Guides · UAE · Dubai
Who is responsible for maintenance — landlord or tenant?
By Ahmed Elrayes · Updated
In Dubai the landlord is responsible for maintenance and for repairing any defect that affects the tenant's use, unless the contract says otherwise (Law 26/2007 Article 16). Most contracts pass minor repairs up to a stated amount — commonly AED 500 to AED 1,000 per incident — to the tenant and leave major works (AC units, plumbing lines, structure, appliances supplied by the landlord) with the landlord. Sharjah and Abu Dhabi law set a similar split between necessary and regular upkeep.
The default rule
Article 16 puts maintenance and defect repair on the landlord during the term; Article 17 forbids the landlord from making changes that reduce the tenant's enjoyment; Article 21 obliges the tenant to return the unit in the condition received, fair wear and tear excepted. Parties may agree a different split in the contract — and almost always do.
The minor-repair clause
The unified Ejari contract and most addenda state that the tenant bears repairs below a threshold per incident. Read the number: AED 500 is common for apartments, AED 1,000 for villas. Anything above goes to the landlord, who should respond within a reasonable time; a tenant who repairs an urgent defect after notice can claim the cost.
Typical allocation
Landlord: AC compressors and units, water heaters, plumbing and drainage lines, electrical wiring, built-in appliances supplied, structural and external works, annual AC servicing if agreed. Tenant: consumables, light bulbs, blocked drains from misuse, minor fittings, damage beyond wear and tear, and DEWA, cooling and gas bills.
Disputes
Keep the request, photos, quotes and the landlord's reply. The RDC decides who pays when the contract is silent or the amount is contested; evidence of notice and timing is what wins.
How Leasifys helps
A tenant raises a request with photos; Leasifys reads the minor-repair limit from the lease text, sends the request to three matched licensed providers, and routes approval to the landlord or manager above the limit. The job tracker, invoice and payment record become the evidence.
Information from the laws and official portals as at the date shown, not legal advice. Check figures on the official channel before acting.