Maintenance, Utilities and Service Disconnection in Dubai
In a Dubai tenancy the law's starting point is clear: the landlord hands over the property fit for use and keeps it maintained, unless the parties agree otherwise in writing. A landlord may not make changes that stop the tenant using the home, and — whatever the argument between the two sides — may never cut the electricity, water or other services to force a tenant out. This page explains the four articles that govern repairs and utilities, how major and minor maintenance are split in practice, and exactly what a tenant can do when a landlord withholds a repair or disconnects a service.
- The landlord maintains the property during the term — unless the contract clearly says otherwise (Article 16)
- The property must be handed over fit for full use, and no change may prevent that use (Articles 15 and 17)
- A landlord may never cut utilities or disturb the tenant; the tenant can report it and claim damages (Article 34)
- Disagreements about repairs and utilities are decided by the Rental Disputes Centre, not by either party alone
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Who is responsible for maintenance, and can a landlord cut utilities?
In Dubai the landlord is responsible for maintaining the property during the tenancy unless the parties agree otherwise, and a landlord may never disconnect utilities or otherwise disturb the tenant — doing so is unlawful and the tenant can report it and seek damages.
The relationship between landlords and tenants in Dubai is governed by Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008. Four of its articles decide almost every repair-and-utilities dispute. Article 15 requires the landlord to hand over the property in a condition that allows the tenant full use for the agreed purpose. Article 16 makes the landlord responsible for maintenance during the term, unless the parties agree otherwise. Article 17 forbids the landlord from making any change that would prevent the tenant's use. Article 34 forbids the landlord from cutting services or disturbing the tenant at all.
Read together, these articles create a simple default: the tenant is entitled to a home that works, and the landlord carries the burden of keeping it working. The phrase "unless the parties agree otherwise" in Article 16 is important, because it lets a contract move some of the maintenance onto the tenant — but only what the contract clearly and expressly says. Silence in the contract leaves the duty where the law puts it, on the landlord.
Utilities are a separate and firmer rule. Whatever the dispute — unpaid rent, a disagreement over renewal, or a demand to leave — the landlord cannot switch off the electricity, water, cooling or other services to pressure the tenant. Article 34 treats that as prohibited self-help. The lawful route for any complaint runs through the Rental Disputes Centre, the specialised judicial body for tenancy cases in Dubai, and never through the fuse box.
The four articles that govern repairs and utilities
- Article 15 — handover fit for use
- The landlord must deliver the property in good condition, allowing the tenant to make full use of it for the purpose stated in the contract. A property handed over with defects that block that use falls short of Article 15 from day one.
- Article 16 — maintenance during the term
- Unless the parties agree otherwise, during the lease the landlord is responsible for maintenance and for repairing any defect or fault that affects the tenant's intended use of the property. This is the default rule that decides most repair questions.
- Article 17 — no change that prevents use
- The landlord may not make any change to the property that would stop the tenant using it fully. This protects the tenant against alterations, restrictions or works imposed during the term that would impair the home.
- Article 34 — no cutting services, no disturbance
- The landlord may not disconnect the property's services or otherwise disturb the tenant's use. If the landlord does, the tenant may report the violation to the police and/or bring a claim before the Tribunal for damages.
Landlord and tenant: the default split of duties
The landlord (unless agreed otherwise)
- Hand over the property fit for full use for the agreed purpose (Art 15)
- Maintain the property and repair defects affecting use during the term (Art 16)
- Not make any change that prevents the tenant's use (Art 17)
- Never cut utilities or disturb the tenant (Art 34)
- Structural, major and system-level works remain the landlord's by default
The tenant
- Use the property with the care of a reasonable person and not damage it
- Pay for consumption on the utility account (for example DEWA) held in the tenant's name
- Handle only the minor, day-to-day repairs the contract expressly assigns
- Report faults promptly so the landlord can meet the Article 16 duty
- Return the property in its received condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted (Art 21)
Major and minor maintenance: what the contract can and cannot do
People often ask where the line falls between "major" and "minor" maintenance. It is worth being precise: Law 26/2007 does not itself split repairs into major and minor, and it fixes no monetary threshold. Article 16 simply places maintenance on the landlord unless the parties agree otherwise. Everything else — the familiar idea that the tenant covers small, everyday fixes while the landlord covers big ones — comes from what the two sides write into their contract, not from the statute.
