A Dubai landlord can raise the rent by 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% or 20% at renewal, and by nothing else. Decree No. 43 of 2013 ties the cap to how far below the RERA rental index your current rent already sits, and the increase must be notified at least 90 days before the contract expires.
Here is what the renewal email does not tell you. It arrives with a number in it, the number sounds like a decision that has already been made, and most tenants either pay it or start packing. Neither reaction checks whether the landlord was allowed to ask.
Roughly half the time, they were not. The cap is not a guideline, it is a decree, and it is calculated from a public index you can query in under a minute.
How much can a landlord increase rent in Dubai?
Article 1 of Decree No. (43) of 2013 sets five bands, and the band depends entirely on the gap between your current rent and the average rental value of similar units. The table lists the five bands exactly as the decree states them.
Why do so many Dubai rent guides show only four bands?
Several widely circulated summaries of Decree No. 43 of 2013 list four bands and stop at a 15% maximum, describing the top band as “30% or more below the average”. The official English text on the Dubai Legislation portal lists five. The fifth band, Article 1(e), allows 20% where the rent is more than 40% below the average rental value of similar units.
What is the Dubai rental index, and how does the calculator use it?
Article 3 of the decree says the average rental value of similar units is determined by the Rent Index of the Emirate of Dubai approved by RERA. The Dubai Land Department Rental Index service is how you query it, and it returns the permitted increase rather than leaving you to work out the band.
The Dubai Land Department asks for five inputs and states a service time of immediate:
- The expiry date of your tenancy contract
- The property type
- The area the property is in
- The number of rooms
- Your current annual rent
The service runs on the Dubai Land Department website through the Ejari system, on the Dubai REST app and on DubaiNow.
How much notice must a Dubai landlord give to increase the rent?
Article 14 of Law No. (33) of 2008 requires 90 days. The wording covers either party wanting to amend any term of the tenancy contract, so the same 90-day notice applies to a tenant asking for a reduction as to a landlord asking for a rise, unless the two sides agreed a different arrangement in the contract itself.
Article 13 of the same law is the one people forget. It says that at renewal the landlord and tenant may amend terms or reconsider the rent — and that if they cannot agree, the Rental Disputes Settlement Centre may determine the fair rent. A proposed increase is an opening position, not a notice of eviction.
What happens if your Dubai landlord ignores the cap?
The dispute goes to the Rental Disputes Settlement Centre, and under Article 9 of Law No. (33) of 2008 the Tribunal determines the rental value of similar property using a defined set of criteria rather than the landlord's figure. Those criteria include the rent increase percentages prescribed by RERA, the prevailing economic situation in the emirate, the condition of the property, and the rental value of similar property in comparable areas.
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Frequently asked questions about rent increases in Dubai
How much can my landlord increase my rent in Dubai?
A Dubai landlord can increase rent by a maximum of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% or 20% at renewal. Decree No. 43 of 2013 sets the band by how far below the RERA rental index your current rent sits. If your rent is within 10% of the index average for similar units, no increase is permitted at all.
Can a Dubai landlord increase the rent every 12 months?
Decree No. 43 of 2013 caps the size of a rent increase in Dubai but does not hand a landlord an automatic annual rise. An increase can only be applied when the tenancy contract is renewed, the band is recalculated against the RERA rental index each time, and the landlord must give at least 90 days written notice.
How do I use the Dubai rent increase calculator?
The Dubai Land Department Rental Index service calculates the permitted increase for you. Enter the expiry date of your tenancy contract, the property type, the area, the number of rooms and your current annual rent. The Dubai Land Department lists the service time as immediate, and it runs on the DLD website, the Dubai REST app and DubaiNow.
Can I refuse a rent increase in Dubai?
A Dubai tenant can refuse a proposed rent increase, and the dispute then goes to the Rental Disputes Settlement Centre rather than being settled by the landlord. Under Law No. 33 of 2008 the Tribunal may determine the fair rent, weighing the condition of the property and rents for similar units in comparable areas.
What if my Dubai landlord gave less than 90 days notice?
Article 14 of Law No. 33 of 2008 requires either party wanting to change a tenancy term in Dubai, including the rent, to notify the other at least 90 days before the contract expires, unless both sides agreed otherwise. A late notice does not meet that requirement, and the contract renews on its existing terms unless you agree to the change.
Does the Dubai rent cap apply in DIFC and other free zones?
Article 2 of Decree No. 43 of 2013 applies the rent increase caps to landlords in Dubai whether they are private or public entities, and expressly includes special development zones and free zones such as the Dubai International Financial Centre. A free zone address does not put a Dubai landlord outside the rent cap.
