How much can a landlord raise rent in Dubai? What the law allows in 2026.
The five Decree 43 brackets, the 90-day notice rule, a worked JVC example, and what happens if the tenant takes the increase to the Rental Dispute Centre. Written for an owner with a renewal coming up.
At renewal in 2026, a Dubai landlord can raise the rent only by an amount set by how far the current rent sits below the RERA rental index. Within 10% of the index there is no increase. The permitted step then runs 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% as the gap widens past 40%. Any change needs 90 days’ written notice before the contract expires. This is current as of June 2026 under Decree 43 of 2013, which is still the governing law.
In short
Decree 43 of 2013 sets five brackets. What decides your bracket is how far the rent sits below the RERA index average, not how long the tenant has been there.
Within 10% of the index the permitted increase is zero. You only reach the 20% cap once the rent is more than 40% below market.
Any rent change needs at least 90 days' written notice before renewal, under Article 14 of Law 33 of 2008. A late demand cannot be enforced.
Each step is capped, so a deep rent gap closes over several renewals. The full market rent usually comes back only when the tenant leaves.
The reference figure is the RERA index, in the DLD rent calculator and Dubai REST. Our checker takes that figure directly, or pulls your building's average from registered Ejari contracts if you do not have it.
How the brackets work
Dubai does not let a landlord pick a new rent at renewal. The ceiling comes from one comparison: how far the current rent sits below the RERA rental index average for the same area, building type and unit size. The further below the index the tenant is paying, the more you may raise, in five fixed steps.
The gap is measured against the index, not against what you charged last year. A unit that was 25% below market last year and took its 10% rise may sit only 12% below this year, which puts it in the 5% bracket. You read the table again at every renewal.
| How far the rent is below the index | Maximum increase at renewal |
|---|---|
| Up to 10% below | 0% |
| 11% to 20% below | 5% |
| 21% to 30% below | 10% |
| 31% to 40% below | 15% |
| More than 40% below | 20% |
Decree No. 43 of 2013 governing rent increases for properties in the Emirate of Dubai. The gap is the percentage by which the current rent sits below the RERA rental index average for comparable units.
A tenant paying at or above the index cannot be raised at all, however many years you have owned the unit. At the other end, the 20% step needs a rent more than 40% below the index. Once you look up the figure for your own unit, that turns out to be less common than most owners assume.
A worked example
Take a one-bedroom in JVC. The RERA index average for that unit type is around AED 72,000, close to the 2026 Ejari median. Your tenant signed two years ago at AED 60,000 and the contract is up for renewal.
| Line | AED / year |
|---|---|
| RERA index average (market level) | 72,000 |
| Current rent | 60,000 |
| Gap below index (12,000 ÷ 72,000) | 16.7% |
| Bracket (11% to 20% below) | 5% max |
| Maximum new rent (60,000 × 1.05) | 63,000 |
The index average is illustrative, taken from 2026 Ejari medians for the area. Your own index figure is specific to the unit and shown in the DLD rent calculator.
The tenant is AED 12,000 below market and the law lets you recover AED 3,000 of it this year. If you want the full AED 72,000, you either step towards it over the next two or three renewals, or you wait for the tenant to leave and re-let at the market rate. A new contract with a new tenant is not bound by the brackets.
A deeper gap shows how slowly this works. A tenant at AED 40,000 against a AED 72,000 index is 44% below, which is the top bracket, so the most you may charge next year is AED 48,000. That still leaves AED 24,000 on the table, and it can only be recovered one step at a time. A rent left to drift for a few years takes several more years to bring back, and the brackets give you no way to shorten that.
Your renewal, the legal ceiling.
Find your building and enter your current rent to see the permitted increase.
The 90-day rule
The brackets set how much. The notice rule settles whether the increase counts at all. Under Article 14 of Law 33 of 2008, any change to the terms of a tenancy, rent included, has to be agreed at least 90 days before the contract expires, unless both parties agree something different in writing.
In practice you put the increase to the tenant 90 days out, in writing, rather than on renewal day. If you miss the window, the contract renews on its existing terms for another year at the old rent. Date the notice, send it with a few weeks to spare, and keep a copy, so the 90 days are never in question.
