Latest update — August 2026: The Smart Rental Index has been in force since January 2025, and its building-level valuations now drive the RERA rent-increase calculator. The Decree 43/2013 slab caps (0–20%) remain unchanged in 2026. Market context has shifted: rents fell about 1.1% in the three months to May 2026 (Cavendish Maxwell), so the calculator returns 0% for a growing share of renewals. Figures on this page were checked in August 2026; the index itself updates through the year, so always re-run the calculator close to your own renewal date.
A Dubai landlord can raise your rent by at most 0–20%, and only if your current rent sits more than 10% below the average for comparable units in the official rental index — the slab system fixed by Decree No. 43 of 2013 and benchmarked against the RERA Smart Rental Index published by the Dubai Land Department (DLD). On top of the cap, any increase needs written notice at least 90 days before your contract expires under Article 14 of Law 26/2007 as amended by Law 33/2008 — miss that notice and the increase cannot apply for that renewal cycle. This page covers the increase rules specifically; for the renting foundations (agent fees, cheques, Ejari registration) see our guide to renting in Dubai.
At a Glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Governing law | Decree 43/2013 (increase caps) + Law 26/2007 as amended by Law 33/2008 (notice and renewal) |
| Maximum increase | 0% to 20%, in five slabs, based on how far current rent sits below the index average |
| Benchmark | RERA Smart Rental Index (building-level since January 2025), not portal asking prices |
| Notice required | At least 90 days before contract expiry, unless the contract says otherwise (Article 14) |
| Where to check | Free calculator on dubailand.gov.ae, the Dubai REST app, or DubaiNow |
| Who it covers | All Dubai landlords, including special development zones and free zones such as DIFC (Article 2, Decree 43/2013) |
| Dispute route | Rental Disputes Centre; fee commonly reported as 3.5% of annual rent (min AED 500, max AED 20,000) |
The slab system: Decree 43/2013
Decree No. 43 of 2013 answers one question: how far below the market average is your current rent? Article 1 sets five bands, and the permitted increase depends entirely on which band you fall into:
| Your current rent vs. index average for similar units | Maximum legal increase |
|---|---|
| Up to 10% below the average | 0% — no increase permitted |
| 11% to 20% below | Up to 5% |
| 21% to 30% below | Up to 10% |
| 31% to 40% below | Up to 15% |
| More than 40% below | Up to 20% |
Three points follow directly from the decree's text. First, if you already pay within 10% of the average, the legal increase is zero — full stop. Second, Article 3 fixes the benchmark as the "Rent Index of the Emirate of Dubai" approved by RERA: a landlord quoting asking prices from property portals is quoting the wrong number. Third, Article 2 applies the caps to all landlords in Dubai, private or public, expressly including special development zones and free zones such as the DIFC — there is no "free zone exemption" from the slabs.
Example: you pay AED 90,000 for a one-bed and the index average for comparable units in your building's class is AED 110,000. Your rent is about 18% below average, so the maximum increase is 5% — AED 4,500, taking you to AED 94,500. A letter demanding AED 110,000 "to match the market" is asking for roughly a 22% rise, more than four times the legal cap in that scenario.
The Smart Rental Index: your building's rating changes the math
Since 2 January 2025 the benchmark side of the calculation has come from the DLD's Smart Rental Index, which replaced the old area-wide index with building-level valuations. According to the DLD's launch announcement, each residential building is classified on technical and structural characteristics, the quality of finishes and maintenance, location and spatial value, and the level of services and facilities — maintenance standards, cleanliness, and parking management among them. Media coverage commonly describes the output as a 1-to-5-star building rating assessed with AI across more than 60 criteria, though the DLD has not published the full scoring weights.
The practical consequence: two identical two-beds a street apart can now get different legal answers, because their buildings are rated differently. A well-maintained tower with functioning amenities carries a higher benchmark value than a tired building next door, which changes both the "average rent for similar units" and therefore which slab you land in. Tenants in older or poorly maintained buildings have, in commonly reported cases, seen demanded increases shrink or vanish once the building-level benchmark replaced the old community average.
Unlike the pre-2025 index, which reset roughly annually, the Smart Rental Index is updated dynamically through the year. That cuts both ways: a figure you looked up six months ago may no longer match what the Rental Disputes Centre would see. Treat the calculator's output on a date close to your renewal as the operative number, and keep a dated screenshot.
