Free legal tool
Is your rent
increase legal?
Dubai caps rent increases by law. The permitted percentage depends entirely on how far your current rent sits below the RERA market average — and if you are already at or above it, no increase is allowed at all.
The calculation applies the sliding scale in Dubai Decree No. 43 of 2013 to the figures you enter. Your actual position depends on the correct RERA index value for your specific property, your tenancy contract, and whether proper notice was served. Free zones and other emirates apply different rules. For a dispute, get it assessed properly.
The rule
How Dubai caps
rent increases.
Decree No. 43 of 2013 sets a sliding scale based on the gap between your rent and the market average.
No increase at all
If your current rent is less than 10% below the RERA market average — or at or above it — your landlord may not increase it.
Maximum 5%
Where the rent sits 11 to 20 per cent below the market average, the increase is capped at five per cent.
Maximum 10%
Where the gap is 21 to 30 per cent, the cap rises to ten per cent.
Maximum 15%
Where the gap is 31 to 40 per cent, the cap is fifteen per cent.
Maximum 20%
Only where the rent is more than 40 per cent below market may the increase reach twenty per cent — the absolute ceiling.
Notice is mandatory
A landlord must give at least 90 days' notice before renewal of any change to the rent or terms. Late notice is itself a ground to challenge the increase.
Common questions
Questions worth
asking.
General information only. Dubai properties; other emirates and free zones differ.
How much can my landlord legally increase my rent in Dubai?
It depends on how far your current rent is below the RERA market average for a comparable property. If you are within 10% of the average, no increase is permitted. Beyond that the caps are 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% as the gap widens through the 11–20%, 21–30%, 31–40% and over-40% bands.
My landlord wants more than the cap. What can I do?
An increase above the statutory maximum is not enforceable simply because it appears in a renewal notice. The position should be put in writing, and if it is not resolved the matter can be referred to the rental dispute authority. Keep the notice and all correspondence.
How much notice must a landlord give?
At least 90 days before the end of the tenancy for any change to the rent or terms. An increase notified later than that is open to challenge on that ground alone, regardless of the amount.
Where do I get the RERA market average?
From the official RERA rental index, available through the Dubai REST app or the Dubai Land Department website. This tool deliberately does not hold the index — it applies the legal rule to the official figure you provide.
Does this apply to my villa, office or free-zone property?
The Decree applies to Dubai properties, but the correct index value depends on property type, location and size. Some free zones and other emirates operate under different rules entirely, so check which regime governs your lease.
Being asked for more than the law allows?
Rent increase disputes are usually resolved on the notice and the index figure — both of which are documents. Bring them.