Managing a gap over time
Check the index before every renewal.
The permitted increase is measured against the RERA index, and the index moves with the market each year. Look it up again in the DLD rent calculator or Dubai REST each time, then apply the bracket. Last year's bracket tells you nothing about this year's.
Send the 90-day notice on time, in writing.
An increase agreed inside 90 days of expiry cannot be enforced. Put the date in your diary, send written notice, and keep the proof. Owners lose more rent to a missed notice date than to any negotiation.
Recover a deep gap in steps.
A tenant 40% below market can be raised 20% at this renewal and no more. Plan the following renewals to step the rest of the way, or accept that the gap closes fully only when the unit is vacant. Demanding the whole jump in one year is outside the law and invites a case at the Rental Dispute Centre.
Price a re-let from registered contracts.
When a tenant leaves, the new contract is free of the brackets and the market rate applies. Set it from recent registered Ejari contracts for comparable units rather than from asking prices, which in Dubai routinely sit 5 to 10% above what signs.
General guidance based on Decree 43 of 2013 and Law 33 of 2008, current at June 2026. Not legal advice. Disputes are handled by the Rental Dispute Centre. Confirm the current index figure for your unit before serving any notice.
Questions
- How much can a landlord increase rent in Dubai in 2026?
- It depends on how far the current rent sits below the RERA rental index average for similar units. Within 10% of the average, no increase. 11 to 20% below, up to 5%. 21 to 30% below, up to 10%. 31 to 40% below, up to 15%. More than 40% below, up to 20%. The five brackets come from Decree 43 of 2013 and apply at renewal. A new contract with a new tenant is not covered.
- How much notice must a landlord give to increase rent in Dubai?
- At least 90 days before the contract expires. Article 14 of Law 33 of 2008 says any change to the terms of a tenancy, including the rent, has to be agreed at least 90 days before the renewal date unless both sides agree otherwise. An increase raised on renewal day with no earlier notice cannot be enforced.
- Can a landlord increase the rent every year?
- Only while the rent is still far enough below the index to fall into a bracket. If your rent already sits within 10% of the RERA index average, the permitted increase is 0%, however many years you have owned the unit. The gap is measured against the market at each renewal, not against last year's rent.
- What is the RERA rental index?
- The Dubai Land Department's official average rent for a given area, building type and unit size. You find it through the rent calculator on the DLD site and in the Dubai REST app. The Decree 43 brackets are measured against this figure, so the index decides your permitted increase. A number an agent quotes you does not.
- Can a landlord evict a tenant just to raise the rent?
- No. Under Article 25 of Law 33 of 2008 a landlord can only end a tenancy at expiry for specific reasons: selling the property, using it personally or for next of kin, or demolition and major works. The notice is 12 months, in writing, through the notary public or by registered mail. Wanting to re-let at a higher rent is not on the list.
- Do the rent increase brackets apply to a new tenant?
- No. Decree 43 governs renewals with an existing tenant. A new contract with a new tenant is agreed freely at whatever the market will pay. That is why a unit often jumps to the full market rent when a tenant leaves, but can only move towards it in steps while the same tenant stays.
- What happens if the tenant disputes the increase?
- The tenant can file at the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre, the judicial body inside the Land Department that hears rental cases, online or in person. The Centre applies the same Decree 43 brackets and the same RERA index. An increase that stays inside the bracket and was served with 90 days' notice is usually upheld. One that exceeds the cap or skipped the notice is struck down. Filing costs 3.5% of the annual rent, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 20,000, and most cases are heard within about 30 days. Half the basic fee is refunded if both sides settle, so checking the index together first is nearly always cheaper than a hearing.
- Rent increase checkerEnter your rent and the index figure, or pull your building's average from registered contracts, and see the bracket.
- Rental yield in Dubai: the owner's guideWhat closing a rent gap does to your net yield, area by area.
- Renting out your propertyPlacement, Ejari and renewals handled, including the 90-day notice.
Mulki tells you the legal ceiling on every renewal, 90 days before it is due.
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