How to check your own case: the RERA calculator, step by step
The official calculator is free and takes about two minutes; depending on the channel, you may be asked to log in. Per the DLD's service description, it works like this:
- Open the calculator. Use the "Rental Index" service on dubailand.gov.ae, or the Dubai REST app (iOS/Android), or DubaiNow. All three are official DLD channels.
- Select the rental index / rent increase calculator under RERA services.
- Enter your details: the expiry date of your tenancy contract, property type (residential or commercial), the area/community, the number of bedrooms, and your current annual rent in AED.
- Read the result. The system immediately shows the average market rental value for similar units and the maximum permitted increase percentage for your case — which is often 0%.
- Save the evidence. Screenshot the result with the date visible. Re-run it within the last weeks before renewal, since index values update; the near-renewal figure is the one that matters in a dispute.
If the calculator's output and your landlord's demand disagree, the calculator wins — Article 3 of Decree 43/2013 makes the RERA index the legal benchmark, and the Rental Disputes Centre applies it.
The 90-day notice rule
The increase caps are only half the test. Under Article 13 of Law 26/2007 (as amended by Law 33/2008), either party may seek to amend the lease terms — including the rent, up or down — at renewal. Article 14 then requires that, unless the contract says otherwise, the party wanting the change must notify the other at least 90 days before the contract expires.
What follows from that in practice:
- Late or missing notice kills the increase for that cycle. If your landlord first mentions a rise 60 days before expiry, the contract renews on the existing terms and the increase must wait for the next renewal, with a fresh 90-day notice.
- Silence renews the contract. If neither side serves a valid notice and you remain in the property, the tenancy renews automatically on the same terms for the same period or one year, whichever is less.
- The "unless otherwise agreed" caveat is real. Some contracts vary the notice mechanics. Read your own contract's renewal clause before relying on the 90-day default.
- Form of notice matters. Written notice is the safe standard — registered mail, notary, or a channel your contract designates (some contracts accept email). A verbal remark or a casual message is commonly rejected as insufficient, though practice varies; keep everything in writing yourself.
- A valid notice within the slab generally sticks. If the landlord serves a proper 90-day notice and the demanded increase is at or below the calculator figure, staying on and paying is normally treated as acceptance. Respond in writing before expiry if you want to negotiate.
When the demand exceeds the calculator: decline, negotiate, escalate
If the letter asks for more than the slab allows, you are not obliged to accept it, and you do not have to move out. The working sequence:
- Reply in writing before expiry. State that you wish to renew, attach your dated calculator screenshot, and offer the legally permitted figure (which may be 0%). Keeping your reply on record prevents any later claim that you silently accepted.
- Negotiate from the 2026 market position. With rents flat-to-falling and a heavy handover pipeline, a landlord who loses a paying tenant faces void weeks, re-letting commissions, and possibly a lower rent from the next tenant. Many demanded increases quietly disappear at this stage.
- File at the Rental Disputes Centre if the landlord insists. The RDC (established by Decree 26/2013) is the competent forum; the filing fee is commonly reported as 3.5% of the annual rent, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 20,000 — confirm the current schedule at rdc.gov.ae before filing. You will need a registered Ejari contract. Our Dubai rental disputes guide walks through the filing process, timelines, and evidence.
- Keep paying the undisputed rent. Withholding rent entirely while you argue about the increase exposes you to non-payment proceedings. Pay at the existing rate (or the lawful figure) and let the RDC settle the difference.
Common claims you may hear — and what the law says
These positions come up frequently in renewal negotiations. Each has a factual, law-anchored answer:
- "This is a new contract, not a renewal, so the caps don't apply." The slab system governs rent increases for a sitting tenant at renewal. Re-issuing the paperwork as a "new" contract does not reset the tenancy — the RDC looks at continuity of occupation and the Ejari history, not the label on the document.
- "Market rate for your unit is now X — see the listings." Portal asking prices are not the legal benchmark. Article 3 of Decree 43/2013 names the RERA index as the measure of average rental value, and asking prices in a cooling market often exceed achieved rents.
- "Consider this message your notice" — sent 45 days out. The Article 14 default is 90 days before expiry. A late notice pushes the increase to the following renewal cycle.
