United Arab Emirates · property
How to File Offer and Deposit in RDC Dubai
When a Dubai landlord refuses your rent cheques or attempts an unlawful rent hike, you face serious risk of eviction for alleged non-payment. Filing an Offer and Deposit motion before the Rental Disputes Center (RDC) creates an official judicial record that you tendered rent under statutory limits. This protects your leasehold rights and neutralizes bad-faith eviction tactics while the dispute is formally resolved.
You've read a few of these by now.
None of them were about you. That's how generic guides work. They have to cover everybody. On Caunsel you write down what's actually going on and get answers about your situation, or just talk it through out loud. If it needs follow-up, you keep it as a case, and when there's paperwork, it'll suggest what you need, write it up, and you can e-sign it right there.
I need more helpDubai Tenancy Law and the Function of Offer and Deposit
In the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, landlord-tenant relationships are governed primarily by Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, alongside Decree No. 43 of 2013 (which sets statutory rent increase caps based on the Dubai Land Department Smart Rental Index). Under Article 14 of Law No. 33 of 2008, either party wishing to amend lease terms or adjust rent must give written notice at least 90 days prior to contract expiry, subject to statutory caps.
Landlords frequently breach this rule by demanding above-index increases, failing to give 90 days' notice, or refusing to accept renewal cheques in an attempt to trigger a default. Under Article 25(1)(a) of Law No. 33 of 2008, failing to pay rent within 30 days of receiving a formal notice gives the landlord grounds to seek eviction. The Offer and Deposit procedure (العرض والإيداع) at the Rental Disputes Center (RDC), established under Decree No. 26 of 2013, exists precisely to stop this trap. It allows you to submit rent cheques or keys directly to the RDC Provisional and Summary Actions Court, legally proving that you offered full payment under the lawful terms.
When You Must File an Offer and Deposit Motion
You should initiate an Offer and Deposit motion the moment your landlord refuses to sign the renewal lease on legally permissible terms, rejects your tendered cheques, or cuts off communication as the renewal deadline approaches. Under established RDC practice, judicial acceptance of an Offer and Deposit motion establishes that the tenant is considered to have paid rent from the date of the judicial order, preventing the landlord from issuing a valid 30-day default notice.
Crucially, filing an Offer and Deposit motion does not automatically rewrite or renew your Ejari contract in perpetuity; it is a summary provisional measure designed to tender the disputed rent or keys without prejudice to the parties' underlying legal claims. If the landlord rejects the deposited offer after judicial notice, either party must escalate to the RDC Conciliation Department or initiate a substantive First Instance rental lawsuit to formally enforce contract renewal.
Preparing Your Submission and Protecting Your Rights
To succeed before the RDC Summary Judge, documentation is everything. You must present clear evidence showing that you attempted to pay the landlord under the previous contract terms or the lawful RERA Rental Index rate, alongside proof of the landlord's refusal (such as courier slips, emails, or written messages). Every non-Arabic document must be translated into Arabic by a Ministry of Justice-certified legal translator prior to upload.
Do not allow an aggressive or silent landlord to push you past your renewal date without a legal paper trail. You can use Caunsel to research relevant RDC decisions, organize your rental correspondence and contracts securely in a single case workspace, or connect with an independent UAE-licensed attorney to verify your legal position.
Steps
- Verify rent caps and compile evidence: Check the official DLD Smart Rental Index to confirm whether an increase is permitted, and assemble written proof (emails, WhatsApp messages, or courier receipts) demonstrating the landlord's refusal to accept renewal cheques or comply with the 90-day notice rule.
- Prepare required documents and Arabic translations: Gather your Emirates ID, active Ejari certificate, expired/expiring lease agreement, a proposed draft lease on matching terms, copies of payment cheques, and certified Arabic translations of all non-Arabic correspondence.
- Submit the Offer and Deposit motion online: Log into the Rental Disputes Center (RDC) portal using your UAE Pass, select 'Dispute Lawsuit - for Amicable Settlement / Provisional and Summary Actions', choose 'Register an Offer and Deposit', enter property and Ejari details, and upload the evidentiary bundle.
- Pay the statutory filing fees: Pay the RDC application fee of AED 50 plus AED 20 in Knowledge and Innovation fees (total AED 70 online, plus trustee service fees if submitting via a Real Estate Services Trustee centre), and obtain the official transaction receipt.
- Execute the judge's decision: Monitor your RDC portal for the Summary Actions Judge's order. If approved, deposit the physical cheques, cash, or keys with the RDC cashier within the designated window so the court can officially notify the landlord.
Common mistakes
- Withholding rent payments entirely without an RDC filing, which allows the landlord to serve an eviction notice for non-payment under Article 25(1)(a) of Dubai Law No. 33 of 2008.
- Assuming an accepted Offer and Deposit automatically generates an updated Ejari certificate without taking follow-up enforcement or renewal lawsuit steps if the landlord still refuses to sign.
- Submitting evidence in English without certified Arabic translations, causing summary rejection or substantial delays by the RDC registry.
- Filing after the contract has already lapsed into a severe payment default without sending prior written notice offering the rent to the landlord.
Questions people ask
Can my landlord evict me for non-payment while an Offer and Deposit motion is filed?
No. Once you file an Offer and Deposit motion and comply with the judge's order to deposit the rent with the RDC, the law considers the rent tendered as of the order date. This negates the landlord's ability to claim financial default or obtain a valid eviction judgment under Article 25(1)(a) of Law No. 33 of 2008.
How much does it cost to file an Offer and Deposit in Dubai?
The official RDC fee is AED 50 for the motion, plus AED 10 Knowledge Fee and AED 10 Innovation Fee (AED 70 total when filed online through the RDC portal). If you apply in person through a Real Estate Services Trustee center, an administrative service fee of approximately AED 130 plus VAT is added.
What happens if the landlord refuses to collect the cheques deposited at RDC?
If the landlord fails or refuses to collect the deposited cheques after being officially notified by the RDC, the RDC will close the summary motion and record the deposit. You must then file a First Instance lawsuit or lease renewal action at the RDC to obtain an enforceable court judgment compelling the renewal and Ejari issuance.
Ask Caunsel to review your landlord's rent increase notice against the RERA Rental Index and prepare your Offer and Deposit document checklist.
Research it with the advisor, keep documents in a case, or talk to an independent lawyer. Start a subscription for AI tools.
General information only, last updated 2026-11-02. 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.