United Arab Emirates · property

How to File Offer and Deposit in RDC Dubai, UAE

When a Dubai landlord ignores your messages, refuses your renewal cheques, or demands an illegal rent increase, you risk being falsely accused of non-payment. Filing an Offer and Deposit motion with the Rental Disputes Center (RDC) protects your tenancy rights and legally registers your compliance. Here is how to complete the process before deadlines pass.

What the Law Says in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, tenancy relationships are regulated under Law No. 26 of 2007 (as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008) and Decree No. 43 of 2013, which sets strict caps on annual rent increases through the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) Rental Index. Under Article 14 of Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007, any proposed amendment to rent or contract terms must be notified in writing at least 90 days prior to contract expiry, unless agreed otherwise.

A common tactic used by non-compliant landlords is refusing to collect renewal cheques or refusing to sign the lease renewal in order to engineer a default. If a tenant stops paying, the landlord attempts to invoke Article 25 to initiate eviction proceedings for non-payment of rent. Under Decree No. 26 of 2013, the Rental Disputes Center (RDC) offers an expedited procedure known as 'Offer and Deposit' (Ardh wa Idaa / عرض وإيداع). This petition before the Summary and Urgent Matters Judge allows a tenant to tender their rent or property keys directly to the RDC, satisfying their legal obligations and shielding them from unlawful eviction.

When You Should Use the Offer and Deposit Procedure

You should file an Offer and Deposit if your landlord refuses to accept your rent cheques because they want a rent hike exceeding the RERA Rental Index, or if they failed to provide the mandatory 90-day statutory notice for an increase. It is also the correct procedure if a landlord goes entirely unresponsive as renewal approaches, or refuses to sign a renewal contract under the same terms and conditions.

Additionally, the procedure applies at move-out if you are vacating the premises and the landlord unlawfully refuses to take back the property keys to prolong tenancy obligations. Note that filing an Offer and Deposit preserves your current rights and proves payment tendered; it does not permanently resolve a substantive contractual lawsuit if the landlord subsequently initiates a primary dispute case.

Navigating the Decision and Next Steps

Once submitted, the RDC urgent matters judge evaluates the motion and supporting evidence. If granted, the judge directs the RDC to accept your deposited cheques or funds into official judicial custody and summons the landlord to collect the payment. This formally extinguishes the landlord's ability to claim you defaulted on your rent.

If either party disputes the urgent order, RDC rules permit filing a grievance within eight days of issuance. You do not have to face an intimidating landlord or navigate Dubai's legal system alone. You can use Caunsel to research this, save documents in a case, or talk to an independent lawyer.

Steps

• Compile written evidence of payment refusal: Document all attempts to deliver cheques, including WhatsApp messages, emails, and registered mail where the landlord refused the RERA-compliant rent or ignored renewal requests.
• Prepare your documentation in Arabic: Gather your Emirates ID, the latest registered Ejari contract, a proposed new tenancy contract drafted on identical terms, copies of your post-dated rental cheques, and certified legal Arabic translations of any non-Arabic correspondence.
• Submit the motion via RDC online or a trustee: Log in to the Rental Disputes Center portal (rdc.gov.ae or the Dubai Land Department portal) using UAE Pass, navigate to 'Dispute Lawsuit - Provisional and Summary Actions', select 'Register an Offer and Deposit', upload all exhibits, and pay the filing fees (AED 50 court fee plus AED 20 Knowledge/Innovation fees, plus applicable processing surcharges).
• Deliver the physical cheques or cash: Following judicial approval, deposit the physical rental cheques (or cash deposit, if replacing prior returned cheques) to the RDC treasury or designated Real Estate Services Trustee counter as instructed by the court order.

Common mistakes

• Submitting correspondence in English without certified Arabic legal translation, which leads to immediate rejection by RDC registry staff.
• Failing to provide documentary proof that you actually attempted to pay the landlord before running to the court.
• Missing the strict eight-day deadline to submit a grievance if the urgent matters judge rejects the motion or modifies payment terms.
• Assuming the Offer and Deposit automatically generates an Ejari certificate; you must still obtain the stamped judge's order to renew the tenancy in the Dubai Land Department system.

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to file an Offer and Deposit with the RDC?

The base statutory court fee for an Offer and Deposit is AED 50, accompanied by a AED 10 Knowledge Fee and a AED 10 Innovation Fee (AED 70 total when filed online). If filed through an offline Real Estate Services Trustee centre, an administrative service fee of approximately AED 130 plus VAT applies.

What happens if the landlord refuses to collect the cheques from the RDC?

Once the judge accepts your Offer and Deposit, your legal duty to pay is legally discharged regardless of whether the landlord physically picks up the cheques. The landlord cannot initiate an eviction claim for non-payment, as the funds are deemed held in judicial custody.

Can I file an Offer and Deposit if my landlord demands an increase without 90 days' notice?

Yes. Under Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 (Article 14), landlords must give 90 days' written notice before contract expiry to change rent terms. If they fail to provide notice or demand more than the RERA calculator allows, you can deposit cheques based on your existing rent via Offer and Deposit.

General information only, last updated 2026-10-28. 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.