Every rent increase in Dubai has to clear the same test: is it backed by the RERA Rental Index, and was it notified correctly. Miss either one and the increase doesn't hold up, whichever side of the lease you're on. Here's what the rule actually requires in 2026, and what changed this year around evictions, deposits and how the index itself is calculated.
The 90-day rule
A landlord who wants to raise the rent has to notify the tenant at least 90 days before the tenancy contract renews. That's it, no exceptions built into the timing. Notice given on day 89 is the same as no notice at all: the increase doesn't apply for that renewal, and the lease continues on its existing terms.
The notice has to say something specific. A letter that gestures at "market adjustment" or "annual review" doesn't meet the bar under Dubai's tenancy law, Law No. 26 of 2007 and its amendments. It needs the exact new rent figure and the date it takes effect. Anything vaguer than that, a tenant can reasonably ignore.
What counts as valid notice
Three things make a notice legally sound:
- In writing. Email or a paper letter, not a conversation.
- Traceable delivery. Registered mail, a notary, or an Ejari-linked channel with proof of receipt.
- Specific terms. The new amount and the effective date, stated plainly.
A WhatsApp message doesn't count, and neither does a phone call, however clearly it was said. If a landlord can't produce a paper trail for the notice, the increase generally doesn't stand up at the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre (RDSC).
How much can rent go up
The Smart Rental Index sets the ceiling, and it moves on a sliding scale tied to how far the current rent sits below the market benchmark for that building and unit type:
- Within 10% of the index: no increase permitted.
- 11–20% below the index: up to 5%.
- 21–30% below the index: up to 10%.
- 31–40% below the index: up to 15%.
- More than 40% below the index: up to 20%, the legal ceiling.
There's no route past 20% in a single renewal, regardless of how far under market a rent has drifted. The Dubai Land Department's Rental Calculator applies this automatically once you enter the property details, and it's worth running before a renewal conversation starts, on either side of it.
What's new for 2026: the index itself got more precise. It now pulls from building-level transaction data instead of area-wide averages, and it separates furnished from unfurnished rents. Two identical layouts in the same tower can carry different benchmarks if one comes furnished, which changes what a landlord can justify.
What else changed in 2026
Three updates outside the rent-increase mechanics itself are worth knowing, because they shift the leverage in a renewal or an eviction conversation:
- Eviction for personal use now needs 12 months' notice. A landlord who wants the property back for themselves or a family member has to notify via notary public or registered mail, twelve months out, not the 90-day rent-increase window. The notice must name the family member and their relationship to the landlord. If the property goes back on the rental market within 12 months of that tenant leaving, the former tenant can file for compensation at the RDSC.
- Ejari registration is now a 30-day requirement. Landlords must register every signed contract within 30 days, or risk fines and a weaker position if a dispute ever reaches the RDSC.
- Security deposits are codified. Landlords can't deduct for normal wear and tear, and the deposit has to be returned within 30 days of the lease ending.
If notice is late or missing
A tenant who receives less than 90 days' notice has three straightforward options:
- Point to the law. A short written reminder that the notice fell short is often enough; most landlords know the rule and will hold the current rent.
- File with the RDSC. A formal dispute costs AED 500 to lodge and puts the index-based calculation in front of an authority that will enforce it.
- Do nothing. If no valid notice was given, the existing terms simply roll over. No response is required to keep them.
The lease renewal process
Assuming notice was valid, the renewal itself is straightforward: the tenant reviews the proposed rent against the index, and either accepts it or contests it before the RDSC decides. What trips people up isn't the process, it's skipping the index check and taking the landlord's number at face value, or on the landlord side, assuming a round-number increase will hold without running the calculator first.
For landlords
- Send the notice at least 90 days out, by notary or registered mail, not email alone if you want it airtight.
- Run the DLD Rental Calculator before naming a figure. An increase above what the index allows simply won't be enforced.
- Keep a paper trail of every notice and every response.
For tenants
- Keep your tenancy contract and every notice you receive.
- Reply in writing, even to reject an increase.
- Check the index yourself before agreeing to anything. It takes a few minutes and it's the only number that actually matters.
FAQs
What happens if a landlord doesn't give 90 days' notice?
The rent stays as it is for that renewal. The landlord has to wait for the next cycle and notify correctly.
How much can rent legally increase in Dubai in 2026?
Between 0% and 20%, set entirely by how far the current rent sits below the RERA index for that building and unit type. There's no increase permitted at all if the rent is already within 10% of the benchmark.
Does a WhatsApp message count as rent increase notice?
No. Only written notice through a traceable channel, ideally registered mail or a notary, is valid.
Can a tenant dispute an increase?
Yes, at the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre, for a AED 500 filing fee.
What's different about eviction for personal use in 2026?
It now requires 12 months' notarized notice naming the family member who will occupy the property, not the 90-day window that applies to rent increases.
The bottom line
The 90-day rule and the index brackets haven't changed in years, and they're not likely to. What has changed in 2026 is enforcement getting sharper: a more granular index, a longer notice window for personal-use eviction, and deposit rules that no longer leave room for a landlord's discretion. Whichever side of a renewal you're on, the index is the only number worth arguing about.
If you're weighing whether to renew, buy, or move on entirely, it helps to think about the decision in investment terms, not just monthly cost. Our guide to capital appreciation in Dubai real estate covers where value is actually building. And if a rent negotiation has you reconsidering the market altogether, a confidential conversation with a senior advisor costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
