Dubai tenants cannot be evicted at a landlord's whim. Article 25 of Law No. 26 of 2007, as replaced by Law No. 33 of 2008, lists the only grounds for eviction and how notice must be given. Here is what the law actually says, article by article.
Two different situations: during the contract vs. at expiry
The law separates eviction before the contract ends (only for the tenant's fault or specific events) from eviction when the contract ends (only for the landlord's genuine need, with 12 months' notice).
Eviction during the contract (Article 25, paragraph 1)
- Unpaid rent: the tenant fails to pay the rent or any part of it within 30 days after a notice to pay, unless agreed otherwise.
- Sub-letting without the landlord's written approval (both tenant and sub-tenant can be evicted).
- Using the property for an illegal purpose or one that breaches public order or morals.
- A commercial tenant leaves the property unoccupied without valid reason for 30 consecutive days or 90 non-consecutive days in a year.
- Unsafe changes to the property that cannot be restored, or wilful/grossly negligent damage.
- Using the property for a purpose other than the agreed one, or in breach of planning and land-use rules.
- The property is condemned, proven by a Dubai Municipality technical report.
- The tenant fails to meet a legal or contractual obligation within 30 days of a notice to do so.
- Government entities require demolition or reconstruction for urban development.
For these cases, the landlord must serve the notice through a Notary Public or by registered post.
Eviction when the contract expires (Article 25, paragraph 2)
At the end of the contract the landlord may request eviction only if:
- The owner wants to demolish and reconstruct the property, or add construction that prevents the tenant using it — with the required permits.
- The property needs restoration or comprehensive maintenance that cannot be done with the tenant inside — verified by a Dubai Municipality technical report.
- The owner wants it for personal use or for a first-degree relative, and proves they own no other suitable property.
- The owner wants to sell the property.
The landlord must notify the tenant of the reason 12 months before the eviction date, through a Notary Public or registered post.
Read the full wording in Article 25 (Eviction Cases).
How a landlord serves a valid eviction notice
Protections for tenants
- Personal-use evictions: the landlord cannot re-let to a third party for 2 years (residential) or 3 years (non-residential), or the tenant may claim compensation (Article 26).
- Sale of the property does not end a fixed-term tenancy (Article 28).
- Neither side can end a valid contract unilaterally during its term, except as the law allows (Article 7).
See Article 26, Article 28 and Article 7. For disputes, see our Rental Disputes Centre guide.
This guide summarises the official English translation of the law; the Arabic text prevails. For a live dispute, get advice from a lawyer or the Rental Disputes Centre.