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2013/Decree%20No.%20%2843%29%20of%202013%20Determining%20Rent%20Increase%20for%20Real%20Property.html
- Dubai Land Department, Register/Renew Ejari Tenancy Contract eService: https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/register-renew-ejari-contract/
