Dubai Rent Increase Rules: The RERA Calculator, Slabs, and 90-Day Notice

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

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:

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. DLD says the index uses artificial intelligence, and its FAQ lists the classification criteria (construction quality, architectural design, energy efficiency, services and location) but not how they are weighted; a landlord can ask DLD to update a building's classification.

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.

DLD's FAQ says the index is updated annually, so a figure you looked up before an update 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:

1. 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.
2. Select the rental index / rent increase calculator in the channel you opened.
3. 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.
4. 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 can be 0%.
5. 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. Law 33/2008 defines a notice as a written notification sent through a notary public, or delivered by registered mail, by hand, or by any other technological means approved by law. A verbal remark is not a notice under that definition; keep everything in writing yourself.
• A valid notice within the slab is hard to resist. If the landlord serves a proper 90-day notice and the demanded increase is at or below the calculator figure, the increase is within what Decree 43/2013 allows; if you still disagree, Article 13 leaves the fair rent to the Rental Disputes Centre, which applies RERA's increase criteria. 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:

1. 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.
2. Negotiate in writing. A landlord who loses a paying tenant faces an empty unit and re-letting costs, so a written counter-offer at the lawful figure is worth making.
3. File at the Rental Disputes Centre if the landlord insists. The RDC (established by Decree 26/2013) is the competent forum; the RDC's fee schedule sets the filing fee for a lease-renewal claim at 3.5% of the annual rent, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 20,000, plus small administrative charges; half the fee is refunded if the case settles at conciliation. You will need a registered Ejari contract. Our Dubai rental disputes guide walks through the filing process, timelines, and evidence.
4. 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 applies "when renewing" a lease (Decree 43/2013, Article 1), and DLD's FAQ calls the index only indicative for a new lease. A sitting tenant whose renewal is re-papered as a "new" contract can ask the Rental Disputes Centre to treat it as a renewal, using the Ejari history and payment records.
• "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; a landlord who cites listings is quoting the wrong number.
• "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) from repossession — a former tenant can ask the tribunal for fair 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 Dubai Land Department's latest rental-market release reports activity, not a rent-change rate: it recorded 118,385 new rental contracts and 135,607 renewals in the first quarter of 2026, worth AED 32.2 billion in total, with cancelled contracts down 25% (DLD, 19 April 2026). For your own renewal, the calculator's figure is the one the law uses. DLD has also launched a "Flexi Rent" initiative (23 June 2026, in a pilot phase): 11 named property companies offer monthly, quarterly or semi-annual payment plans on their vacant or eligible units.

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. In the DIFC, though, DLD's FAQ says the Smart Rental Index does not apply, and the DIFC's own Leasing Law (DIFC Law No. 1 of 2020, Article 31) requires written notice of an increase at least 90 days before a residential lease expires and makes an increase that breaks that rule invalid.

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?

The caps apply "when renewing" a lease (Decree 43/2013, Article 1), and DLD's FAQ says the index is mandatory when the parties disagree over a renewal increase but only indicative for a new lease. Whether a re-papered contract for a sitting tenant counts as a renewal is for the Rental Disputes Centre to decide on the facts, so keep your Ejari history and payment records.

How much does it cost to file a rent dispute at the RDC?

The RDC's fee schedule sets the filing fee for a rent or lease-renewal claim at 3.5% of the annual rent, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 20,000, plus small administrative charges (the fee for a purely monetary claim is 3.5% of the amount claimed, between AED 500 and AED 15,000). Half the fee is refunded if the case settles at conciliation, and 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.