Rental disputes in Dubai go to a dedicated body — the Rental Disputes Centre. The filing fee is a percentage of the rent with a cap, a notarised notice is required before filing, and appeals run on a fifteen-day clock. Here is the procedure from the Centre's own FAQ.
Figures verified against official sources on 2026-09-13. Fees and deadlines are set by the Rental Disputes Centre and can change — the primary source is linked at every figure and at the end.
In our reading of Article 25 we stated plainly that we would not give court timelines or fees: the official tenancy guide does not contain them. Now there is a source — the Rental Disputes Centre's own FAQ. This article closes that "not available".
Where disputes actually go
Rental disputes in Dubai do not start in an ordinary court of first instance. A dedicated body exists for them: the Rental Disputes Centre (RDC). It hears both landlord eviction claims and tenant claims.
What must happen BEFORE filing
This is where most time is lost. The Centre states that a legal notice (in its wording, a forensic warning) is served first, and the claim may be filed one month after the defendant receives it.
The practical consequence: a chat message does not start the clock at all. The clock runs from proper service — the same notary or registered post that the tenancy law requires for eviction.
Documents
The Centre's FAQ names:
- a copy of the latest tenancy contract (Ejari);
- identification for all parties to the dispute;
- a valid management contract (where a company manages the property);
- a bank letter or account statement showing the claimant's IBAN;
- for eviction cases — a copy of the notarised warning together with the statement of the person who served it.
Note the IBAN: the Centre asks for it up front because awarded sums are paid by transfer.
What filing costs
| Type of claim | Fee | Minimum | Maximum | source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eviction and related claims | 3.5% of annual rent | AED 500 | AED 20,000 | verify |
| Monetary claim | 3.5% of the claimed amount | AED 500 | AED 15,000 | verify |
The Centre's wording on the basis is "3.5% of Annual Rent or Lease Value if it is more or less than a year" — the percentage is taken on the annual rent, or on the contract value where the term is not a year.
In practice: on AED 120,000 annual rent the fee is AED 4,200 — inside the corridor, the cap does not bite. The AED 20,000 ceiling starts to bind at roughly AED 571,000 of annual rent. That is arithmetic on the 3.5% rate, not an estimate — put your own number in.
Appeal: fifteen days and a threshold
| Parameter | Value | source |
|---|---|---|
| Time to appeal | 15 days from the date judgment is issued | verify |
| Threshold for monetary claims | AED 100,000 or more | verify |
| Threshold for eviction cases | no minimum | verify |
Fifteen days is short, and it runs from the issuing of the judgment — not from the moment you learn of it. If the outcome matters to you, plan the appeal before it lands, not after.
How the claim is filed
The Centre describes filing as fully electronic: create your own account on the dispute resolution system, log in, enter the tenancy contract details, then the parties and the claims, attach the documents and submit the electronic form.
Practical order
- Notice first — notary or registered post. Without it the clock does not run.
- Count one month from the date the defendant received the notice.
- Gather documents early, especially the Ejari contract and the bank statement with IBAN.
- Compute the fee on your own rent: 3.5% within the corridor from AED 500 to the cap.
- Keep the 15 days in mind — measured from the judgment.
What we are deliberately NOT claiming
- We are not lawyers and this is not legal advice. This article restates the Centre's official FAQ; your case may involve facts we do not know.
- We give no timeline for hearing a case on the merits — the source quoted does not state one, and inventing it is not acceptable.
- Case types may differ. The FAQ wording is general; confirm the procedure for your specific claim with the Centre itself.
- Fees and thresholds change by decision of the Centre — verify against the primary source before filing.
Sources
- Rental Disputes Centre — FAQ — filing procedure, documents, 3.5% fee with AED 500 minimum and AED 20,000 / AED 15,000 caps, 15-day appeal, AED 100,000 threshold.
- Dubai Land Department — Tenancy Guide (PDF) — eviction grounds and form of notice (Article 25).
- Dubai Land Department — tenancy registration via Ejari.
