Landlord responsibilities in Dubai: repairs and the law

Under Dubai's rental law the landlord is responsible for maintenance of the property unless the tenancy contract says otherwise. That default surprises people, because in practice most Dubai contracts do say otherwise, usually with a clause making the tenant responsible for repairs under a set value.

Understanding both the default and the clause is what settles most maintenance arguments.

The legal default

Law 26 of 2007 places the obligation to maintain the property on the landlord during the term of the tenancy, and requires the landlord to deliver the property in a condition fit for the agreed use. The tenant's core obligations are to pay rent, to use the property for its intended purpose, and to return it in the condition received allowing for fair wear and tear.

Crucially, the law allows the parties to agree something different. So the contract is what governs, and the default only applies where the contract is silent.

The clause almost every Dubai contract contains

Most residential tenancy contracts in Dubai include a threshold clause: the tenant covers minor repairs up to a stated value per incident, commonly AED 500 or AED 1,000, and the landlord covers anything above it. Some contracts set an annual cap instead of a per incident one.

This is legitimate and it is standard. What matters is that both sides read it the same way. Two questions settle most disputes:

• Is the threshold per incident or per year?
• Does it apply to the repair cost only, or to the callout as well?

Get those answers before you sign, not when the air conditioning fails in August.

Who does what in practice

What the landlord covers in almost all contracts

• Structural repairs, roof, walls, waterproofing.
• Major plumbing and drainage.
• Major electrical, distribution board, wiring.
• Air conditioning system replacement and major repair.
• Water heater replacement.
• Built in appliances failing through age rather than misuse.
• Service charges to the building or master community. Our note on service charges covers what they buy.

What the tenant covers in almost all contracts

• Routine air conditioning servicing and filter cleaning.
• Light bulbs, minor fittings, small plumbing items such as a tap washer.
• Pest control in most contracts.
• Anything damaged through misuse or negligence.
• Utility bills. See our note on DEWA, chiller and move in costs.
• Garden and pool maintenance in villa lets, where agreed.

Air conditioning, the recurring flashpoint

More Dubai maintenance disputes involve air conditioning than everything else combined, because the equipment is worked hard, repairs are expensive, and the split between servicing and repair is where contracts get vague.

The practical distinction most contracts intend is this: routine servicing, cleaning and filter changes sit with the tenant, while failure of the compressor, the fan coil unit or the system as a whole sits with the landlord. A tenant who never services the unit and then presents a large repair bill will find that argument goes badly, which is why servicing records are worth keeping.

What a tenant should do when something breaks

• Report it in writing immediately, with photographs. Not by phone call alone.
• Quote the contract clause and state whose responsibility you believe it is.
• Give the landlord a reasonable opportunity to arrange the repair.
• If it is urgent and the landlord does not respond, tell them in writing that you will arrange it and seek reimbursement, then keep the invoice.
• If it remains unresolved, the Rental Dispute Centre hears maintenance claims. Our guide to how a Dubai rent case works covers the process.

Do not simply withhold rent. Withholding rent in response to a maintenance failure puts the tenant in breach and hands the landlord a stronger position than they started with.

What a landlord should do

Respond quickly, even when the answer is that the item falls to the tenant. A written response within a day removes almost every escalation. Keep a maintenance record for the property, because it is what settles both deposit and dispute arguments later. And service the air conditioning between tenancies rather than after a complaint.

If you would rather not field the calls, our property management service covers maintenance handling, and our first year landlord checklist sets out the wider obligations. When the tenancy comes up for renewal, renewing a tenancy contract in Dubai covers what to do and when.

Frequently asked questions

Who is responsible for maintenance in a Dubai rental?

Under Dubai's rental law the landlord is responsible unless the tenancy contract says otherwise, and the law expressly allows the parties to agree a different split. In practice most Dubai contracts do exactly that, making the tenant responsible for minor repairs up to a stated value and leaving the landlord with everything above it.

What is the AED 500 maintenance clause in Dubai contracts?

It is a threshold clause making the tenant responsible for repairs costing up to a stated amount, commonly AED 500 or AED 1,000, with the landlord covering anything above. Check whether the threshold is per incident or per year, and whether it includes the callout charge, because those two points cause most of the arguments.

Who pays for air conditioning repairs in Dubai?

Most contracts intend routine servicing, cleaning and filter changes to sit with the tenant, and failure of major components such as the compressor or fan coil unit to sit with the landlord. A tenant who has not serviced the unit and then presents a large repair bill is in a weak position, so keeping servicing records is worth the effort.

Can a tenant withhold rent for unfinished repairs in Dubai?

No. Withholding rent puts the tenant in breach of the contract and gives the landlord grounds to act, which leaves the tenant worse off than before. The correct route is to report the issue in writing, give the landlord a reasonable opportunity to fix it, and escalate to the Rental Dispute Centre if it remains unresolved.

Does the landlord pay the service charges in Dubai?

Yes. Service charges to the building or master community are an owner's obligation and are not passed to a residential tenant as a separate line. They are effectively reflected in the rent rather than billed on top, and a tenant should not be asked to settle them directly.

What should a tenant do if a repair is urgent and the landlord will not respond?

Report it in writing with photographs, state that the matter is urgent, and give the landlord a specific and reasonable window to act. If there is no response, notify them in writing that you will arrange the repair and seek reimbursement, then keep the invoice and the correspondence. That record is what a claim would rest on.