Being treated unfairly by your landlord?
How to deal with property rental disputes in Dubai

In a city where so many people rent instead of owning their homes, extreme annual increases are frequently a hot topic. In December last year, the Dubai government announced that it was introducing new laws that would give landlords the right to increase rents by up to 20 percent if the price currently being paid was significantly below the rental index of the area. According to figures from property firm CB Richard Ellis, average rental rates in Dubai have increased by 17 percent since 2012. There is often a lack of knowledge among many renters of their rights, but these three case studies should shed some light on how to take your dispute to the Dubai’s Land Department’s Rental Dispute Settlement Centre, and perhaps even win.

Out of the blue, my landlord told me he wanted me to move out because his son needed to move into the apartment. When I offered to pay 30 percent more rent, he agreed to continue renting the apartment to me. Under RERA laws the landlord can terminate a contract with 12 months’ notice if he genuinely wants the apartment for his own use or to sell it.

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