How to Rent in Dubai (2026): Step-by-Step Process, Costs & Red Flags

10/19/20266 min read

A close-up of a stack of papers
A close-up of a stack of papers

Once you have picked a unit, renting in Dubai follows a fixed order: documents, contract, signatures, payment, Ejari, then utilities and move-in. Allow one to two weeks, and expect to pay far more upfront than the first rent: an agency fee, a security deposit, the Ejari fee and utility deposits. Here is each step, then the red flags to watch for.

Step 1: Hand over your documents

Your agent needs your Emirates ID, passport copy, email and phone number. Registering a tenant on Ejari requires the Emirates ID (GCC nationals can use a passport), and an active Ejari record cannot be edited, so check every detail is correct.

Step 2: Check who you are renting from

Before drafting, the agent should confirm the landlord owns the unit: title deed, the landlord's ID, and a power of attorney if someone signs for them. Ask to see them. Also ask whether the previous tenant's Ejari is cancelled and their final DEWA bill settled, because an open record blocks your registration and DEWA account. Brokers are expected to verify the title deed too.

Step 3: Read the draft contract line by line

The contracts team sends the first draft to you and the landlord. Check names, unit, annual rent, cheque dates, start and end dates, who pays which fees, and any early exit clause. Extras go into an addendum, and the payment schedule must be written in the contract and registered on Ejari.

Steps 4 and 5: Sign, then wait for the landlord

After approval you sign the tenancy agreement, KYC form, agency agreement and any other documents, then they go to the landlord. The signed set stays with the agent until payment is complete. Nothing is reserved or binding until then, and a verbal yes is not a reservation. It is a common practice for the landlord to request the security deposit to reserve the unit. Make sure that all of that is documented in an email between you, the landlord, and the agent.

Step 6: Pay, and get a receipt for every dirham

Payment covers the first rent payment, security deposit and agency fee. All cheques, including post-dated ones, are handed over at the start, and each gets an e-receipt. For bank transfers, send proof of payment and the landlord issues the receipt. Once payment clears, the signed contracts are released so Ejari can begin.

The number of cheques is negotiable and set by market practice, not law.

A cheque that bounces only for insufficient funds is generally a civil matter since the 2022 reforms. Forgery or a deliberate stop-payment can still be criminal.

Step 7: Ejari registration

Ejari registers your tenancy contract and is mandatory. Online it costs AED 177.75. The process however, can be done through other online services or by your agent at a fee, usually between AED 220 and AED 260. You need the signed contract, Emirates IDs, title deed reference and DEWA premise number. Who pays is not fixed by law, but it's common for the tenant to pay for Ejari. It is renewed with each lease and cancelled when you leave.

Step 8: Switch on utilities

Once Ejari is registered, DEWA sends the account number and a payment link. The refundable deposit is AED 2,000 for an apartment and AED 4,000 for a villa, plus about AED 120 in fees.

Your DEWA bill also carries the Dubai Municipality housing fee: 5% of annual rent, split across 12 months. If the building uses district cooling (Empower, Emicool), you open a separate account with its own deposit and a fixed capacity charge that bills even when the AC is off, so ask whether the unit is chiller-free. Gas and internet are also yours unless the contract says otherwise.

Step 9: Move-in permit, NOC and building deposits

Many towers and gated communities require a move-in permit from the building management or developer. Expect to provide your Ejari, ID and a licensed mover, sometimes a landlord NOC, and possibly pay a small fee or refundable deposit that varies by developer. Ask before signing what the building requires.

Everything due before you get the keys

  • Rent: the first payment, and all the post-dated cheques handed over at signing.

  • Agency fee (not refundable): commonly 5% of annual rent, often with a minimum fee of AED 5000, plus 5% VAT. There is no single fixed legal rate for rentals. It is market practice, and it should be agreed in writing.

  • Security deposit (refundable): commonly 5% of annual rent for an unfurnished unit and 10% for a furnished one. The landlord holds it against damage and unpaid bills. It is a contractual norm, not a statutory amount, so it is negotiable.

  • Ejari (not refundable): AED 177.75 or through an online service with an extra fee.

  • DEWA deposit (refundable): AED 2,000 for an apartment or AED 4,000 for a villa, plus about AED 120 in activation and admin fees.

  • Cooling provider registration and deposit: only if the building uses district cooling. The deposit is refundable.

  • Gas connection and deposit: only if the building uses gas.

  • Building move-in deposit or fee: only if the community requires one.

  • After move-in: the 5% housing fee on your DEWA bills, DEWA and cooling consumption, and internet.

Ask the landlord before you sign, not after

Raise cleaning, painting or AC servicing in writing before you sign, because requests afterwards are not guaranteed. At handover, photograph and film every room and email a condition list to the landlord and agent. The landlord handles repairs unless the contract says otherwise, and small repairs under a set amount such as AED 500 are often the tenant's.

Red flags: when to stop and walk away

You cannot verify the agent or agency. Check the agent's BRN, the agency's licence and the listing's permit on the DLD website or Dubai REST app, and scan the Madmoun QR code on the ad. Walk away if there is no registration number, the card does not match the agency, or reviews show a pattern of lost deposits.

You are asked to pay commission or a deposit to an individual. The agency fee goes to the brokerage company against its invoice, not to an agent's personal account or in cash, and your deposit and rent go to the landlord named in the contract. If the payee is neither, stop.

Money is requested before you have seen the unit or signed, or the rent is far below market. Dubai Police warn of ads that ask for booking deposits or documentation fees up front, use unusually low rents, copy real photos and use forged contracts. Pay only against a signed contract, with a receipt.

The landlord cannot be confirmed. The title deed, ID and contract must name the same person, or you must see a power of attorney.

The contract differs from the deal or has blank fields. Never sign until the rent, cheque schedule and promised works match what was agreed.

Ejari is skipped, delayed or registered at a different rent. It is mandatory, and DEWA, visas and dispute filings depend on it.

Report scams to Dubai Police on 901, through the Dubai Police app or the e-Crime platform.

Quick answers

Can I leave before the lease ends? Yes, by a clause agreement in the addendum with a notice and a penalty of 2-3 months' rent.

When do I get my deposit back? There is no legal deadline. Landlords usually return it within 30 to 60 days of move-out, less deductions beyond normal wear and tear.

If you would like any assistance to find your new rental home or if you have any questions regarding the rental process, contact us.

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