Eviction for Non-Payment of Rent in Dubai
When rent goes unpaid in Dubai, a landlord cannot change the locks, cut the electricity, or force a tenant out. The law sets a precise path: a written notice to pay, a thirty-day window for the tenant to settle, and — only if the arrears remain — an eviction claim before the Rental Disputes Centre under Article 25(1). This page explains that path from both sides: what counts as default, how returned cheques and part-payments are treated, why a tenant must keep paying while a case runs, and how to avoid the errors that decide these disputes.
- A written notice to pay first — then a 30-day window before eviction can be sought
- Non-payment is a during-term ground under Article 25(1), not the on-expiry route
- The tenant must keep paying rent while the case runs (Article 31)
- Only the Rental Disputes Centre can order eviction — never the landlord alone
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Eviction for non-payment, explained
A landlord in Dubai may seek to evict a tenant for unpaid rent, but only after serving a written notice to pay and giving the tenant thirty days to settle; if the arrears remain unpaid after that window, the landlord may file an eviction claim at the Rental Disputes Centre under Article 25(1) of the tenancy law.
The relationship between landlords and tenants in Dubai is governed by Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008. That law treats non-payment of rent as one of the grounds on which a landlord may demand eviction during the term of a running contract — but it does not allow the landlord to act alone. There is no lawful self-help: no changing the locks, no removing the tenant's belongings, and no disconnecting water or electricity. The route runs through a formal notice and, if needed, a judicial decision.
The first and most important step is the notice to pay. Under Article 25(1) the ground for eviction only arises where the tenant fails to pay the rent within thirty days of being served that notice. In other words, a single late day does not by itself trigger eviction; the law gives the tenant a clear, dated chance to cure the default before the landlord can move to the Centre. That thirty-day window is the pivot of the whole process, and getting it right protects both sides.
Two misunderstandings cause most non-payment disputes. Landlords sometimes assume that a returned cheque or a missed instalment lets them act immediately, or they confuse the thirty-day notice with the long twelve-month notice used to recover a property when a contract expires. Tenants, for their part, sometimes stop paying altogether once a dispute begins — which the law expressly does not permit. This page sets out the correct sequence, what counts as default, and the duties that survive on both sides while a claim is being decided.
Where non-payment sits in Article 25
Article 25 of the tenancy law has two halves that are easy to confuse. Article 25(1) lists the grounds on which a landlord may demand eviction during the term of a live contract — situations of breach by the tenant. Article 25(2) is separate: it governs eviction when the contract expires, on four non-breach grounds such as the owner's personal use or a sale, and it requires a twelve-month notarised notice. Non-payment of rent belongs firmly in the first half, Article 25(1).
Within Article 25(1) the law sets out several during-term grounds — among them subletting without the landlord's written consent, using the property for an illegal purpose, a commercial unit left vacant without valid reason, damaging the property, and non-payment. The non-payment ground is worded with a built-in safeguard: the landlord must first serve a notice to pay, and the ground only matures if the tenant still has not paid thirty days after that service. The notice and the wait are not optional; they are part of the ground itself.
This matters because a claim filed without a proper notice to pay, or before the thirty days have run, is vulnerable. The Rental Disputes Centre — the specialised judicial body for tenancy cases in Dubai — decides whether the ground has been established. It is not enough that rent is owed; the process the law prescribes must have been followed. Equally, a tenant who receives a valid notice and lets the window pass without paying or without a genuine legal answer is in a weak position.
The words that decide the case
- Default (non-payment)
- Failure to pay rent that has fallen due under the contract. It becomes a ground for eviction only after the landlord serves a notice to pay and thirty days pass without payment.
- Notice to pay
- The written demand the landlord must serve before eviction for non-payment can be sought. It fixes the date from which the thirty-day cure period runs and should state the amount owed and the property.
- The thirty-day window
- The period, running from service of the notice to pay, within which the tenant can settle and stop the eviction ground from arising. If the tenant pays inside it, the ground does not mature.
- Arrears
- The accumulated unpaid rent. Even after an eviction claim is filed, arrears keep accruing and remain payable, because filing a case does not suspend the tenant's duty to pay.
- Returned (bounced) cheque
- A rent cheque a bank declines to honour, commonly for lack of funds. In the tenancy context it is evidence that rent is unpaid, which can start the notice-to-pay process; any bank or enforcement consequences are a separate matter.
