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Dubai: Can a tenant let a relative stay in the house?
A tenant cannot rent out an apartment, or any part of it, to another person, nor sublease to someone else, unless a landlord has issued written permission
- PUBLISHED: Sun 18 Jan 2026, 8:53 AM
Question: I live in a two-bedroom apartment in Dubai with my wife and three children. My cousin sister is planning to move to Dubai and intends to stay with me until she finds a job. Do I need to inform or seek permission from the landlord/real estate company for this?
Answer: In Dubai, a tenant is entitled to occupy and use a rented property for the purpose agreed in the tenancy contract.
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However, a tenant is not permitted to change the nature of use of a property or allow others to occupy it in a manner that exceeds or contradicts what was agreed with a landlord in accordance with Article 19 of Dubai Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai.
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The law states, “The tenant must pay the rent on due dates and maintain the real property in such a manner as an ordinary person would maintain his own property. Without prejudice to the tenant's obligation to carry out the restorations that have been agreed upon or which are customary for tenants to undertake, the tenant may not make any changes or carry out any restoration or maintenance works to the real property unless so permitted by the landlord and after obtaining required licences from the competent official entities.”
A tenant cannot rent out an apartment, or any part of it, to another person, nor sublease to someone else, unless a landlord has issued written permission. This is in accordance with Article 24 of the Dubai Rent Law, which provides:
“Unless otherwise agreed by the parties to the Lease Contract, the tenant may not assign the use of or sublease the real property to third parties unless written consent of the landlord is obtained.”
In accordance with the aforementioned provision of the law, your cousin sister’s stay is temporary, and you may not require formal permission.
However, if she intends to reside in the apartment for a prolonged period, you may check the additional terms and conditions annexed to your tenancy contract related to the stay of extended family members.
Ashish Mehta is the founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates. He is qualified to practise law in Dubai, the United Kingdom and India. Full details of his firm on: www.amalawyers.com. Readers may e-mail their questions to: news@khaleejtimes.com or send them to Legal View, Khaleej Times, PO Box 11243, Dubai.
