Eviction is not the same as not renewing
Deciding not to renew a lease and evicting a tenant are treated differently in Dubai. Non-renewal needs no particular legal reason, although formal notice before the contract ends is still expected, so check your contract and the current rules on timing. Eviction means you want the property back for a reason listed in Dubai’s tenancy law, mainly Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 and its 2008 amendments, and each reason carries its own notice period and service rules.
Grounds for ending a lease early
Before the contract expires, you can only seek eviction for specific breaches. For unpaid rent and other broken obligations, the tenant must first receive written notice and has 30 days to put things right. The more serious cases listed below can go forward without that 30-day period to remedy.
- Subletting all or part of the unit without your written consent
- Running illegal or immoral activities from the unit
- Using it for something other than the agreed purpose, or against planning rules
- Causing deliberate damage, or making changes that put the building’s safety at risk
- Leaving a commercial unit closed for long periods without a valid reason
- Danger of collapse confirmed by a technical report, or demolition ordered by the authorities
Reasons available when the contract expires
When the tenant has done nothing wrong, you can still recover the property at the end of the contract, but only for a few reasons and only with 12 months’ written notice before the eviction date. Each reason must be genuine and supported, and the notice must state it clearly.
- You intend to sell the property
- You or a first-degree relative will live there, and you can show you own no suitable alternative
- You plan to demolish and rebuild, or add works that stop the tenant using the unit, with the permits already in hand
- The property needs comprehensive repairs that cannot be carried out with someone living there, backed by an approved technical report
When a tenant stops paying
Non-payment is the most common reason landlords act, and it follows a shorter path than the 12-month cases. Patience and paperwork matter here, because self-help tactics such as changing the locks, cutting electricity, water or cooling, or blocking access to building facilities can seriously damage your case.
- Get the bank’s official return memo for any bounced cheque
- Avoid accepting partial cash payments unless the arrangement is agreed in writing
- Serve a notarized notice that allows 30 days for payment
- If the rent is still outstanding, open a claim before Dubai’s Rental Dispute Settlement Centre (RDC)
- Attend the hearing and, once judgment is issued, move to enforcement
Writing and serving a valid notice
A text message, email or WhatsApp is not a legal notice, even if the tenant clearly read it. The notice should be notarized by a notary public, which can often be done electronically, and delivered by registered mail or courier with proof of receipt. Without that evidence, a tenant can dispute the notice and you may lose months.
- Landlord and tenant names exactly as they appear on Ejari
- A clear description of the property
- The legal reason for eviction
- The eviction date, respecting the correct notice period
- For breach cases, the deadline to pay or put things right
Documents to keep on file
Build a complete file before the notice goes out, since the same papers will support you if the dispute reaches the rental centre. Check that names and property details match across every document, as small inconsistencies invite challenges.
- Your passport and Emirates ID copies, with contact details
- The tenant’s ID copies and contact details
- Ejari certificate, tenancy contract and title deed
- Earlier notices and correspondence with the tenant
- Evidence of the reason, such as payment records, permits, a technical report or sale documents
- The notarized notice and proof that it was delivered
If the tenant stays, and other pitfalls
If the tenant leaves when the notice period ends, record the condition of the unit and the return of keys. If they stay, you can ask the RDC for an order that can be enforced. Be careful about re-letting soon after an eviction for sale or personal use, as it may contradict the reason you gave, and remember that minor wear such as scuffed walls is normally recovered from the deposit rather than grounds for eviction.
How we can help
We can draft your eviction notice around the correct legal ground, arrange its notarization, including remotely if you live abroad, and have it served with proof of delivery. If you are unsure which notice period applies to your case, we are happy to talk it through.