Dubai Eviction Rules: Notice Periods Under Law No. 26 of 2007

A Dubai landlord can only evict a tenant for reasons set out in Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008. The notice period depends on the reason: 30 days to fix a breach like unpaid rent, or 12 months' notice before the lease ends if the landlord wants the property back for personal use, sale or renovation.

The Legal Basis

Dubai's landlord and tenant relationship sits under Law No. 26 of 2007, amended by Law No. 33 of 2008. This law lists the only grounds on which a landlord may end a tenancy. A landlord cannot simply decide not to renew a lease without a valid reason and the correct notice. Trying to evict a tenant outside these rules, or without proper notice, can be challenged at the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre (RDSC).

Grounds for Eviction During the Lease

These grounds relate to something the tenant has done wrong. If the landlord proves the breach, eviction can happen even before the lease term ends.

• Non-payment of rent. The tenant fails to pay within 30 days of receiving written notice demanding payment.
• Subletting without consent. The tenant sublets the property, or part of it, without the landlord's written approval.
• Illegal or immoral use. The tenant uses the property for unlawful or immoral purposes.
• Deliberate damage. The tenant causes damage that affects the structural integrity of the property.
• Breach of lease terms or planning rules. The tenant uses the property for something other than what the lease allows, or breaks planning and land use regulations.
• Commercial vacancy. A commercial tenant leaves the property empty for 30 consecutive days, or 90 non-consecutive days in a year, without a valid reason.

In each of these cases, the landlord must first give a written notice giving the tenant 30 days to fix the problem. Only if the tenant fails to act within that period can the landlord move to eviction.

Grounds for Eviction at Lease Expiry

These grounds are not about tenant misconduct. They apply when the landlord has a legitimate reason to take back the property once the current lease term ends.

• Personal use. The landlord, or a first-degree relative, wants to live in the property and has no other suitable home.
• Sale of the property. The landlord intends to sell.
• Major renovation or demolition. The property needs significant work that cannot be done while someone is living there.
• Government-ordered demolition or reconstruction. Public authorities require the building to be demolished or rebuilt.

For all of these, the landlord must give the tenant 12 months' written notice before the lease expires. The notice must be served through a notary public or by registered mail. Verbal notice, a text message or an email is not enough.

Notice Periods at a Glance

Language and Form of the Notice

Eviction notices in Dubai must be in Arabic. If the landlord drafts the notice in English or another language, it needs a certified legal translation into Arabic before it is notarised. A notice that skips this step, or is served in the wrong format, can be rejected if the case reaches the RDSC.

The Two-Year Re-Letting Restriction

If a landlord evicts a tenant on the grounds of personal use or sale of the property, they cannot re-let that unit to a new tenant for two years. This rule stops landlords from using "personal use" or "sale" as a cover story to remove a tenant and then rent the unit out again at a higher price.

If a landlord breaks this rule, the original tenant can claim compensation. This is one of the more common disputes at the RDSC, so landlords should keep clear records of why the unit was vacated and tenants should keep copies of their eviction notice in case they need to check whether the property was relet too soon.

What to Do Next

If you are a tenant who has received an eviction notice:

• Check the notice is in Arabic, or comes with a certified Arabic translation.
• Confirm it was served through a notary public or registered mail, not just by email or WhatsApp.
• Work out which type of ground is being used: a breach that needs fixing in 30 days, or a lease-expiry ground that needs 12 months' notice.
• If you think the notice is invalid, or the landlord has not followed the correct process, file a complaint with the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre in Dubai before the deadline in the notice passes.
• Keep a note of the date, so you can track whether the two-year re-letting rule applies if the ground was personal use or sale.

If you are a landlord planning an eviction:

• Match your reason for eviction to one of the grounds in Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008. Do not attempt eviction outside these grounds.
• For tenant breaches, send a written 30-day notice giving the tenant a real chance to fix the issue.
• For personal use, sale or renovation, serve a 12-month notice through a notary public or registered mail well before the lease expiry date.
• Get the notice translated and certified into Arabic if you drafted it in another language.
• If your ground is personal use or sale, plan ahead: you cannot re-let the unit for two years, so factor that into your financial planning.

In both cases, if the dispute cannot be resolved directly, either party can file a case with the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre in Dubai, which handles these matters outside the regular court system.

This article is general information about UAE law, not legal advice. Laws change and every situation is different. For advice on your own case, speak to a licensed UAE lawyer.

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