The Dubai Landlord's Guide to Protecting a Deposit Legally

What the law says about deposits in Dubai

Security deposits in Dubai are governed by Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008. For unfurnished residential properties the deposit is set at 5% of annual rent. For furnished properties it is 10%.

The deposit must be documented in the tenancy contract and cannot be withheld without justification.

Article 20 of the legislation is the provision that matters most for landlords. It establishes that deductions must be for damage beyond normal wear and tear, and that the landlord bears the burden of proving that damage occurred and that it was caused during the tenancy.

This is not a minor procedural point. It means that without clear before-and-after documentation, the RDC will default toward returning the deposit in full.

What you can deduct for

Legitimate deductions include the cost of repairing damage to walls, floors, fixtures, appliances, or fittings that goes beyond what is expected from ordinary use. Unpaid utility bills, outstanding DEWA charges, and cleaning costs where the property was returned in an unreasonably poor state can also be deducted, provided they are supported by documentation.

Deductions must be specific, quantified, and evidenced. A quote or invoice from a contractor is the standard requirement. Saying a wall needs repainting is not enough. Demonstrating that the wall was in good condition at the start of the tenancy, was damaged during it, and that the repair cost a specific amount is what the RDC expects to see.

What you cannot deduct for

Normal wear and tear is not recoverable. Paint fading over time, minor scuffs on walls from furniture, worn carpet in high-traffic areas, and small marks consistent with ordinary use are all considered fair wear and tear. Attempting to deduct for these is one of the most common reasons deposit disputes arise and one of the most common reasons landlords lose them.

You also cannot deduct for pre-existing damage. If a wall had a crack before the tenant moved in, you cannot charge the tenant for it at checkout. This is precisely why move-in documentation matters as much as move-out documentation.

A note on unfurnished properties

Some landlords assume that unfurnished properties do not require a condition report because there are no furniture items to document. This is a misconception that regularly results in lost deposit disputes.

The condition of walls, floors, ceilings, fixtures, kitchen units, appliances, and bathrooms all need to be recorded at the start and end of a tenancy regardless of furnishing status. An unfurnished property has just as many surfaces and fittings that can be damaged as a furnished one.

The deposit amount may be lower at 5% of annual rent rather than 10%, but the documentation standard required to defend a deduction is exactly the same.

The documentation gap that costs landlords

The vast majority of deposit disputes at the RDC involve a landlord who believes they have a legitimate claim but cannot produce the evidence to support it. The property was damaged, the landlord knows it, but without a timestamped record of the property's condition at the start of the tenancy there is no way to prove the tenant caused it.

WhatsApp photos taken during a walkthrough are better than nothing, but they have significant weaknesses as evidence:

• They carry no legally legible timestamp independent of the device that took them
• They are not systematically structured room by room
• They are rarely signed or acknowledged by the tenant
• A single folder of images with no written record is easy to dispute at a hearing

A landlord who produces a WhatsApp photo album at the RDC is relying on the tribunal to accept informal evidence. A landlord who produces a structured, timestamped, room-by-room condition report signed by both the tenant and the agent is presenting a document that is considerably harder to dispute.

Some landlords also record video walkthroughs. Video is listed as a category of supporting evidence that can be submitted to the RDC alongside photographs and inspection reports. In practice, a structured written report with photographs remains the more useful format for a hearing because it allows the tribunal to assess condition item by item rather than reviewing footage. If you do record video, treat it as supplementary to a written report rather than a replacement for one.

Tenants are more informed than they used to be

There is a broader shift worth understanding. Dubai's rental market has grown significantly and the RDC's caseload has grown with it. In Q2 2025 alone the centre finalised 443 reconciliation agreements with a combined value of AED 190.7 million, and the RDC has described the financial scope of disputes as continuing to grow.

The platform for filing a case is accessible, the process is available entirely online, and a tenant with a reasonable grievance and a basic understanding of the law has every tool they need to challenge a deduction.

Legal commentary consistently points to a lack of awareness about rights as one of the main drivers of disputes in the UAE. As that awareness increases on the tenant side, landlords who rely on informal records or assume a challenge will not follow are increasingly exposed. The landlords in the strongest position are those who can produce structured evidence quickly and clearly when asked.

The two documents that protect your deposit

When a tenancy ends, there are two things you need to confirm before making any deductions.

The first is proof that the tenant has vacated and settled their utility obligations. In Dubai, the DEWA clearance certificate serves this purpose. It confirms that the account has been cleared or transferred.

The second is a record of what condition the property was returned in, compared against the check-in condition report completed at the start of the tenancy. Without both, you cannot demonstrate a change in condition.

