When a Dubai Landlord Refuses Rent: The Rental Disputes Centre Offer and Deposit Procedure

The risk when a landlord refuses rent

Estimated reading time: 15 minutes

A rent increase dispute in Dubai often begins with a practical problem. The tenant is ready to renew and pay the lawful rent, but the landlord or property manager refuses to accept the cheques unless the tenant agrees to a higher amount, an additional charge, a change in the number of cheques, or a revised tenancy contract. In that situation, silence or delay can prejudice the tenant’s position. The landlord may later argue that the tenant failed to pay rent, even though the real dispute was the landlord’s refusal to accept the rent lawfully offered.

Dubai tenancy law provides a structured method for protecting the payment position. The procedure is known in practice as RDC offer and deposit. The official legal name of the relevant tribunal is the Rent Disputes Settlement Centre in the Emirate of Dubai, and it is commonly referred to in practice as the Rental Disputes Centre or the RDC. Through this procedure, the tenant asks the Provisional and Summary Actions Judge at the Rental Disputes Centre to accept an offer and deposit of rent, cheques, or keys, without prejudice to the tenant’s leasehold rights. The procedure is designed to allow a party to offer rent or keys to the real estate property owner through a judicial process.

As at 11 October 2026, the principal legal background remains Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai, as amended by Law No. (33) of 2008 Amending Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai. The Rental Disputes Centre itself was established under Decree No. (26) of 2013 Concerning the Rent Disputes Settlement Centre in the Emirate of Dubai.

This article explains when to deposit rent with Rental Dispute Centre channels, what the procedure proves, and what it does not settle in a rent increase dispute Dubai tenants commonly face.

The rent increase rules behind the dispute

Before using the RDC Dubai procedure, the tenant must distinguish between a lawful increase and an unsupported demand. Under Article 14 of Law No. (26) of 2007, as replaced by Law No. (33) of 2008 Amending Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai, unless the parties have agreed otherwise, where either party wishes to amend any term of the tenancy contract pursuant to Article 13, that party must notify the other party no less than 90 days before the date on which the lease expires.

This means that a landlord who wants to increase the rent normally must satisfy 2 separate requirements. First, the landlord must notify the tenant in time, unless the tenancy contract validly provides a different agreed notice period. Second, the proposed increase must be within the permitted rental increase limits. A timely notice does not authorise an increase beyond the statutory cap, and a proposed increase within the cap may still be disputed if the required notice was not served in time.

The permitted increase is governed by Decree No. (43) of 2013 Determining Rent Increase for Real Property in the Emirate of Dubai. This Decree applies to landlords in Dubai, whether private or public entities, including landlords in special development zones and free zones such as the Dubai International Financial Centre. It ties the maximum increase to the difference between the current rent and the average rental value of similar units according to the Rent Index of the Emirate of Dubai approved by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency.

The permitted increase bands under Decree No. (43) of 2013 Determining Rent Increase for Real Property in the Emirate of Dubai are as follows:

• No increase if the rent is up to 10 percent less than the average rental value of similar units.
• 5 percent increase if the rent is 11 percent to 20 percent less than the average rental value.
• 10 percent increase if the rent is 21 percent to 30 percent less than the average rental value.
• 15 percent increase if the rent is 31 percent to 40 percent less than the average rental value.
• 20 percent increase if the rent is more than 40 percent less than the average rental value.

Dubai Land Department provides the Rental Index service to calculate the rental increase and the average rental in the real estate market by entering the relevant property details, including the tenancy contract expiry date, property type, area, number of rooms, and current annual rent. The service is available through Dubai Land Department channels, including the Ejari system, the Dubai REST application, the Dubai Land Department website, and DubaiNow.

Therefore, when a landlord refuses rent Dubai tenants should not merely state that the increase is unfair. The tenant should preserve a clear record showing the lease expiry date, the previous rent, the landlord’s proposed increase, the date and method of the landlord’s notice, the applicable payment schedule, and the official Rental Index result applicable to the property at the relevant time.

What the Offer and Deposit procedure is

The Offer and Deposit procedure is not a full rental lawsuit. It is a provisional and summary application before the Rental Disputes Centre. The official service is called “Register an Offer and Deposit”. It enables a party to file a motion requesting the Provisional and Summary Actions Judge to issue an order, without prejudice to the leasehold rights, to offer rent or keys to the real estate property owner.

