United Arab Emirates · property

How to Get Security Deposit Back From Landlord in Dubai

Under Dubai tenancy law, your security deposit is held as temporary collateral to guarantee property maintenance, not as an automatic cash bonus for your landlord. If your landlord is stalling, ghosting your messages, or fabricating excessive deductions for standard wear and tear, the law requires them to produce strict proof. You have clear, enforceable rights to demand your money back and escalate the matter if they refuse to comply.

What the Law Says in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Tenancy relationships in the Emirate of Dubai are governed primarily by Law No. 26 of 2007 (as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008). Under Article 20 of this law, a landlord is permitted to collect a security deposit to guarantee the maintenance of the leased premises, but they are under an explicit statutory obligation to refund that deposit—or whatever legitimate balance remains—to the tenant upon expiry of the tenancy contract. The deposit remains the tenant's legal property throughout the term.

Article 21 of Law No. 26 of 2007 establishes that the tenant is obligated to surrender the property in the same condition as received, except for ordinary wear and tear or damage caused by factors outside the tenant's control. Landlords frequently violate this rule by attempting to bill outgoing tenants for standard repainting, minor wall scuffs, sun-faded finishes, or routine aging. Unless your contract specifically stipulates an obligation to professionally repaint the unit upon exit, routine refurbishment falls squarely under the landlord's maintenance responsibilities under Article 16.

If a landlord refuses to return the deposit or attempts to impose unjustified offsets, Article 21 and Decree No. 26 of 2013 grant jurisdiction to the Rental Disputes Center (RDC) at the Dubai Land Department to adjudicate the conflict.

Challenging Unjustified Deductions and Stalling Tactics

A landlord cannot simply invent round-figure deductions or claim that the property requires repairs without substantiation. In the eyes of the RDC, an unsupported claim has zero evidential weight. If your landlord claims that damage exists, they must provide date-stamped photographic evidence comparing the condition at check-in against check-out, paired with verifiable commercial invoices or independent contractor quotes.

Common stalling tactics include claiming that property management has not approved the accounts, promising payments 'next week' indefinitely, or conditioning the refund on unrelated issues. Do not let informal communication drag on past your move-out date. Once you have handed over the keys and provided your final utility settlement certificates, your entitlement to the refund is immediate and legally actionable.

Escalating Your Claim and Next Steps

When informal requests fail, you must shift to a paper trail. Issuing a formal demand notice citing Articles 20 and 21 of Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 sets a formal deadline and demonstrates that you understand the legal dispute mechanisms in the UAE. If the landlord ignores the deadline or persists with invalid deductions, you can file a petition for an Order on Petition or a formal rental claim before the Rental Disputes Center. The RDC routinely orders non-compliant landlords to reimburse withheld deposits alongside statutory court fees.

You can use Caunsel to research Dubai tenancy rules, store and organize your lease documents, inventory logs, and photos into a structured case, or talk to an independent lawyer to assess your contract clauses before escalating.

Steps

• Obtain official final clearance certificates from DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) and your district cooling provider (such as Empower) to prove all utility obligations are settled.
• Conduct a joint exit walkthrough and document every room with high-resolution, time-stamped photographs and video, ensuring you secure a signed handover form or key return receipt.
• Send a formal written refund demand by email citing Article 20 and Article 21 of Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007, demanding the return of your full deposit within 7 to 14 days.
• Request itemized commercial receipts and proof of damage if the landlord claims deductions, rejecting any charges attributed to normal wear and tear.
• File a complaint with the Rental Disputes Center (RDC) at the Dubai Land Department if the deadline lapses without payment or agreement.

Common mistakes

• Surrendering keys and vacating the property without capturing comprehensive photo and video evidence of its final condition.
• Relying on informal phone calls and WhatsApp chats instead of maintaining an unalterable email record of all demands.
• Accepting arbitrary deductions for standard repainting or aging fixtures without demanding itemized third-party contractor invoices.
• Failing to download your registered Ejari tenancy certificate before lease expiry, which is required to initiate an RDC action.

Questions people ask

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Dubai?

While Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 does not state a specific statutory number of days, standard practice and RDC expectations require the deposit or an itemized deduction statement to be provided within 14 days following handover and utility clearance.

Can a Dubai landlord deduct money for repainting walls?

Generally no. Under Article 21 of Law No. 26 of 2007, normal wear and tear is exempt from deposit deductions. Unless your contract contains an express clause stating the tenant must repaint before vacating, paint fading and minor picture hook holes are considered normal aging.

What happens if my Ejari registration has expired when I file an RDC dispute?

You can still file a claim with the Rental Disputes Center. The RDC requires proof that the lease was valid and registered with Ejari during the tenancy term, even if the tenancy has now concluded.

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