That means a valid arrangement has to be explicit. If a landlord wants the tenant to handle minor repairs up to a value the parties fix, the contract must say so in clear words, and the value or the category should be stated. Where the clause is vague, or absent, the default under Article 16 controls and the landlord remains responsible. Structural elements, the building's systems, and defects that prevent the agreed use sit most naturally with the landlord, because Articles 15 and 17 protect the tenant's ability to use the home in the first place.
Article 34: a landlord may not cut services or disturb the tenant
Article 34 is one of the strongest tenant protections in the law, and it is deliberately blunt: the landlord may not disconnect the services or utilities of the property, and may not otherwise disturb the tenant's use of it. There is no exception for a rent dispute. Even when a tenant genuinely owes money, the landlord's answer is a claim at the Rental Disputes Centre, not switching off the power, removing an air-conditioning unit, changing the locks, or blocking access. Self-help of that kind is exactly what the article prohibits.
The remedies sit inside the same article. A tenant facing a disconnection or serious harassment may report the violation to the police, which can address an immediate, on-the-ground situation, and may bring a claim before the Tribunal for the damage caused. In practice the utility account (for example with DEWA, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) is usually in the tenant's own name, so a genuine supply cut by the landlord is both a contractual wrong and a breach of Article 34. Keeping evidence of the interruption is what turns a complaint into a provable claim.
A rent dispute is never a reason to cut the power
It is worth stating plainly for both sides. A landlord who is owed rent has a clear, lawful path: serve the required notice and, if unpaid, file at the Rental Disputes Centre. Disconnecting services or locking a tenant out to force payment does not shorten that path — it creates a second, separate violation under Article 34 that the tenant can act on immediately. The Centre decides who is right; neither party is entitled to decide it by cutting a supply.
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Common repairs and where they usually fall
| Repair or issue | Default position under the law | What changes it |
|---|---|---|
| A defect present at handover (e.g. a leak, faulty wiring) | Landlord — the property was not delivered fit for use (Art 15) | Nothing; this is a handover obligation |
| Major air-conditioning or plumbing system failure | Landlord — maintenance affecting use (Art 16) | A clear contract clause transferring it may vary this |
| Structural fault or a building safety issue | Landlord — cannot be pushed onto the tenant | Nothing; use and safety are protected (Arts 15, 17) |
| Small, day-to-day fixes (e.g. a light fitting, a tap washer) | Landlord by default; commonly assigned to the tenant | An express contract clause assigning minor repairs |
| Damage caused by the tenant's misuse or negligence | Tenant — must use with a reasonable person's care | Cost may be met from the security deposit (Art 20) |
| Consumption billed on the utility account | Tenant — pays for usage in the tenant's account | A different arrangement written into the contract |
| Landlord switches off a supply to pressure the tenant | Prohibited entirely — a violation of Article 34 | Nothing excuses it; tenant may report and claim |
How this plays out in practice
A landlord cuts the electricity because the tenant is two months late on rent.
What is usually neededThe unpaid rent gives the landlord a route through the Rental Disputes Centre, but cutting the supply is a separate violation of Article 34. The tenant can report the disconnection and claim damages, while the rent claim is dealt with on its own footing.
The central cooling fails in summer and the landlord will not fix it.
What is usually neededThis is core Article 16 maintenance affecting use, and the contract has no clear clause moving it to the tenant. The tenant should notify the landlord in writing, keep proof, and — if the landlord still refuses — file at the Rental Disputes Centre for repair and any loss suffered.
