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Dubai eviction rules: How owners can legally remove tenants for not paying rent
Upon expiry of the rent contract, a landlord may seek eviction of a tenant only in specific circumstances
- PUBLISHED: Sun 8 Feb 2026, 9:12 AM
Question: I rented out my property in Dubai to a tenant who paid the rent on time during the first year. However, over the past six months, the tenant has failed to pay the rent, citing various reasons. I now wish to sell the property as I require funds for personal reasons. How can I legally evict the tenant in order to proceed with the sale? What legal options are available to me?
Answer: In Dubai, a landlord may request eviction of a tenant before the expiry of the tenancy contract if the tenant fails to pay rent within 30 days from the date of notification, unless otherwise agreed by the parties.
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This is in accordance with Article 25 (1) (a) of the Law No. (33) of 2008 Amending Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai, which states:
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“1. A landlord may request eviction of the tenant from the real property before expiry of the lease contract only in the following cases:
Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, where the tenant fails to pay the rent or any part thereof within 30 days from the date of service of a notice on the tenant by the landlord requesting the payment;
For the purpose of paragraph (1) of this Article, the landlord shall serve a notice on the tenant through a notary public or by registered mail.”
Upon expiry of the rent contract, a landlord may seek eviction of a tenant only in specific circumstances. Where a landlord intends to sell the property, a tenant must be notified of the reason for eviction at least 12 months prior to the eviction date, and such notice must be served through a notary public or by registered mail. This is in accordance with Article 25 (2)(d) of the Amended Dubai Land Law,
“2. Upon expiry of the rent contract, the landlord may seek eviction of the tenant from the real property only if:
d. the leased real property owner wishes to sell it.
For the purposes of paragraph (2) of this Article, the landlord must notify the tenant of the eviction reasons at least 12 months before the date of eviction, and the notice must be served through a notary public or by registered mail.”
In accordance with the aforesaid provisions of the law, a landlord may request eviction of a tenant before the expiry of the tenancy contract if the tenant fails to pay rent within 30 days from the date of notification, unless otherwise agreed by the parties.
You may serve him notice through a notary public to pay the outstanding rent. If the tenant continues to default, you may file a claim before the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre seeking eviction on the grounds of non-payment and recovery of outstanding rent.
Once an eviction order is obtained and upon completion of execution procedures related to evicting the current tenant, you may have vacant possession of the property. Thereafter, you may proceed with the sale of the property. Alternatively, if eviction is sought solely for the puropose of sale, a valid 12-month eviction notice must be served to the tenant in compliance with the law.
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.