Q: Dear All, My rent renewal is due in April 2023 and currently paying AED 143000. The RERA Rental Index calculation shows an increase of 10%. The landlord sent a letter (90 days prior) along with a DLD valuation certificate attached stating that the rent will be increased to AED 220,000 (a 50%+ increase) based on the assessment of the property. Are there any options available to be able to contest this sizeable increase? (RDC will state that the landlord can use the valuation certificate to increase the rent now). Many thanks for your help.

Q: Hi, My landlord is going to increase the apartment rent from the next renewal. They are increasing by almost 20%. Is the 'three-year rent freeze' in Dubai for residential buildings applicable for this case?

Q: My landlord is trying to increase my rent outside of the RERA Index, using a DLD valuation as the basis. The sequence of events: 1. 90 days before my renewal, the landlord offered me a new lease with a 10% increase on my current rental 2. I challenged this by sharing the RERA rental index result, which stated there is no increase in the rental value 3. landlord decided at this point to do a DLD rental valuation 4. Last Friday, 49 days before my current lease expires, the landlord shared the valuation, which showed an increase of 21% on the rent (or looking at it another way, my current rent is 17.5% less than this current valuation) Can the landlord do that, and what is he legally allowed to increase my rent by in this scenario?

An interview-format article covering the topic of residential retail properties pertaining to the liability for property maintenance and the repercussions of defaulting on rent payments in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

This Decree determines the maximum percentage of rent increase for real property in the Emirate of Dubai when renewing lease contracts.

The provisions of this Law apply to real property leased out in the Emirate of Dubai, including vacant and agricultural lands, but excluding hotel establishments and real property provided by natural or legal persons as accommodation to their employees at no charge.

Provisions of this Law supersede articles (2), (3), (4), (9), (13), (14), (15), (25), (26), (29), and (36) of Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai.