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Dubai rentals: Who pays the maintenance cost of wear and tear, landlord or tenants?
If things escalate between the two parties, they can consider raising the issue and filing a complaint with the Dubai Rental Dispute Centre
- PUBLISHED: Sun 10 Aug 2025, 8:41 AM
Question: I’ve been living in the same apartment in Dubai for the past five years. The real estate company managing the building painted the unit before I moved in, but after five years, general wear and tear has left it in need of repainting. Isn’t the landlord or property manager responsible for this maintenance? What are my options if they refuse to repaint?
Answer: Unless otherwise agreed between the parties, a landlord is responsible for carrying out maintenance works and repairing any defects or damage that may affect the tenant’s intended use of the property. This is under Article 16 of the Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai.
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“Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, a landlord shall, during the term of the rent contract, be responsible for the real property maintenance works and for repairing any breakdown or defect that affects the tenant’s full intended use of the real property.”
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Based on the aforementioned provision of law, you should review your rent contract, as it may include specific clauses pertaining to painting. If your contract is silent or states that the landlord should paint, then you may reach out to your landlord. If there is no response from the landlord, in that case, you may consider raising the issue and filing a complaint with the Dubai Rental Dispute Centre, which has the authority to address disputes between landlords and tenants.
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.
