United Arab Emirates · property

How to File an Offer and Deposit Case in Dubai, UAE

When a Dubai landlord refuses to accept your lawful renewal rent cheques or demands an illegal rent increase, you cannot afford to sit back. Filing an Offer and Deposit case with the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre (RDC) secures your residency, prevents default claims, and protects your lease renewal.

What the law says about rent increases and renewals in Dubai, UAE

In the United Arab Emirates, specifically in the Emirate of Dubai, the relationship between landlords and tenants is strictly regulated to prevent exploitative practices. Under Article 14 of Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 (as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008), if a landlord wants to amend any terms of the tenancy contract or increase the rent, they must formally notify you at least 90 days prior to the expiration of the lease.

Furthermore, any proposed rent increase must align with the official Dubai Land Department (DLD) Smart Rental Index. Landlords often ignore these rules, demanding exorbitant, non-compliant rent hikes. When you refuse their illegal terms, some landlords will resort to hostile tactics—such as refusing to accept your renewal cheques—to manufacture a fake 'rental default' and evict you.

To protect yourself from this unfair trap, you have a powerful legal shield: the 'Offer and Deposit' mechanism. Governed by the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre (RDC), this procedure allows you to formally tender your lawful renewal rent directly into the custody of the court. Legally, the moment a judge approves your motion, you are deemed to have paid your rent, completely neutralizing the landlord's attempt to evict you for non-payment.

How the Offer and Deposit mechanism works

The Offer and Deposit procedure is a provisional and summary action. It does not finalise a broader rental dispute, but it temporarily freezes the situation in your favor. You submit an application to the RDC requesting a Provisional and Summary Actions Judge to authorize the deposit of your rent cheques based on the terms of your existing lease.

If you are using this process, you must act before your lease expires. Waiting until after expiration leaves you vulnerable. You will need to prepare physical cheques matching your previous contract terms (unless a legal increase is permitted by the RERA index) and show that you actively tried to hand them over to the landlord, but were rejected or ignored.

Once the judge accepts your motion, the RDC holds the funds or cheques. The court then issues a formal notification to the landlord, letting them know their rent is secured and ready for collection. This completely strips the landlord of their leverage and forces them to either accept the legal terms or file an active dispute themselves.

Why you must act quickly and how Caunsel can help

Time is your biggest enemy when dealing with an uncooperative landlord. If your lease expires and you have not paid or deposited your rent, the landlord can issue a notice for non-payment, which can lead to rapid eviction. Filing an Offer and Deposit case immediately shifts the burden of proof back onto them, showing you acted in perfect good faith.

You do not have to navigate this stressful, bureaucratic process alone. While the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre offers an online portal, the documentation must be flawless, and all non-Arabic evidence—including emails or WhatsApp messages showing the landlord's refusal—must carry a legal Arabic translation.

You can use Caunsel to research Dubai tenancy laws, organize your evidence, and securely save your contracts, index screenshots, and correspondence in a dedicated case file. When you are ready, Caunsel can instantly connect you with an independent, licensed UAE lawyer to review your documents and guide you through the filing process.

Steps

• Check the official DLD Smart Rental Index to calculate the legally permissible rent for your renewal.
• Send a written renewal offer (via email or registered courier) with draft terms to your landlord at least 90 days before your lease expires, keeping proof of receipt.
• Prepare physical renewal cheques made out to the landlord, reflecting the legal rent and the same number of cheques as the previous contract.
• Draft your Offer and Deposit motion and compile your documents, ensuring all written communications showing the landlord's refusal are translated into Arabic by a certified translator.
• File the application online via the RDC portal (rdc.gov.ae) or visit an accredited Real Estate Services Trustee office, pay the AED 70 fee (plus trustee fees if applicable), and deposit the physical cheques as directed by the judge.

Common mistakes

• Withholding rent payments entirely out of anger, which legally exposes you to eviction for non-payment.
• Filing the Offer and Deposit after the existing lease has already expired, leaving a gap where you are technically occupying the property without a contract.
• Failing to get certified Arabic translations for your supporting emails, WhatsApp messages, or rent-refusal evidence, resulting in immediate rejection of your application by the RDC judge.

Questions people ask

Does filing an Offer and Deposit case solve the entire rental dispute?

No. The Offer and Deposit procedure only protects you from being declared in default of rent payment. If the landlord still disputes the rent amount or lease terms, either party will need to file a formal rental dispute case at the RDC to get a final, binding judgment on the lease terms.

How much does it cost to file an Offer and Deposit case in Dubai?

The direct online filing fee at the RDC is AED 70 (which includes a basic fee, a Knowledge Fee, and an Innovation Fee). If you choose to submit your case in person through an authorized Real Estate Services Trustee centre, you will pay an additional service fee of AED 130 plus VAT.

Can I deposit cash instead of cheques?

Yes. Under RDC service conditions, if you are depositing rent previously represented by cheques but must proceed through the court, you are required to replace those cheques with cash as directed by the judge.

General information only, last updated 2026-10-04. Caunsel is not a law firm and does not practise law. AI answers and this guide are not legal advice. Verify filings, deadlines, and statutes with a licensed lawyer in United Arab Emirates.