- Security deposit (Article 20)
- A deposit the landlord may take to secure the property's maintenance, refundable on expiry after deducting maintenance costs. It is tied to maintenance, so neither side should assume it automatically clears unpaid rent.
When is a tenant actually in default?
Rent is due when the contract says it is due. Whether paid annually, in a set number of cheques, or in monthly instalments, the payment schedule in the Ejari-registered contract is what governs. A payment that is simply late is not the same as a default that supports eviction: the law requires the missed rent to remain unpaid for thirty days after a notice to pay before the ground under Article 25(1) is made out. A tenant who pays within that window generally closes the door on eviction for that instalment.
Returned cheques and part-payments are where disputes get tangled. A bounced rent cheque is, in tenancy terms, unpaid rent — it can start the notice process just as a missed transfer would. A partial payment reduces the arrears but does not necessarily cure the default: if a balance is still outstanding after the notice period, the ground can remain. Because the amounts and dates are what the Centre examines, both sides benefit from clear records: the schedule, what was demanded, what was actually paid, and when.
The tenant must keep paying during the case (Article 31)
Filing or facing an eviction claim does not suspend the rent. Article 31 provides that the tenant is not exempted from paying the rent because of the proceedings, and must continue to pay until a final award is rendered and executed. For a tenant, this is the single most important point in a non-payment dispute: withholding rent to make a point almost always weakens the position rather than strengthening it, because the very ground in question is non-payment. Paying what is due — or offering it properly where the landlord refuses to accept it — keeps the tenant on solid ground while any genuine dispute about the amount is resolved.
From a missed payment to a decision
Rent falls due and is not paid
A payment scheduled in the contract is missed, or a rent cheque is returned unpaid. At this stage the tenant is late, but the eviction ground has not yet arisen.
The landlord serves a notice to pay
A written notice demands the outstanding rent and starts the thirty-day clock. Serving it through a documented channel, such as a Notary Public or registered mail, makes delivery easy to prove.
The thirty-day window runs
The tenant can settle the arrears and stop the ground from maturing. Paying in full inside the window generally ends the matter for that instalment.
An eviction claim is filed at the RDC
If the arrears remain after the window, the landlord files at the Rental Disputes Centre, attaching the tenancy contract, proof of what is owed, and the served notice.
Conciliation is attempted
The claim is first evaluated by the Centre's amicable-settlement stage, which seeks a quick mediated resolution — often payment of the arrears — before any judgment.
A First Instance Committee decides
If no settlement is reached, a First Instance Committee hears the case and issues a decision, with a route of appeal in accordance with the decree.
The award is executed
A final eviction award is carried out through the Centre's Judgment Execution Department; a financial award for the arrears is enforced through the execution route.
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What each side should do
If you are the landlord
- Serve a clear written notice to pay before doing anything else; keep proof of delivery
- Let the full thirty days run before treating the ground as established
- Never cut utilities, change the locks, or remove belongings — this is prohibited
- File at the Rental Disputes Centre with the contract, the arrears record and the notice
- Claim the arrears as well as eviction, so the debt is decided in the same case
If you are the tenant
- Treat a notice to pay seriously; the thirty-day window is your chance to cure the default
- Keep paying rent as it falls due, even during a dispute — Article 31 requires it
- If the landlord refuses to accept payment, use the offer-and-deposit route rather than simply stopping
- Keep receipts and cheque records; dates and amounts are what the Centre examines
- Report any utility disconnection; the landlord may not use it as pressure
The notice to pay is not the 90-day or the 12-month notice
| Instrument | What it is for | Timing and service |
|---|---|---|
| Notice to pay (Article 25(1)) | To demand overdue rent so eviction for non-payment can later be sought | Thirty days for the tenant to pay; in practice served through a documented channel |
| 90-day notice (Article 14) | To vary the terms or the rent at renewal — not to evict anyone | At least 90 days before expiry; given by either party in writing |
| 12-month notice (Article 25(2)) | To recover the property on expiry on one of four grounds, such as sale or personal use | At least 12 months before eviction; served by Notary Public or registered mail |
What a non-payment file usually contains
- The Ejari-registered tenancy contract — the Centre asks for a copy of the registered lease when a case is filed
- A statement of the rent due and the arrears, matched to the contract's payment schedule
- A copy of the notice to pay and proof that it was served on the tenant
- Any returned cheques or bank records showing the payments were not honoured
- Emirates ID or the trade licence for a commercial tenancy, identifying the parties
- Certified translation of any document not in Arabic, so the file is ready for the Centre
Common mistakes on both sides
The mistakeCutting the electricity or water to force a tenant out.
