Property Maintenance in Dubai

Maintenance of Rental Property

November 8, 2024

Who is Responsible for the Maintenance of the Rental Property? UAE is one of the ideal destinations in the world, to get settled nowadays. It has attracted investors from all over the world because businessmen find exciting opportunities and safety in Dubai. However, with the influx of investors coming to Dubai, the real estate market has also boomed. Though land is expensive in Dubai, people are buying rental properties. You can learn about Real Estate Lawyers Here too.

Rental Agreement in Dubai

When buying any property in Dubai, you should ensure its legal status. The land you are going to buy, should not be disputed at all. A rental agreement shall be signed between the tenant and the landlord. The agreement will mention all the terms and conditions to ensure mutual understanding about the rented space. It will also have rental laws that both parties must abide by, and monetary terms will also be discussed in the agreement. As per law, mostly agreements are standard, but the internal consensus can be agreed through some other or internal contracts drafted by attorneys. Attorneys in Dubai are considered and recognized as leading lawyers in the United Arab Emirates.

Who should bear maintenance charges?

Tenants have concerns when choosing a property for business or living. The common question they ask is if the landlords should cover the maintenance costs. However, Dubai rental laws do not openly say that the landlord has the maintenance responsibility. However, the landlord should take care of the maintenance of the property as it belongs to them solely. It involves extensive repairs to ensure a safe space for the tenant to utilize, per the tenancy regulations mentioned in Dubai’s laws.

Property Owner and the Tenant: Obligations and Rights

Dubai rental law talks about the landlord’s responsibilities and the tenants’ responsibilities to keep up with the physical environment. Some laws regulate the responsibilities of landlords and tenants.

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Legal Obligations of the Landlords in Dubai

The law that governs the relationship between the landlords and the tenants in Dubai says that if the parties do not make an agreement for the maintenance cost, the landlord is responsible for maintaining the property, such as repairing damages that may impact the tenant’s live while living or working in the house. Further, this law makes tenants confident in buying a well-maintained property and shall not burdened with any repair costs in the future. You can read about Land Department Dubai as well.

Tenant’s Legal Responsibilities in Dubai

The lease agreement could be customized where the agreement says that the tenant will cover the maintenance cost. Therefore, whenever you rent a property in Dubai, always ensure that you have read the agreement carefully and if the maintenance cost has to be covered by you as a tenant, then you should have enough money to do that.

How to Avoid Disputes?

Before signing the agreement, both parties should mutually agree to the terms and conditions of the rental agreement as preventive measures for future conflicts. The leaseholder must understand the maintenance clause to ensure transparency and accountability while using the rented property.

Can Maintenance Cost be renegotiated upon Agreement Renewal?

Dubai’s rental market is becoming strong with its flexibility in the rental agreements. Upon the renewal of the tenant agreement, the maintenance responsibilities can be revised. The law has allowed both parties to enter the rental contract per their mutual understanding, which means the adjustment adjustments should be revised. Article 13 says that any changes to the contract can be made at the time of its renewal. However, the changes shall be drafted in the agreement before the contract expires. The amendments in rent charges, maintenance costs, or other expenses can be reviewed and reconsidered for both parties’ benefit.

Notify the Amendments in Dubai

Dubai rental laws are very clear and priorities the understanding of the landlord and the tenant. Any amendment to the lease agreement from any party shall be notified in advance. Article 14 says that the suggested amendments in the lease agreement shall be discussed with the tenant at least three months before they are modified. The timeline ensures that both parties have thoroughly reviewed the changes and have agreed on them mutually.

Consequences of Non-Compliance with Renewal Contract

If one or both parties do not comply with the timeframe for amendments in the rental agreement, the contract will automatically be renewed with previous terms and conditions. You must wait for the new contract to expire to make suitable changes in the right timeframe.

How Can Tenants Negotiate in Dubai?

There are different things to discuss under the tenant’s obligations. As a landlord, you may have a bigger responsibility to maintain the property, but when it comes to tenancy, you should be careful about how to negotiate the maintenance costs and repairs. But if these issues arise and need structural repair, the landlord must cover the cost of those major repairs.

Limit the Monetary Repairs

The maintenance repairs are expensive sometimes. Therefore, a financial cap is necessary to ensure the occupant is not burdened. If the tenant is responsible for repairs, they should fix a financial amount beyond which the landlord will cover the maintenance cost. The clarity on maintenance shall be considered in a separate clause in the rental agreement. However, the tenant must ensure that the maintenance clause should be as per the laws for landlords in Dubai rental agreements.

Treating Tenants Fairly

Tenancy agreements in Dubai are made to ensure that tenants’ rights are protected. Therefore, the rental agreements can amend the contract before it is renewed for the next year. If the leaseholders are making amendments to the rental agreement, they should do the following practices to keep their rights protected at all times:

  • The agreement shall be documented legally to avoid disputes in the future.
  • Engaging a real estate lawyer would help provide you with the right legal advice.
  • Both parties, the landlord and the tenant, should understand the role of the Rental
  • Dispute Settlement Centre, where they are heard if any dispute arises.
Civil Case in the UAE
Intervention of Rental Dispute Settlement Center

The Dubai rental laws are fair in protecting the rights of landlords and tenants. However, if any dispute occurs, despite the rental laws being available for guidance, any of the parties can contact the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre. Individuals working in this centre ensure that every tenant and property owner gets a fair deal to manage the property. Usually, disputes arise when the responsibilities in the rental agreements are not mentioned clearly. For example, if there is too much repair work, it can be costly. The tenant may only be able to pay a little.

However, if the responsibility for maintenance is mentioned in the agreement, there will be no issue. The centre resolves the issues related to rentals in light of the nature of the dispute and the legal obligations of the tenants and the landlords in Dubai.

In another case, if the landlord fails to comply with their legal obligations regarding the tenancy agreement, the tenant can go to the centre to get fair treatment in their rental agreement.

Dubai’s Rental Property in the Future

More people are coming to settle in the UAE, and Dubai is becoming populated rapidly. Rental laws are evolving with time, and landlords and tenants are also provided with awareness of legal obligations. Despite the implementation of those laws, sometimes a conflict occurs. To avoid any disputes, tenants and property owners should always ensure that they have read the agreement thoroughly and legally agreed to the terms and conditions of the rental contract. Further, we recommend that always consult and take a legal opinion from professional attorneys.

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