The expression “without prejudice to the leasehold rights” is important. It means that the act of depositing rent is not, by itself, an admission that the landlord’s position is correct. It is also not necessarily a final determination of every dispute between the parties. It is a protective judicial step designed to record that the tenant did not refuse to pay, and that the tenant used the proper channel after the landlord refused or failed to accept payment.

The required documents for the Rental Disputes Centre Offer and Deposit service include the Offer and Deposit motion, identity documents for individuals or company documents for corporate parties, a copy of the last signed lease, a copy of the new lease with the same terms and conditions, copies of the cheques deposited with the new lease, and copies of correspondence between the parties where available. All documents must be submitted in Arabic or legally translated into Arabic and uploaded through the Rental Disputes Centre system. The official service requirements expressly provide that hard-copy documents will not be accepted for filing.

As at 11 October 2026, the administrative service fees displayed for Offer and Deposit registration include AED 50 as the Offer and Deposit fee, AED 10 Knowledge fee, and AED 10 Innovation fee. If the application is registered through a Real Estate Services Trustee Centre, partner service fees of AED 130 plus value added tax on the partner service fee may be added. The Rental Disputes Centre states that the registration duration is 1 business day, and the judge’s decision is received through the website.

Where the rent relates to a previous period and has been deposited through cheques, the Rental Disputes Centre service terms state that the amount of the cheques should be replaced with cash. This distinction matters because renewal cheques for a future rental period and arrears for a previous rental period may be treated differently in the filing process.

What the deposit proves for the tenant

A properly prepared RDC offer and deposit file can be material evidence. It shows that the tenant took a formal step before the competent rental authority to offer the rent. It also shows that the tenant did not simply remain silent after rejecting the landlord’s proposed increase.

Dubai Land Department states in its official guidance that if property owners refuse to receive rent, tenants should deposit the rent with the Rental Disputes Centre treasury under an Offer and Deposit motion, the landlord should be notified to receive the rent, and tenants are deemed to have paid the rent from the date of the judge’s acceptance of such motion.

This is the central practical protection. If the landlord later alleges non-payment, the tenant can produce the Offer and Deposit motion, the deposited cheques or cash record, the judge’s acceptance, and the notification record. These documents may support the tenant’s defence that payment was not avoided, but was refused by the landlord and formally deposited through the proper channel.

In a rent increase dispute Dubai tenants should also use the file to demonstrate the quality of their conduct. A strong file normally shows the following:

• The tenant checked the official Rental Index and calculated the lawful rent position.
• The tenant replied to the landlord in writing before the lease expiry date or rent due date.
• The tenant offered renewal on the same terms and conditions, subject only to any lawful rent adjustment.
• The tenant prepared cheques matching the lawful amount and the contractual payment structure.
• The landlord or property manager refused, ignored, delayed, or imposed an unsupported condition.
• The tenant filed the Offer and Deposit motion promptly rather than allowing the rent date to pass without formal action.

The procedure is especially relevant where the landlord is attempting to use refusal of rent as leverage to force the tenant into an unlawful increase, a renewal fee not supported by the contract, a changed cheque structure, or amended terms that were not properly notified. In that context, the deposit may become the tenant’s most important contemporaneous evidence.

The tenant should also remember that payment protection begins from the date of the judge’s acceptance of the motion, not merely from the date the tenant wrote an e-mail or sent informal messages to the landlord. A written offer is important evidence, but the formal protective step is the accepted Offer and Deposit motion.

What the procedure does not settle

The Offer and Deposit procedure should not be misunderstood. It is not a final judgment determining every legal issue in the tenancy relationship. It is a protective motion, not a substitute for a full rental dispute where the tribunal must determine contested rights.

First, the Offer and Deposit procedure does not automatically decide the final lawful rent if the landlord continues to dispute it. Article 13 of Law No. (26) of 2007, as replaced by Law No. (33) of 2008 Amending Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai, allows the landlord and tenant, for the purposes of renewal, to amend lease terms or reconsider increasing or reducing rent. If they fail to agree, the competent tribunal may determine the fair rent by reference to the criteria stipulated in Article 9.

