Who can own, what to budget, which forms you sign, and what happens at the registration trustee when the home becomes yours.
Renting a home in Dubai with Enesco
A tenant's adviser who shortlists, checks the landlord, negotiates the terms and registers the contract on Ejari.
Our fee for finding and securing a rental home is agreed with you in writing before you sign the tenancy contract; Ejari registration costs AED 177.75 online.
In short
- Enesco finds rental homes for tenants across Dubai, negotiates the rent and the number of cheques, checks the landlord's title deed and registers the tenancy on Ejari.
- Every tenancy contract must be registered with RERA through Ejari; online registration costs AED 177.75.
- At renewal the rent can rise only within the bands of Decree No. 43 of 2013, and either side must give at least 90 days' notice to change the terms or not renew.
Brief.
Areas, type, size, furnished or not, pets, parking, budget and move-in date. If you are new to Dubai, tell us where you will work and where children will go to school, and we shortlist by commute.
Shortlist and viewings.
We shortlist homes that fit, confirm each advert carries a Trakheesi permit number, and arrange viewings in person or by video if you are still abroad.
Offer and terms.
We negotiate the annual rent, the number of cheques, the security deposit, what is included and who handles maintenance, and put the agreed terms in writing before any contract is drawn up.
Checks on the landlord.
We match the title deed to the person letting the home, or to their attorney under a power of attorney, so you pay the right person.
Contract and payment.
The tenancy contract records the rent, the term, the deposit and the cheque dates. By market practice rent is paid in advance by post-dated cheques from a UAE bank account.
Ejari.
The contract is registered with RERA through Ejari. Online registration costs AED 177.75. The landlord, the tenant or an attorney can register it.
Move-in.
With the Ejari certificate in hand you open your DEWA account for electricity and water, collect the keys and record the condition of the home in writing, with photographs, so the deposit comes back cleanly.
Rent, cheques and the deposit
Rent in Dubai is quoted per year and, by market practice, paid in advance by post-dated cheques from a UAE bank account. The number of cheques is agreed with the landlord, and fewer cheques often buys a lower rent.
The landlord holds a security deposit for the term and returns it at the end, less any deductions agreed for damage beyond normal wear.
Why Ejari matters
Article 4 of Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, requires every lease to be registered with RERA through Ejari. The certificate is what utilities, schools and government services ask for as proof of your address.
| Where you register | Fee |
|---|---|
| Dubai REST app or DLD website | AED 177.75 |
| Registration trustee centre | AED 100 + AED 10 + AED 10, plus a AED 95 service fee and VAT |
Your rights at renewal
- Rent increases. The rent can rise at renewal only when it is more than 10% below the Smart Rental Index average for similar homes: by 5% if it is 11% to 20% below, 10% if 21% to 30% below, 15% if 31% to 40% below, and at most 20% if more than 40% below (Decree No. 43 of 2013)
- Notice. Either side must give at least 90 days' notice before the contract ends to change its terms or not renew, unless the contract says otherwise
- Eviction at expiry. A landlord who wants the home back to sell it, or for themselves or a first-degree relative to live in, must give at least 12 months' notice through a notary public or by registered mail
We check any proposed increase against the index before you sign the renewal.
After you move in
Your adviser stays your contact for the term: maintenance the contract puts on the landlord, the renewal and the next move. If you later buy, the same adviser carries your brief across to buying a home in Dubai.
What it costs
Our fee for finding and securing a rental home is agreed with you in writing before you sign the tenancy contract; Ejari registration costs AED 177.75 online.
Questions about this service
Is Ejari registration mandatory for tenants in Dubai?
Yes. Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 requires every tenancy contract to be registered with RERA through Ejari. Online registration costs AED 177.75, and the landlord, the tenant or an attorney can do it.
How many cheques do I pay rent with?
The number is agreed with the landlord and written into the contract. By market practice rent is paid in advance by post-dated cheques from a UAE bank account.
Can my landlord raise the rent at renewal?
Only within Decree No. 43 of 2013. If the rent is up to 10% below the index average for similar homes there is no increase; above that the limit is 5%, 10%, 15% or at most 20%, depending on how far below the average the rent sits.
How much notice do I get if the landlord will not renew?
At least 90 days before the contract ends, unless the contract says otherwise. To take the home back to sell it or move in, the landlord must give at least 12 months' notice through a notary public or by registered mail.
When do I get my deposit back?
At the end of the tenancy, less any deductions agreed for damage beyond normal wear. A written condition report with photographs at move-in and move-out is the best protection for both sides.
Can I rent before my residence visa is issued?
The tenancy is registered on Ejari with your identification, and each landlord decides what they accept. Tell us where you are in the visa process and we match the landlord and the timing to it.
Guides that go with this service
How to rent out your Dubai property
Owning and letting
The landlord's side of Dubai tenancy law: registering the contract, what rent increase the index allows, the two notice rules, holiday lets and tax.
Renting a home in Dubai: what every tenant should know
Owning and letting
The law behind a Dubai tenancy, what you pay up front, how much the rent can rise, the notice you are entitled to, and where to go when something goes wrong.
The checks that take five minutes, the forms a licensed broker must use, what commission is by custom, the 2026 ban on cold contact, and the questions worth asking before you sign.
Other services
A buyer's broker who shortlists, checks every advert, negotiates the price and stays with you to the title deed.
A valuation from real sales data, a permitted listing, qualified buyers and a transfer handled from the first viewing to the trustee office.
Tenants found and vetted, rent collected, maintenance handled and renewals kept within the law, with one statement a year.