- "Accept the increase or vacate." Refusing an unlawful increase is not a ground for eviction. Eviction at expiry requires 12 months' notice served through a notary public or by registered mail, and only on the grounds listed in Article 25(2) of the amended law: demolition or reconstruction, renovation that cannot be done while occupied, the landlord's own use (or a first-degree relative's), or sale of the property. And if a landlord evicts for personal use, Article 26 bars re-letting the property for at least two years (residential; three for non-residential) unless the tribunal permits a shorter period — a former tenant can claim compensation if the property is re-let within that window.
- "We don't need Ejari for this." Ejari registration is required to enforce the contract and to file at the RDC — that cuts both ways, so keep your own registration current.
None of this makes an above-slab figure impossible by consent — a tenant can voluntarily agree to any rent. The point is that agreement, not a unilateral letter, is what the law requires once the demand exceeds the calculator.
Market context in 2026: the calculator is saying 0% more often
The backdrop matters for negotiation. Per Cavendish Maxwell data reported in June 2026, Dubai residential rents fell about 1.1% in the three months to May 2026 — apartments down 0.9%, villas and townhouses down 2.1% — after roughly 18,200 unit handovers in the first half of the year, up 13.1% on the same period of 2025. Khaleej Times has reported around 32,000 further units due in the second half of 2026. As index values catch up with a flattening market, more sitting tenants find their current rent within 10% of the benchmark — the 0% slab. Dubai's regulator has also leaned into tenant flexibility, with RERA launching a Flexi Rent installment-payment scheme in June 2026.
None of this guarantees your own building softens — prime areas and villa communities with tight supply have held up, per the same reports. But if your landlord's letter assumes 2023-style double-digit growth, the current data and the calculator are both worth putting on the table. If the numbers still don't work, comparing costs across the border is reasonable due diligence: see Dubai vs Sharjah for the trade-offs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can my landlord legally increase my rent in Dubai in 2026?
Between 0% and 20%, set by Decree 43/2013. The permitted figure depends on how far your current rent sits below the RERA Smart Rental Index average for similar units: within 10% of average means no increase at all; more than 40% below means up to 20%. The free RERA calculator gives the exact answer for your unit.
Where is the RERA rent increase calculator and is it free?
It is free and official. Use the "Rental Index" service on dubailand.gov.ae, the Dubai REST app, or DubaiNow. Enter your contract expiry date, property type, area, number of bedrooms, and current annual rent; the result — average market value and maximum permitted increase — appears immediately.
What happens if my landlord gave less than 90 days' notice?
Under Article 14 of Law 26/2007 as amended, the increase cannot apply at that renewal unless your contract sets a different notice regime. The tenancy renews on the existing terms, and the landlord must serve a fresh, timely notice before the next renewal to try again.
Can my landlord evict me for refusing an illegal rent increase?
No. Eviction at contract expiry requires 12 months' notice served via notary public or registered mail, and only on the grounds in Article 25(2): demolition or reconstruction, renovation impossible during occupation, the landlord's or a first-degree relative's own use, or sale. Refusing an above-slab increase is not among them.
Do the rent caps apply in free zones like DIFC, Dubai Marina, or JLT?
Yes. Article 2 of Decree 43/2013 expressly applies the caps to all landlords in the Emirate of Dubai, including special development zones and free zones such as the DIFC. Free-zone addresses do not exempt a landlord from the slab system.
The calculator says 0% but my landlord insists on an increase — what now?
Decline in writing before expiry, attach a dated screenshot of the calculator result, and offer to renew at the current rent. If the landlord will not renew except at the higher figure, file at the Rental Disputes Centre — the RERA index is the legal benchmark the RDC applies, not the landlord's market opinion.
Does signing a "new contract" each year reset my protections?
No. The increase caps and notice rules protect a sitting tenant at renewal regardless of whether the paperwork is styled as a renewal or a new contract. Continuity of occupation and the Ejari record establish that it is the same tenancy.
How much does it cost to file a rent dispute at the RDC?
The filing fee is commonly reported as 3.5% of the annual rent, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 20,000, plus small administrative charges. Confirm the current schedule with the Rental Disputes Centre (rdc.gov.ae) before filing, and note that a registered Ejari contract is required.
Related reading: Start with the UAE property guide hub for the full series. If a dispute is brewing, the rental disputes guide covers the RDC process end to end; movers should see setting up DEWA and other utilities, and anyone weighing a cross-emirate move can compare costs in Dubai vs Sharjah.