Second, the Offer and Deposit procedure does not automatically compel the landlord to sign the renewed tenancy contract or complete Ejari registration in every case. Article 4 of Law No. (26) of 2007, as replaced by Law No. (33) of 2008 Amending Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai, requires lease contracts governed by the Law, and amendments to them, to be registered with the Real Estate Regulatory Agency. If the landlord still refuses to cooperate, the tenant may need to proceed with a substantive rental claim through the Rental Disputes Centre to request orders for renewal, rent determination, registration-related cooperation, or other appropriate relief.

Third, the Offer and Deposit procedure does not by itself cancel a valid eviction claim. If the landlord has served a lawful eviction notice or alleges one of the statutory grounds for eviction, those issues must be tested separately under Law No. (26) of 2007 as amended by Law No. (33) of 2008 Amending Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai. In particular, Article 25 as replaced by Law No. (33) of 2008 sets out the cases in which a landlord may request eviction before expiry or upon expiry of the lease and the notice requirements that apply.

Fourth, the procedure does not resolve maintenance claims, service interruption, access obstruction, harassment, security deposit disputes, or compensation claims. If the landlord disconnects services, blocks access, removes access cards, prevents use of parking, refuses necessary access approvals, or otherwise interferes with the tenant’s enjoyment of the property, a separate legal analysis is required.

Article 34 of Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai prohibits a landlord from disconnecting services from the real property or disturbing the tenant’s use of the property in any manner. The Explanatory Notes on Article (34) of Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai, as amended: Interpretation of “Cessation of Interference with Quiet Enjoyment” and “Documenting Interference” clarifies that interference may include disconnection of electricity, water, air-conditioning, maintenance, prevention of entry, threats, harassment, barriers, and obstruction of essential facilities stipulated in the lease.

Therefore, tenant rights Dubai law protects through different procedures. The rent deposit protects the payment position. It does not, by itself, award damages or resolve every act of landlord pressure.

How to prepare a strong file

The strength of an Offer and Deposit application depends on preparation. The tenant should not wait until the last moment if the landlord’s refusal is already clear. A rushed file with missing documents, untranslated papers, or unclear calculations may weaken the tenant’s position.

The practical steps are as follows:

1. Review the existing tenancy contract and Ejari certificate. Confirm the expiry date, rent amount, payment schedule, notice provisions, renewal clauses, and any clauses dealing with the number of cheques or permitted charges.
2. Check whether the landlord gave notice of the proposed increase at least 90 days before expiry, unless the contract provides a different agreed period.
3. Use the official Dubai Land Department Rental Index service for the relevant property and preserve the result with the date, property details, current annual rent, and contract expiry date entered.
4. Write to the landlord or property manager in clear terms, stating that the tenant is ready to renew and pay the lawful rent. Attach the Rental Index result where relevant.
5. Prepare a renewal contract on the same terms and conditions, except for any lawful rent adjustment. The Rental Disputes Centre requires a copy of the last signed lease and a copy of the new lease having the same terms and conditions.
6. Prepare cheques matching the lawful amount and the contractual payment structure, unless the Rental Disputes Centre requires cash because the deposit concerns a previous rental period.
7. Preserve all correspondence, including e-mails, notices, courier records, messages, cheque delivery attempts, returned cheques, management company communications, and any written refusal.
8. File the Offer and Deposit motion through the Rental Disputes Centre website or through a Real Estate Services Trustee Centre, ensuring that all documents are in Arabic or legally translated into Arabic.
9. Keep the judge’s decision, payment receipt, cheque copies, application number, and any notification record served on the landlord.

If the landlord later accepts the deposited rent and signs the renewal, the dispute may end in practical terms. If the landlord refuses, the tenant should treat the Offer and Deposit file as evidence for the next stage, not as the final judgment on the tenancy.

The tenant should also avoid making procedural admissions in correspondence. A letter offering the lawful rent should be carefully worded. It should not unintentionally agree to a higher rent, a new fee, an altered cheque structure, or a waiver of rights. In commercial leases, in particular, the wording of the renewal offer and any reservation of rights may be significant.

When a full rental case becomes necessary

A full Rental Disputes Centre claim becomes necessary where the landlord’s refusal continues after the deposit, where Ejari renewal is blocked, where the landlord insists on an unlawful increase, where access or services are interfered with, or where the landlord files a case alleging non-payment or seeking eviction.

