In Dubai, escalating rents have triggered worries among residents about their renting rights. In recent times, some tenants have faced situations of illegal eviction, often driven by what tenants perceive as landlords’ "greed," attempting to evade strict controls on rent hikes under the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (Rera).
One of the affected individuals, Jan Alabastro, received notice that the one-bedroom apartment he rented in Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) in Dubai was to be sold, forcing him to vacate. Shockingly, he later discovered the same apartment was re-leased at a higher rent than what he had been paying. "Is this legal?" he questioned anonymously, fearing reprisal.
Dubai real estate expert Dilip Daswani confirmed such occurrences, describing them as actions of "extremely unscrupulous individuals" aimed at bypassing Rera's strict regulations on rent increases. "This is absolutely illegal, and these landlords could face legal sanctions," he added, noting his own son had faced similar issues.
Amid Dubai's booming property market, some residents have felt landlords becoming "greedy," prioritizing higher rents over tenant interests. Alabastro cited paying originally AED 46,500 annually. However, upon checking the Rera calculator for average rents in his area, he found the market rate ranged between AED 54,000 and AED 66,000. According to Rera guidelines, landlords can demand a maximum increase of AED 4,650 upon renewal. "If I hadn't been evicted and allowed to renew, I would only need to pay AED 51,160, which is the maximum limit according to the calculator," he told The Khaleej Times.
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However, a few months before his planned move, Alabastro received a new contract via WhatsApp, indicating rent as high as AED 55,000. "They claimed this was the lowest price they could accept," he explained. "I tried to point out this exceeded the allowable increase, but they told me this was the market price."
Alabastro expressed deep confusion, as he believed the apartment had already been sold, as stated in the eviction notice. "I know other friends in the building are facing similar situations, being told to move out without another chance to rent a house. This makes me feel very unfair," he added.
Regarding such issues, Taha Ramadan, Senior Legal Consultant at Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants, explained that landlords can only evict tenants legally upon selling the property or meeting statutory conditions. He referenced a Dubai law requiring landlords to wait two years (for residential) or three years (for commercial properties) before re-leasing after reclaiming the property.
"If tenants find that landlords have re-leased the property within this period, they can claim compensation from the landlord, including differential rent and other costs," he added.
The outbreak of these issues highlights the urgent need for better tenant rights protections in Dubai's property market. While Dubai is renowned for its unique appeal in real estate, tenants still require stricter legal safeguards against potential misconduct by landlords.
For tenants facing similar issues, seeking timely assistance from relevant legal entities is advised to ensure their rights are fully protected and to find lawful resolutions.
