A Dubai rent decrease is not automatic: Dubai's tenancy law lets landlord and tenant review the rent up or down at renewal, and whoever wants the change must notify the other side at least 90 days before the contract ends. On 2 November 2026, Khaleej Times reported research by the property consultancy Cavendish Maxwell showing that 21.4% of rental transactions in the third quarter of 2026 were at a lower rent than the previous contract, up from 4.8% in the first quarter. No official figure says how far rents have fallen across the city, so what counts for your home is its own contract date and Rental Index result.
Last checked: 11 November 2026. We update this page when new official rent figures are published.
Dubai rent decrease at renewal: the timeline
Every step counts back from the day your tenancy contract expires. The same dates bind a landlord who wants an increase.
| Wenn die Funktion | What to do | Quelle |
|---|---|---|
| About four months before the end date | Look up your home in the Smart Rental Index (the Rental Index service on the Dubai Land Department (DLD) website or in the Dubai REST app) and save the dated result. | DLD FAQ |
| At least 90 days before the end date | Send a written request to change the rent, up or down. Keep proof of the day it was delivered. | Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended, Article 14; DLD FAQ |
| Between the notice and the end date | Negotiate. If you agree, renew at the new rent and register it in Ejari. | Articles 13 and 4 |
| No agreement | The Rental Disputes Center (RDC) can set a fair rent if one side files a claim. | Articles 13 and 9; DLD FAQ |
| End date passes, no request, tenant stays | The contract renews on the same terms, rent included, for the same term or one year, whichever is shorter. | Article 6; RDC FAQ |
Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, if either party to the Tenancy Contract wishes to amend any of its terms in accordance with Article (13) of this Law, that party must notify the other party of same no less than ninety (90) days prior to the date on which the Tenancy Contract expires.
Article 14, Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008 (official English translation; the Arabic text prevails)
Count back 90 days from your own end date, and send the notice well before the last day. Our arithmetic for six end dates:
| Contract ends | Notice no later than (90 days before, our count) |
|---|---|
| 13 February 2027 | 15 November 2026 |
| 28 February 2027 | 30 November 2026 |
| 31 March 2027 | 31 December 2026 |
| 30 April 2027 | 30 January 2027 |
| 31 May 2027 | 2 March 2027 |
| 30 June 2027 | 1 April 2027 |
What DLD says about your case, and what to do
| Your case | What DLD says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| More than 90 days left and your rent looks high | A tenant has the right to request a reduction with at least 90 days' notice (DLD FAQ). For renewal, the rent can be reviewed up or down (Article 13). | Send the request before your notice date with the Rental Index result (sample message below). |
| The landlord says no | Without agreement, the committee sets the rent, weighing RERA's increase criteria, the economy, the property's condition and rents for similar property in the area (DLD FAQ; Articles 13 and 9). | Renew as it is, leave at the end, or file at the RDC. The RDC decides; a reduction is not guaranteed. |
| The landlord wants an increase | Capped at renewal: none when your rent is up to 10% below the average for similar units, then 5% to 20% as the gap widens (Decree No. 43 of 2013). Three months' notice is required (DLD FAQ). | Run the Rental Index. If the notice is late or the figure is above the cap, say so in writing. |
| Fewer than 90 days left | The 90 days apply unless the parties agreed otherwise (Article 14). With no change agreed, a tenant who stays renews on the same terms (Article 6). | Check your contract's renewal clause, then ask anyway: the landlord may agree but doesn't have to. |
| Middle of the contract | Two routes (DLD FAQ): an amicable agreement with the landlord, or a judicial order after filing a case at the RDC claiming a reduction. The FAQ doesn't say on what grounds a claim succeeds. | Ask, and get any agreement in writing and into Ejari. Keep paying the contract rent: unpaid rent can lead to eviction after a 30-day notice (Article 25). |
| Signing a new lease | The index is indicative, not mandatory, for a new lease; it binds when the parties dispute the increase at renewal (DLD FAQ). | Negotiate before you sign: the starting rent is the base for later renewals. |
| A landlord whose tenant asks for a cut | The same Articles 13 and 14 apply: a request made in time opens a review, and without agreement the RDC can set the rent. | Check the Rental Index, reply in writing, and register what you agree in Ejari. |
Articles are from Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008; its "Tribunal" is today's RDC. The RDC lists 3.5% of the annual rent for claims that include lease renewal, from AED 500 to AED 20,000, plus AED 120 in fixed fees: AED 3,620 on a rent of AED 100,000, by our arithmetic. Our Rental Disputes Center guide covers the steps. This is practical information, not legal advice.
Are rents going down in Dubai?
Some are, but no official figure says rents have fallen across Dubai. Research reported on 2 November 2026 found a growing share of contracts signed at a lower rent than before, while official inflation data for September 2026 still showed housing costs about 6.23% higher than a year earlier.