The Rental Disputes Centre has exclusive jurisdiction to determine rental disputes between landlords and tenants of real property situated in Dubai, including in free zones, except for free zones with tribunals or special courts having jurisdiction to determine rent disputes within their boundaries, lease finance disputes, and long-term lease contracts covered by the real property registration law. This jurisdiction is set out in Article 6 of Decree No. (26) of 2013 Concerning the Rent Disputes Settlement Centre in the Emirate of Dubai.

For a substantive rental dispute, the Rental Disputes Centre amicable settlement service currently lists the fee as 3.5 percent of the annual rent or lease value for claims such as eviction, lease renewal, rent claim, termination of lease in force, and return to premises previously evicted for demolition and reconstruction, subject to a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 20,000. For monetary claims, the fee is 3.5 percent of the claimed amount, subject to a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 15,000. Additional process service, knowledge, innovation, power of attorney registration, and trustee fees may apply. These administrative fees should always be checked before filing because service fees may change.

In a continuing rent increase dispute Dubai tenants commonly seek orders confirming renewal, determining the lawful rent, directing the landlord to complete necessary steps, dismissing unsupported eviction allegations, or compensating the tenant where unlawful interference has caused loss. The exact relief must be pleaded carefully because the Offer and Deposit file alone does not ask the tribunal to determine all these issues.

A landlord may argue that the tenant deposited the wrong amount, filed late, failed to tender the cheques properly, or changed contractual terms. A tenant may respond by relying on the official Rental Index, the statutory notice rule, the previous lease terms, the offer correspondence, the prepared renewal documents, and the judge’s acceptance of the deposit. The better the documentary trail, the more difficult it becomes for the landlord to portray the tenant as a non-paying occupier.

Practical legal position for tenants

The correct approach is to act early, write clearly, and pay through the proper channel if the landlord refuses. A tenant should not allow a landlord’s refusal to accept rent to become an apparent default. At the same time, a tenant should not assume that the Offer and Deposit procedure automatically wins the entire renewal dispute.

The practical summary is this. The RDC offer and deposit procedure proves that the tenant offered rent and used the official Rental Disputes Centre mechanism after refusal. Once the judge accepts the motion, the tenant is treated as having paid from the date of acceptance. It is therefore a strong protective step in a landlord refuses rent Dubai situation.

However, it does not finally decide every rent increase dispute Dubai parties may have. It does not automatically resolve Ejari renewal, eviction grounds, compensation, maintenance, access, harassment, service interruption, or security deposit disputes. Those issues may require a separate Rental Disputes Centre claim supported by the Offer and Deposit file as evidence.

For tenants facing a disputed increase, the safest course is to prepare the legal position before the lease expires. Confirm the notice period, check the Dubai Land Department Rental Index, offer the lawful rent in writing, preserve all evidence, and deposit rent with Rental Dispute Centre procedures if the landlord refuses acceptance. Where the dispute is substantial, involves eviction allegations, blocked access, business premises, high-value rent, or pressure to sign revised documents, the tenant should obtain legal advice before making procedural admissions or accepting amended terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a tenant do if the landlord refuses rent in Dubai?

The tenant should record the refusal, preserve all correspondence, check the lawful rent position, and consider filing an Offer and Deposit motion through the Rental Disputes Centre so that the payment position is protected formally.

Does an Offer and Deposit motion decide the final rent?

No. The Offer and Deposit procedure is a protective step. It records the formal offer and deposit of rent, but a separate substantive rental claim may still be required if the landlord disputes the lawful rent or refuses renewal.

When is the tenant treated as having paid the rent?

Dubai Land Department guidance states that tenants are deemed to have paid the rent from the date of the judge’s acceptance of the Offer and Deposit motion.

Does depositing rent force the landlord to sign the renewal contract?

Not automatically. If the landlord still refuses to sign the renewal contract or cooperate with Ejari-related steps, the tenant may need a substantive Rental Disputes Centre claim requesting appropriate orders.

Can the Offer and Deposit procedure stop an eviction case?

Not by itself. It may provide important evidence against an allegation of non-payment, but eviction grounds and notice requirements must be assessed separately under the applicable Dubai tenancy law framework.