United Arab Emirates · property

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

When a Dubai landlord ignores your renewal notices or refuses your rent cheques to force an illegal eviction or rent hike, you do not have to surrender your home. Under Dubai tenancy law, you can file an urgent Offer and Deposit motion with the Rental Disputes Center (RDC) to legally tender your rent into court custody. This guide explains how to protect your tenancy rights, prepare your documentation, and complete the filing.

What the Law Says: Dubai Tenancy Protections and Offer & Deposit

In the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, residential and commercial tenancies are governed by Law No. (26) of 2007 (as amended by Law No. (33) of 2008) and rent caps established under Decree No. (43) of 2013. Under Article 14 of the tenancy law, neither party may alter the terms of the tenancy contract—including the rental rate—unless written notice is provided at least 90 days before contract expiration, unless agreed otherwise. Furthermore, any rent increase must strictly comply with the Dubai Land Department (DLD) Smart Rental Index.

A common pressure tactic by unscrupulous landlords is to demand exorbitant rent increases outside the legal cap, refuse to accept renewal cheques at the legally determined rate, or go completely silent as the renewal deadline approaches. The goal is often to create a manufactured default so the landlord can issue a 30-day notice for non-payment under Article 25(1)(a) or claim you are occupying the premises without a valid lease. Tenants must never simply withhold payment or wait passively.

To stop this trap, the Dubai Rental Disputes Center (RDC) provides the 'Offer and Deposit' (عرض وإيداع) procedure. Governed by summary proceeding rules before the Provisional and Summary Actions Judge, this motion allows the tenant to formally tender the rent cheques (and lease draft) to the court. Judicial acceptance confirms that you fulfilled your payment obligations as of the date of the motion, extinguishing any claim of willful default or unlawful overstay while preserving your right to remain in the property.

Prerequisites and Documentation for an RDC Filing

Filing an Offer and Deposit requires concrete proof that you attempted to renew the lease in accordance with the law and that the landlord rejected or ignored your tender. You must preserve all electronic communications—such as timestamped emails, WhatsApp messages, courier delivery receipts, or RERA Rental Index calculation certificates—showing that you offered rent consistent with your existing contract terms or permissible legal caps.

The RDC accepts electronic submissions through its online portal (rdc.gov.ae or via the DLD portal) or through an authorized Real Estate Services Trustee centre. Essential filings include your Emirates ID, the existing Ejari certificate, the current lease agreement, the proposed new lease agreement reflecting the identical terms, copies of your post-dated cheques written out to the landlord, and the formal Offer and Deposit motion petition.

Crucially, the official language of Dubai judicial proceedings is Arabic. All supporting contracts, emails, and WhatsApp correspondence written in English or another language must be translated into Arabic by a Ministry of Justice-certified legal translator prior to upload, or the motion may be rejected on procedural grounds.

What You Can Do Next to Secure Your Lease and Ejari

Once your Offer and Deposit application is submitted and the statutory court fee (AED 50 plus AED 20 in innovation and knowledge fees, or AED 70 total via the direct portal) is paid, the Summary Judge typically issues an order within one to two business days. If approved, the RDC treasury officially accepts the deposited cheques and summons the landlord to collect payment, confirming that your leasehold rights remain intact.

If the landlord files a grievance against the judge's order within the eight-day statutory window, or if you require an active Ejari certificate for residency visa renewals or utility maintenance and the landlord refuses to sign, you may need to file a First Instance rental lawsuit at the RDC to compel contract execution. Your accepted Offer and Deposit receipt serves as decisive evidence that you complied with all statutory duties.

Navigating Dubai property procedures can feel overwhelming when facing aggressive landlord threats. Caunsel is not a law firm and does not file court motions on your behalf, but you can use Caunsel to research UAE rental statutes, organize your tenancy records and communications inside a digital case file, or connect directly with an independent UAE-licensed attorney for personalized legal representation.

Steps

• Check your property's maximum allowable increase on the official DLD Smart Rental Index calculator and save a digital copy of the result.
• Send a formal, documented communication (registered email or written notice) to your landlord offering renewal cheques based on the legal rate and requested installment structure.
• Prepare certified Arabic legal translations of your current Ejari, tenancy contract, and proof of the landlord's refusal or non-responsiveness.
• Sign up on the RDC portal (rdc.gov.ae) using UAE Pass, select 'Dispute Lawsuit - for Amicable Settlement', and register the 'Offer and Deposit' motion.
• Upload the draft renewal lease, copies of the cheques, and translated evidence, then pay the AED 70 filing fee online.
• Download the Summary Judge's signed order and deposit the physical cheques at the RDC treasury or designated trustee center as directed.

Common mistakes

• Withholding rent or doing nothing after the landlord refuses cheques, leaving yourself vulnerable to an eviction notice for non-payment under Article 25 of Law No. 26 of 2007.
• Submitting English contracts and communications without certified legal Arabic translations, resulting in immediate procedural delays or rejection by the RDC.
• Capitulating to an illegal rent hike demanded less than 90 days prior to expiry or exceeding the official DLD Rental Index.
• Waiting until after the current contract has fully expired before initiating formal legal tender or recording the landlord's refusal.

Questions people ask

What are the government fees to file an Offer and Deposit in Dubai?

The direct RDC filing fee is AED 70 (AED 50 application fee plus AED 10 Knowledge Fee and AED 10 Innovation Fee) when completed through the RDC online portal. If you apply in person through an authorized Real Estate Services Trustee centre, an additional partner service fee of AED 130 plus VAT applies.

Does filing an Offer and Deposit automatically generate a new Ejari certificate?

No. The Offer and Deposit order legally tenders payment into court custody and blocks the landlord from claiming non-payment or unlawful possession. If the landlord refuses to sign the lease to generate an updated Ejari, you can file a First Instance rental case with the RDC using your Offer and Deposit receipt to obtain a judicial order enforcing lease renewal.

What happens if the landlord ignores the RDC notification and never collects the cheques?

The cheques remain held securely in the RDC treasury. Under Dubai law, judicial acceptance of the motion legally treats the rent as paid from the date the judge approved the filing. You cannot be evicted for arrears, and the landlord cannot claim you failed to meet your leasehold commitments.

General information only, last updated 2026-10-31. 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.