The two don't conflict: a share of contracts can be signed lower while the average stays above last year's, which the same research also showed. The inflation figure is the housing and utilities group of Dubai's consumer price index, from the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment as reported by The National on 13 October 2026, which tied the rise to higher average rents in most areas. October's figures were not out on 11 November 2026.
Savills and Property Finder figures reported by Khaleej Times in October 2026 showed year-on-year falls in selected communities and in asking rents, but those are private samples too. DLD's own releases count contracts, not a citywide rent change: 118,385 new contracts and 135,607 renewals in the first quarter of 2026, it said on 2 November 2026. So act on your own index result and notice date, not on a headline.
How do I ask for a rent reduction in Dubai?
Ask in writing at least 90 days before the tenancy contract expires, state the rent you propose, and attach your evidence: a dated Rental Index result and what similar homes in the same building or community are advertised for now. If the landlord agrees, the new rent goes into the renewal registered in Ejari.
The law defines a notice as a written notification sent through a notary public, by registered post, by hand, or by other technological means approved by law, so follow your contract's notices clause and keep proof of delivery. The RDC's FAQ says WhatsApp messages and emails count as evidence once the parties acknowledge them in the case record.
Dear [landlord's name], my tenancy contract for [unit and building], Ejari number [number], ends on 2026. As Article 14 of Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended, requires, I am writing more than 90 days before that date to ask for the rent to be reviewed for the renewal. I checked Dubai Land Department's Rental Index on 2026 and attach the result, with current adverts for similar homes in the building. I would like to renew for one year at AED [amount]. I have paid on time and would like to stay. Please reply by 2026. Kind regards, [name]
Sample message for a tenant. Adapt it to your contract; it is not legal advice.
What does the Smart Rental Index tell a tenant?
DLD's Smart Rental Index rates each building and supplies the rental value used at renewal to decide whether an increase is allowed. It caps increases; it doesn't order decreases. A tenant can still use the result as evidence, and the RDC looks at rents for similar property in the area when it sets a fair rent.
Decree No. 43 of 2013 has five bands, all about increases, and none covers a rent above the average: a result that allows no increase is not a right to a cut. DLD says the index is updated annually, so the market may have moved since, in either direction. Our RERA rent increase calculator guide explains the bands.
For landlords: what to do when a tenant asks for a lower rent
The rule runs both ways, and the last row of the table is yours. If you want an increase instead, the same 90 days and the decree's cap apply to you. Weigh a reduction against re-letting: time on the market, a new contract and Ejari. Our guide to setting rent prices covers the starting point.
Looking for a home at today's asking rents? Browse homes for rent in Dubai. Landlords who want renewals, notices and Ejari handled for them can talk to our property management team.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
Are rents going down in Dubai?
Some are. Research by Cavendish Maxwell, reported on 2 November 2026, found a growing share of contracts signed at a lower rent, but official inflation data for September 2026 still showed housing costs above a year earlier. No official citywide figure for a fall exists.
Can a tenant ask for a rent decrease in Dubai?
Yes. DLD's FAQ says a tenant has the right to request a reduction if notice is given at least 90 days before the contract ends (Article 14 of Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended). The landlord doesn't have to agree.
What if the landlord refuses to reduce the rent?
You can renew at the current rent, leave when the contract ends (see our Ejari cancellation guide), or ask the Rental Disputes Center to determine a fair rent under Article 13.
Can rent be reduced during the contract?
Only by agreement with the landlord or by an order of the Rental Disputes Center, according to DLD's FAQ. DLD also lists a reduction among a tenant's options when required maintenance is neglected; see our guide to landlord maintenance responsibilities.
Is there a rent freeze in Dubai?
None had been announced for Dubai when we checked on 11 November 2026; the freeze reported in June 2026 was Abu Dhabi's. Dubai caps increases at renewal through Decree No. 43 of 2013.
Quellen
- Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, and Decree No. 26 of 2013 (Rental Disputes Center legislation compilation, PDF): Articles 2, 4, 6, 9, 13, 14 and 25; the tribunal's renaming
- Decree No. 43 of 2013 on rent increases (Dubai Land Department, PDF): the five bands
- Dubai Land Department: Frequently asked questions: the right to request a reduction, 90 days' notice, how the rent is set without agreement, reducing rent during a contract, the index for new leases and its yearly update
- Dubai Land Department: Mietindex-Service
- Rental Disputes Center: Register First Instance Lawsuit (Rental): fees; RDC: Frequently asked questions: automatic renewal, messages as evidence
- Dubai Land Department news, 2 November 2026: rental contracts in the first quarter of 2026
- Khaleej Times, 2 November 2026: Cavendish Maxwell's third-quarter 2026 rental research; Khaleej Times, 13 October 2026 (Savills) and 18 October 2026 (Property Finder asking rents)
- The National, 13 October 2026: Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment inflation figures for September 2026
Checked on 11 November 2026.