The fixArticle 34 forbids disconnecting utilities or disturbing the tenant; the tenant may report it to the police and claim damages before the Centre.
The mistakeFiling for eviction without first serving a notice to pay.
The fixThe thirty-day notice is part of the Article 25(1) ground; a claim brought without it, or before the window closes, is open to challenge.
The mistakeChanging the locks or removing the tenant's belongings.
The fixOnly the Rental Disputes Centre can order and execute an eviction; self-help exposes the landlord to liability.
The mistakeStopping rent altogether once a dispute begins.
The fixArticle 31 requires the tenant to keep paying until a final award is issued and executed; non-payment is exactly the ground at issue.
The mistakeAssuming the security deposit will cover the missed rent.
The fixUnder Article 20 the deposit secures maintenance, not rent; do not treat it as a substitute for paying the instalment.
The mistakeA tenant ignoring the notice because they dispute the amount.
The fixPay what is genuinely due and, where the landlord refuses payment, use the offer-and-deposit route rather than letting the window lapse.
How this plays out in practice
A rent cheque is returned unpaid for lack of funds.
What is usually neededThe returned cheque shows the rent is unpaid, so the landlord serves a notice to pay and lets the thirty days run. If the tenant clears the amount inside the window, the eviction ground does not mature; if not, the landlord can file at the Centre.
A tenant pays part of the arrears during the notice period.
What is usually neededA part-payment reduces the debt but may not cure the default if a balance remains after thirty days. Both sides should keep a precise record of what was demanded and what was paid, because the Centre decides on the figures and dates.
A tenant settles in full within the thirty-day window.
What is usually neededPaying the full outstanding rent inside the window generally stops the non-payment ground from arising for that instalment. The tenant should keep the receipt as proof that the default was cured on time.
A commercial tenant falls behind and the landlord wants both rent and eviction.
What is usually neededAfter the notice to pay and the thirty-day window, the landlord can file at the Centre claiming the arrears alongside eviction, so the debt and possession are decided together. The trade licence and the arrears statement help identify the party and the amount.
Unpaid rent: the 30-day notice comes first
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
No. A landlord must first serve a written notice to pay, and eviction for non-payment only becomes available if the rent is still unpaid thirty days after that notice. Even then, only the Rental Disputes Centre can order the eviction — the landlord cannot do it alone.
Thirty days. Under Article 25(1) the ground for eviction arises where the tenant fails to pay the rent within thirty days of being served the landlord's notice to pay. Paying within that window generally prevents the ground from maturing for that instalment.
Yes. Article 31 provides that filing an eviction claim does not exempt the tenant from paying rent, which remains due until a final award is issued and executed. Stopping payment usually harms your position, since non-payment is the ground in question.
A returned cheque shows the rent is unpaid, which can start the notice-to-pay process, but it is not an instant eviction. The landlord still has to serve the notice, let the thirty days run, and obtain a decision from the Centre. Any bank or enforcement consequences of the cheque are a separate matter.
No. Article 34 prohibits the landlord from disconnecting utilities or otherwise disturbing the tenant's use of the property. A tenant facing this may report it to the police and bring a claim for damages before the Rental Disputes Centre.
Do not simply stop paying. Where a landlord refuses payment, the tenant can use the formal offer-and-deposit route to place the rent on record, which protects the tenant from a non-payment claim while any genuine dispute is resolved.
No. Non-payment is a during-term ground under Article 25(1), using a thirty-day notice to pay. The twelve-month notice under Article 25(2) is a different instrument, used to recover a property when the contract expires on grounds such as sale or personal use, and served by Notary Public or registered mail.
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. In a non-payment matter our role is practical: reviewing the tenancy file and the notice to pay against the Article 25(1) requirements, helping either side assemble and organise the documents — the contract, the arrears statement, the proof of service — and arranging certified and legal translation where the file must move between Arabic and other languages before it reaches the Centre.
Whether you are a landlord who wants to recover overdue rent the right way, or a tenant who has received a notice to pay and is unsure how to respond, the value lies in getting the details right early: a properly served notice, an accurate record of what is owed, and a clear understanding of the duty to keep paying while any dispute is decided. Small errors at the notice stage are what most often shape the outcome later.
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
- Dubai Legislation — Decree No. 43 of 2013 (rent increase)
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.
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