Ending a tenancy in Dubai, and getting the property back.
You can take your property back to sell it, live in it or carry out major works, as long as you give twelve months' notice through a notary or by registered mail. Which grounds work, how to serve, and what the Rental Dispute Centre does.
Updated
At expiry you can end a Dubai tenancy if you want to sell, or if you or a first-degree relative are going to live there. The third ground is demolition, or major works that can’t be done with a tenant in place. Whichever applies, you need twelve months’ written notice, served through a Notary Public or by registered mail. A higher rent isn’t a ground. Serve notice for that and it’ll fail.
In short
Everything here comes from Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008. Article 25 has the list of grounds. Anything not on it won't work.
You count the twelve months to the eviction date, and that's often months past the next renewal. Owners mix the two up all the time.
Serve it through a Notary Public or by registered mail. WhatsApp doesn't count, and neither does email or a letter handed over.
It's illegal to change the locks or cut the utilities, and doing it gives the tenant a counterclaim even when they're the one in the wrong.
The grounds the law allows
Reaching the end of the term doesn’t end a Dubai tenancy. It renews, unless you’ve given notice on one of the Article 25 grounds and served it the way that article says. Whatever reason you write in the notice, you’re tied to it afterwards. So write the true one, even if a different one sounds stronger.
| Reason | When it applies | Notice required |
|---|---|---|
| You intend to sell | At expiry | 12 months, notarised |
| You or close family will live in it | At expiry | 12 months, notarised |
| Demolition or major works | At expiry | 12 months, notarised |
| Serious breach by the tenant | Mid-tenancy | 30 days to remedy |
| You want a higher rent | Not a ground | Use Decree 43 instead |
Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, Article 25. Notice at expiry must be served through a Notary Public or by registered mail. Position current at September 2026.
That last row is where owners go wrong. If your tenant pays well under market, you have a rent problem, and Dubai deals with that under a different instrument. Serve an eviction notice because the rent’s low and you’ll lose a year, then lose the case.
Serving it properly
Whether your notice stands depends on what it says and on how it got to the tenant. It’s the second one that sinks most cases. The rule is there so service can be proved. Whether the tenant knew about it doesn’t matter.
| Channel | Counts? |
|---|---|
| Through a Notary Public | Yes |
| By registered mail | Yes |
| A WhatsApp message | No, even if the tenant replies |
| An email | No, even if receipt is acknowledged |
| A signed letter handed over or pushed under the door | No |
Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, Article 25. A notice that was not served this way usually has to be served again, which restarts the twelve months.
| Step | When |
|---|---|
| Notice served | January |
| Contract expires and renews for another year | March |
| Earliest date you can take the property back | The following January |
The twelve months run to the date you want the property back. Work backwards from that date, or you lose a year.
Ending a tenancy early
Ending a contract halfway through is harder, and the bar is higher than at expiry. You need a serious breach by the tenant. Usually that means they’ve stopped paying. It might also be subletting without your permission, or using a residential flat for something it isn’t licensed for.
Normally you serve a thirty-day notice first, which gives the tenant a chance to fix the breach. Only after that do you bring a case. It all takes longer than most owners expect going in.
At the Rental Dispute Centre
If the tenant disputes your notice, or just stays put, the matter ends up at the Rental Disputes Settlement Centre. That’s part of the Land Department, and it hears rental cases for the whole emirate.
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Filing fee | 3.5% of the annual rent |
| Minimum and maximum fee | AED 500 to AED 20,000 |
| Time to a hearing | About 30 days for most cases |
| Language | Arabic, for every document you rely on |
Rental Disputes Settlement Centre, Dubai Land Department. Position current at September 2026.
Why the Arabic file catches foreign owners out
Everything at the Centre happens in Arabic. Any document you rely on has to be in Arabic or come with a legalised Arabic translation, and that covers the tenancy contract and the notice as well as the Ejari certificate and the cheque records. They won’t accept a file in English only. Sorting translations after you’ve filed burns time you’ve already paid for.
Before you serve anything
Work backwards from the date you need the unit.
Pick the date you want the property back. Count twelve months back from it and serve before then. If you start counting from when the contract expires, you'll usually end up with a renewal you never meant to give.
Check whether rent is the real issue.
Maybe what you want is a better return, and you don't need the flat itself. Then Decree 43 gets you there faster, and you keep the tenant. Compare your rent with the RERA index before anything else.
Put the reason in writing and keep to it.
Your notice must give the ground. Say you're selling, then put the flat back on the rental market, and you've given the tenant an argument.
Get the Arabic translations done early.
If there's any chance of a hearing, get the contract, the Ejari registration and the notice translated and legalised now. Later, the delay costs money.
General information for owners as of September 2026, not legal advice. How an eviction goes depends on your contract’s wording and the facts of your case. See a lawyer before serving notice. A defective notice usually can’t be fixed without starting the twelve months over.
Questions
Can a landlord evict a tenant in Dubai to sell the property?
How much notice does a landlord have to give to evict in Dubai?
Can I evict my tenant to increase the rent?
Does an eviction notice have to go through a notary?
What happens if the tenant will not leave after the 12 months?
Can I change the locks or cut the electricity if the tenant stops paying?
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