In Dubai, a landlord can't raise your rent to whatever they like. Increases are capped by a RERA sliding scale tied to the official Rental Index — and any increase needs proper notice. Here is exactly how much your rent can go up, and the rules that protect you.
The sliding scale: 0% to 20%
Under Decree No. 43 of 2013, the maximum increase depends on how far your current rent sits below the average market rate for similar homes in your area (taken from the official Rental Index):
- Less than 10% below market: no increase allowed (0%)
- 11–20% below market: up to 5%
- 21–30% below market: up to 10%
- 31–40% below market: up to 15%
- More than 40% below market: up to 20% (the maximum)
The logic is simple: if you are already paying close to the market rate, your landlord can't raise it; the bigger the gap below market, the more they can close it — but never by more than 20% in one renewal.
The 90-day notice rule
A landlord can't spring an increase on you at renewal. Under Dubai's tenancy law (Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008), any change to the contract terms — including the rent — must be notified at least 90 days before the contract expires, unless both parties agree otherwise. Miss that window, and the increase generally can't be enforced for that renewal.
Check your own number — officially
Don't take an agent's word for it. Dubai provides an official rental increase calculator — on the Dubai Land Department website, the Dubai REST app or DubaiNow. Enter your area, property type, bedrooms and current rent, and it returns the official market average and the exact maximum increase for your contract. Note that Dubai has moved to an updated Smart Rental Index, which classifies buildings more precisely — so always use the live official tool for your figure rather than an old estimate.
Note: these rules apply to Dubai. Other emirates set their own rental rules, so don't assume the same caps apply in Abu Dhabi or Sharjah.
What this means if you're weighing renting vs buying
The cap is real protection, but over years even capped increases add up — and they only ever go one way. That steady rise is exactly why many tenants run the numbers on buying instead. Our rent vs buy calculator compares the long-run cost of renting (with rising rent) against owning, and if buying looks tempting, the eligibility calculator shows what you could borrow.