The contract says the tenant handles minor repairs, and a tap washer fails.
What is usually neededHere the express clause is valid and the small fix is the tenant's. The same clause does not reach a burst pipe inside the wall, which is a system fault the landlord keeps under Article 16 — a minor-repairs clause does not silently transfer major works.
A tenant damages a fitted kitchen through clear misuse.
What is usually neededThe tenant must use the property with the care of a reasonable person, so damage from misuse is the tenant's responsibility. On exit the landlord may deduct genuine repair costs from the security deposit under Article 20, but not ordinary wear and tear, which stays excepted under Article 21.
Your remedies when a repair is refused or a service is cut
Document the problem
Record the fault or the disconnection with dated photos, videos and any bills or account records, so the timeline and the harm are clear later.
Notify the landlord in writing
Send a written request to repair or restore the service, keeping a copy. A clear record of the request and the landlord's response is often decisive.
Report a disconnection to the police
For an actual utility cut or serious harassment, Article 34 lets the tenant report the violation to the police to address the immediate situation.
Prepare the file
Gather the Ejari-registered contract, Emirates ID, the evidence and correspondence, and any translation the file needs to move between Arabic and other languages.
File at the Rental Disputes Centre
Submit a claim to the Centre for repair, restoration of the service, or damages. The claim is first assessed for an amicable settlement.
Committee decision and execution
If not settled, a First Instance Committee decides the claim, with a route of appeal; a final award is enforced through the Centre's Judgment Execution Department.
What to keep for a maintenance or utilities dispute
- The Ejari-registered tenancy contract and any addenda on maintenance
- Dated photos or videos of the defect, damage or interrupted service
- Your written repair requests and the landlord's replies
- Utility account statements and bills in the tenant's name
- Any police report filed over a disconnection or harassment
- Quotes or invoices showing the cost of the repair or the loss suffered
- Certified translation of any document not already in the required language
Common mistakes on both sides
The mistakeA landlord cuts the power or water to force a tenant to pay or leave.
The fixArticle 34 prohibits this outright; the lawful route is a claim at the Rental Disputes Centre, and the cut itself exposes the landlord to a damages claim.
The mistakeA tenant stops paying rent to protest an unfixed repair.
The fixWithholding rent usually weakens the tenant's position; the better course is to notify in writing, keep evidence, and file a maintenance claim while continuing to pay.
The mistakeAssuming a "tenant does minor repairs" line covers major or structural works.
The fixArticle 16 shifts only what the contract expressly transfers; major, system and structural works stay with the landlord unless a clear clause says otherwise.
The mistakeA landlord deducts ordinary wear and tear from the security deposit.
The fixUnder Article 21 ordinary wear and tear is excepted; the deposit under Article 20 covers genuine maintenance and tenant-caused damage, not normal ageing.
The mistakeReporting a fault only by phone with no written record.
The fixPut every request in writing and keep it; a documented request and response is what proves the timeline if the matter reaches the Centre.
Repairs not done, or services cut off
What we prepare
Tenancy contracts and addenda, legal notices for notarisation and service, statements of claim and their annexes, evidence bundles, payment and cheque records, and judgment and execution papers.
Arabic is not optional
Proceedings before the Centre are in Arabic. A contract, notice or receipt in any other language is filed with a legally recognised Arabic translation — which is the work MANJAZ is accredited to do.
Free review, free quote
Reviewing your file and quoting for the work are both free. The Centre charges a registration fee of 3.5% of the annual rent, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 20,000 — that fee is paid to the Centre, not to MANJAZ. Our own quote is given once we have seen the file.
The language your documents are in
Arabic and English are the core pair, with 21 documented languages in all — so a tenancy contract, notice or receipt in any of them can be put into the Arabic the Centre requires.
Handled remotely
Documents are sent, reviewed and returned electronically — there is no counter to attend and no appointment to keep for the preparation and translation work. Where a step genuinely requires you in person, such as a notary attendance, we say so and tell you what to bring.