This is the documentation standard the RDC works to. Cases where landlords present a move-in report, a move-out report, and specific evidence of damage with a corresponding cost tend to resolve more quickly and more favourably than cases built on informal records.

What a condition report should contain

A condition report that will hold up as evidence should be completed room by room and cover walls, floors, ceilings, fixtures, fittings, appliances, and any furnished items.

It should include photographs dated and timestamped at the time of inspection, note the condition of each item clearly and specifically, and be signed by both the landlord or agent and the tenant.

Completing this at both check-in and check-out gives you a before-and-after record. Any discrepancy between the two reports, supported by photographs, is the evidence the RDC will assess when a deduction is disputed.

Returning the deposit

Once the property has been returned and any deductions have been agreed, landlords in Dubai are required to return the deposit promptly. Delaying without justification, or failing to return the balance after agreed deductions, gives the tenant grounds to file a case at the RDC in its own right.

If a dispute reaches the RDC

The Rental Disputes Centre in Dubai handles deposit disputes as part of its broader rental case jurisdiction. Most cases go through a mediation stage before a formal hearing.

The strength of your position depends almost entirely on your documentation. Landlords who arrive with a complete condition report from move-in, a matching report from move-out, photographs, and a specific repair invoice are in a materially stronger position than those who rely on memory or informal records.

The position in other Emirates

The deposit protection principle and the need for condition documentation applies across the UAE, not just in Dubai.

One point worth understanding before the specifics: in a typical deposit dispute, it is the tenant who initiates the claim, not the landlord. When a landlord makes a deduction the tenant believes is unjustified, the tenant has two routes in Dubai.

The faster option is a Writ of Payment, a legal petition handled by a Summary Action Judge without a full hearing. The alternative is a full first-instance dispute case, used where the facts are more contested. In Dubai, both routes carry the same fee structure for money claims: 3.5% of the claimed amount, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 15,000. This surprises many people who assume the fee is calculated on the annual rent. It is not. For a deposit dispute in Dubai, the fee is calculated on the amount being claimed back.

The landlord becomes the respondent and must defend the deduction with evidence in whichever emirate the property sits. The tribunal may also pass the cost of the claim to the losing party. A deduction that cannot be evidenced is a deduction that may not survive a challenge, and one that ends up costing more than the original amount withheld.

Abu Dhabi: Rental relationships are governed by Law No. 20 of 2006. Disputes are handled by the Rental Dispute Settlement Committees under the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, each formed of a chair judge and two members. The filing fee is 4% of annual rent, capped at AED 10,000, paid by the party initiating the claim. Tawtheeq registration is the Abu Dhabi equivalent of Ejari and is a prerequisite for filing. Evidence of property condition at both move-in and move-out is central to any deposit dispute, as it is in Dubai.

Sharjah: Rental matters fall under Law No. 2 of 2007, with disputes handled by the Sharjah Municipality Rental Dispute Department. Legislation updated in 2024 modernised the framework and reinforced protections for both parties. Condition reports and photographs are required to substantiate any deduction claim.

Ajman: Ajman formally established a dedicated Rental Dispute Resolution Centre under Law No. 1 of 2026, with a fee structure set out shortly after by Emiri Decree. This brings Ajman in line with the more established dispute frameworks in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.

Ras Al Khaimah: Rental disputes are handled through the Rent Dispute Center. The same principles around evidence of property condition apply as in the other Emirates.

Fujairah: Tenancy matters are governed by Fujairah Law No. 1 of 2011. Contracts must be registered with Fujairah Municipality, and disputes are settled by rental dispute committees or local courts. Security deposits must be returned upon lease termination subject to lawful deductions.

Umm Al Quwain: Governed by Law No. 3 of 2008 as amended by Law No. 2 of 2011. Tenancy contracts must include deposit terms and are registered with the municipality. Disputes are handled through the municipality's tenancy committee.

The specific procedures, registration systems, and fee structures differ by emirate, but the core dynamic is consistent across all seven. Property condition documentation at move-in and move-out is the evidence base for any deposit deduction claim, and the party making the deduction needs to be able to prove it.

The practical approach

Protecting a deposit legally is straightforward when the process is followed from the start of the tenancy. Complete a structured condition report at move-in, have it signed by the tenant, keep a copy, and repeat the process at move-out.

Compare the two reports, identify any discrepancies, obtain quotes for any repair work, and communicate clearly with the tenant before making deductions.

This process takes less time than a dispute at the RDC and is far less costly than losing one.

Pramana makes this process easier. The platform produces timestamped, photo-backed, room-by-room condition reports designed for the UAE rental market, completed in under 30 minutes and available to share digitally with all parties. A single inspection costs AED 500 with no subscription required. Find out more at pramana.ae.