Disputes & Rights · Dubai

Tenant not paying rent in Dubai?
30-day notice, RDC claim and what you cannot do

Updated November 2026 · Law 26/2007 Articles 7, 25, 31, 34, 35 · checked against dlp.dubai.gov.ae and rdc.gov.ae

What can a Dubai landlord do when the rent is not paid? Serve a notice to pay; if the tenant still has not paid 30 days from service, the landlord may seek eviction (Article 25(1)(a), Law 26/2007). This guide covers the steps, the RDC fees, what is forbidden — and the tenant’s side.

The short answer: serve a notice to pay, then wait 30 days

Article 25(1)(a) of Law No. 26 of 2007 lets the landlord seek eviction before the lease ends “where the Tenant fails to pay the Rent or any part thereof within thirty (30) days from the date of service of Notice to pay on the Tenant by the Landlord”. The clock starts when the notice is served — not on the missed due date.

Rent unpaid	Landlord serves a written notice to pay and keeps proof of service
30 days from service	Tenant can still pay; if not, the landlord may seek eviction (Art. 25(1)(a))
Claim filed	Tenant keeps owing rent while the case runs (Art. 31)
Award	Eviction awards are executed through the tribunal; other awards by the Execution Section of Dubai Courts (Art. 35)
What the landlord may not do	Cut off services or disturb the tenant’s use (Art. 34); end the lease unilaterally (Art. 7)

Document the default

Collect the tenancy contract, the Ejari certificate, the payment schedule, bank or cheque records and messages showing what is unpaid. Check your numbers against the contract; mistakes in the amount can weaken the claim. If you have no usable contract, start from the Dubai tenancy contract guide.

Serve a notice to pay

Send the tenant a clear written notice stating the amount due and that eviction proceedings may follow if it is not paid within 30 days. The law’s wording is “Notice to pay”, with the period running from service; the text of Article 25 does not prescribe a delivery method, so use a method you can prove (notary, registered post with receipt or a recorded delivery) and ask a lawyer if unsure. This is different from the 12-month eviction notice, which applies to ending a lease at its expiry.

File at the Rental Disputes Centre if 30 days pass

After the 30 days, the landlord can register an eviction and rent claim at the Rental Disputes Centre. RDC fees on its first-instance page (checked 2 Nov 2026): 3.5% of annual rent for eviction/rent claims, minimum AED 500, maximum AED 20,000; 3.5% of the claimed amount for monetary claims, minimum AED 500, maximum AED 15,000 (source).

What a landlord must not do

Do not change the locks, remove belongings or cut water or electricity. Article 34 prohibits disconnecting services or disturbing the tenant’s use, and lets the tenant go to the police or claim damages before the tribunal. A landlord who takes the law into their own hands can turn a rent claim into a counter-claim.

If you are the tenant who cannot pay

Talk to the landlord early and put any agreed instalment plan in writing. Remember that the 30 days start only when the notice is served, but rent keeps accruing and Article 31 means a pending case does not pause it. Paying the arrears inside the 30 days removes the Article 25(1)(a) ground. If the landlord refuses to engage, an addendum recording the agreed payment dates helps both sides.

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Frequently asked questions

How long does a landlord have to wait before evicting a tenant who does not pay rent in Dubai?

Article 25(1)(a) of Law 26/2007 lets the landlord seek eviction before the lease ends where the tenant fails to pay the rent or any part of it within 30 days from the date the landlord serves a notice to pay. The 30 days run from service of the notice, not from the missed due date.

Can a landlord evict a tenant immediately for late rent?

No. The law requires a notice to pay first and gives the tenant 30 days from service. The landlord then has to file a claim; an eviction award is executed through the tribunal (Article 35), not by the landlord changing locks.

Can the landlord cut off water or electricity or change the locks?

No. Article 34 says the landlord may not disconnect services from the property or disturb the tenant’s use of it. The tenant may go to the police station or claim damages before the tribunal.

Do I still owe rent while the eviction case is pending?

Yes. Article 31: filing a claim to evict the tenant does not exempt the tenant from paying the rent for the whole period the claim is considered, until an award is rendered and executed.

How much does an RDC rent claim cost?

On the RDC fee page: 3.5% of annual rent or lease value for eviction, renewal, rent claim or termination claims, minimum AED 500 and maximum AED 20,000; for monetary claims 3.5% of the claimed amount, minimum AED 500 and maximum AED 15,000. Small admin fees (for example AED 100 process service) are listed separately. Checked 2 November 2026.

Can the landlord end the lease just because rent is late?

A valid lease cannot be terminated unilaterally during its term; only by mutual consent or under the law (Article 7). Non-payment after a 30-day notice is one of the grounds the law lists for seeking eviction (Article 25(1)(a)).

What should a tenant do who cannot pay on time?

Contact the landlord before the due date and agree a payment plan in writing. If a notice to pay arrives, the 30 days matter: pay or settle before they run out, or get advice. Reaching a settlement at the RDC can also reduce the cost of the case.

Tenant not paying rent in Dubai?30-day notice, RDC claim and what you cannot do