Before you file
Most rental cases are lost on the paperwork, not the merits — a notice served the wrong way, a contract that was never registered in Ejari, a deadline that had already run. We check those first, because they cannot be fixed afterwards.
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Reviewing your file and telling you what it needs costs nothing and commits you to nothing. MANJAZ Corporate & Translation Services L.L.C. — a Dubai practice that prepares documents and provides legal translation under UAE Ministry of Justice accreditation. On Dubai rental disputes we also give legal consultation, act for you, and represent you before the Rental Disputes Centre committees. MANJAZ is not a court and not a government body, and never guarantees an outcome.
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Questions and answers
The landlord is responsible for maintenance during the term unless the parties agree otherwise, under Article 16 of Law 26/2007. The property must also be handed over fit for full use under Article 15. A contract can move some repairs onto the tenant, but only what it expressly and clearly says.
No. Article 34 prohibits a landlord from disconnecting the property's services or otherwise disturbing the tenant, with no exception for a rent dispute. If it happens, the tenant may report the violation to the police and bring a claim before the Rental Disputes Centre for damages.
The law does not set a major/minor split or a monetary threshold. Article 16 places maintenance on the landlord unless the parties agree otherwise, so any shift of minor repairs to the tenant comes from the contract, which must state it clearly, not from the statute.
A cooling failure that affects your use is core Article 16 maintenance. Notify the landlord in writing, keep the evidence, and if the repair is still refused, file a claim at the Rental Disputes Centre for the repair and any loss. A minor-repairs clause does not cover a major system failure.
No. Locking a tenant out or blocking access is disturbance of your use, which Article 34 prohibits alongside cutting utilities. Even in a dispute, the landlord must go to the Rental Disputes Centre; taking possession by self-help is unlawful and gives you a claim.
In practice the utility account is usually in the tenant's name and the tenant pays for consumption. That is a matter of the account and the contract rather than a fixed statutory rule; whatever the arrangement, the landlord still may not cut the supply under Article 34.
Under Article 20 the deposit is taken to secure maintenance, and on expiry the landlord returns the balance after deducting genuine maintenance costs incurred. Ordinary wear and tear is excepted under Article 21, so normal ageing of the property should not be charged to the tenant.
The Rental Disputes Centre, part of Dubai Land Department, decides maintenance and utilities disputes. A claim is first assessed for amicable settlement, then decided by a First Instance Committee if needed, with an appeal route, and a final award is enforced by the Centre's execution department.
Where MANJAZ fits in
MANJAZ is a publisher and service provider, not a court and not a law firm, and it never guarantees a particular result. What we do is practical: read the tenancy contract and its maintenance clauses against Articles 15, 16, 17 and 34, help a party organise the evidence a repair or utilities dispute needs, prepare and arrange the file, and provide certified and legal translation where documents must move between Arabic and other languages.
Whether you are a tenant whose service was cut or whose repair has been ignored, or a landlord who wants a maintenance clause written correctly and enforced through the proper channel, the value is the same: identify the right article, keep a clean written record, and follow the lawful route through the Rental Disputes Centre. Getting those details right early is what most often shapes how a dispute ends.
Official sources
- Dubai Legislation — Law No. 26 of 2007 (landlord & tenant) — original text; Arts 2, 3, 4, 9, 13, 14, 15, 25, 26, 29, 36 amended by Law 33/2008
- Dubai Legislation — Law No. 33 of 2008 amending Law 26/2007
- Dubai Legislation — Decree No. 26 of 2013 (Rental Disputes Centre)
- Rental Disputes Centre — About the Centre
This content is for general information and awareness. It is based on the legislation and official sources available at the time of the last review, and procedures may differ according to the facts of each case and updates issued by the competent authorities. It is not legal advice, and MANJAZ is the publisher of this explanation, not the authority that issued the legislation.
Dispute over maintenance or utilities?
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