Landlord and tenant maintenance in Dubai: who fixes what?

"Who pays for this?" is one of the first questions we hear when we arrive at a rented home in Dubai. A tenant has a broken AC in August, the landlord is abroad, and neither is sure whose job it is. We work with thousands of landlords and tenants, and most disputes come from the same few misunderstandings. This guide sets out how responsibilities are usually split and how both sides can avoid trouble.

This article is general information to help you ask the right questions. It is not legal advice. Your tenancy contract and the applicable Dubai rental law decide your situation; if you are in a dispute, take proper advice.

The general principle

Dubai's rental law sets out that, unless the parties agree otherwise in the contract, the landlord is responsible for maintaining the property and repairing defects that affect the tenant's intended use of it. The tenant, for their part, must take care of the property, use it properly and return it at the end of the tenancy in the condition received, apart from normal wear and tear.

In practice, the tenancy contract carries most of the detail. Many contracts add clauses saying, for example, that minor repairs up to a certain value are the tenant's, or that AC servicing is the tenant's responsibility. Read yours carefully, and if something matters to you, agree it in writing before signing.

How maintenance is commonly split

Usually the landlord

• Major repairs to the structure, plumbing, electrical systems and air conditioning.
• Failures of fixed equipment that came with the home, such as water heaters, AC units, built-in appliances supplied by the landlord.
• Leaks from pipes inside walls and floors, and water damage that was not caused by the tenant.
• Defects that existed before the tenant moved in.
• Replacing items at the end of their working life.

Often the tenant

• Day-to-day care: cleaning, replacing light bulbs, keeping drains clear.
• Minor upkeep, where the contract assigns it, such as small repairs below an agreed value.
• Routine AC filter cleaning, and sometimes AC servicing if the contract says so.
• Repairing damage caused by the tenant, their family, guests or pets.

Usually the building or community

• Common areas: lobbies, lifts, corridors, pools, gyms.
• Shared systems such as the main water risers, drainage stacks and central cooling plant.
• Building facades and outside window cleaning in towers.

The line between what is inside the apartment and what is the building's can be confusing. A leak from a shared riser is usually the building's problem; a leak from the pipe under your basin is the unit's. Our technicians note which side of the line a fault is on in their report.

Air conditioning: the most common dispute

AC problems cause more landlord and tenant friction than anything else, because they happen in the hottest months and affect comfort and health immediately. As a rule of thumb:

• A unit that stops working because a part failed or the system is old is usually a landlord repair.
• A unit that struggles because filters were never cleaned may be treated as a tenant care issue.
• Routine servicing depends entirely on the contract.

The fair and practical answer for both sides is regular servicing: our AC service report shows the unit's condition and readings, which makes it clear whether a fault comes from wear or neglect. Many landlords now include servicing in a maintenance plan so the question never arises.

Leaks and water damage

Leaks spread between apartments and parties: tenant, landlord, the neighbour above and the building. Act fast:

1. Stop the water if you can, and protect belongings.
2. Photograph everything, including the time.
3. Tell your landlord or agent in writing immediately, and building management if water is coming from above or a shared area.
4. Get the source found. A leak detection report identifies where the leak is, which usually decides who is responsible.

See our guide to the first steps in a water leak emergency.

Making a repair request properly

• Put it in writing, by email or a messaging app that keeps records, not just a phone call.
• Be specific: what is wrong, since when, how it affects you, with photos or video.
• Ask for a timeframe, and give a reasonable one for urgent problems such as no AC, no water or electrical hazards.
• Keep copies of every message and invoice.

If an urgent repair is not addressed, tenants sometimes arrange it themselves and ask to be reimbursed. Do this only after written notice and, ideally, written agreement, because otherwise you may not be repaid.

Deposits and the end of the tenancy

Most deposit disputes are about cleaning and damage. Landlords can normally deduct for damage beyond normal wear and tear and for leaving the home in a worse condition than received. Fading paint, small marks and worn carpets in high-traffic areas are typically wear and tear; holes in walls, broken fixtures, stains and burns usually are not.

To protect your deposit:

• Photograph the home thoroughly on move-in and send the photos to the landlord.
• Report defects in the first days.
• Before handover, book a move-out clean, fill picture holes and touch up paint, and fix anything you damaged. Our painting and handyman teams can do this the same week.
• Attend the check-out inspection and get the outcome in writing.

If you cannot agree

Talk first: most issues are solved once both sides see the same evidence, which is why independent reports and photos help. If you still cannot agree, rental disputes in Dubai are handled by the Rental Disputes Center. Take advice before starting a case.

Furnished and holiday homes

In furnished rentals, the landlord usually supplies and maintains the furniture and appliances listed in the inventory, and the tenant is responsible for damage beyond normal use. A signed inventory with photos at move-in is essential: it lists what is there and its condition, and it is the reference for the check-out. Holiday homes have their own rhythm: frequent guests mean more wear on appliances, linens and AC filters, so operators schedule cleaning and maintenance between stays rather than waiting for complaints.

Emergencies: what counts and what to do

Some problems cannot wait for the usual exchange of emails: no air conditioning in summer with vulnerable people at home, no water, a serious leak, an electrical hazard or a security risk such as a broken main door lock. For these, call the landlord or agent as well as writing, and act to limit damage, such as isolating water or electricity, while you wait. Keep receipts for anything you have to spend to make the home safe, and get the landlord's agreement for repairs as soon as you can.

For landlords: making maintenance easy

The landlords with the fewest disputes have three things in common: they respond quickly, they use one reliable maintenance provider, and they keep records. A maintenance plan with scheduled AC services, pest control and call-outs means tenants know who to call, faults are fixed before they escalate, and every visit is documented. Our landlord and business service manages portfolios of any size, with reports you can share with tenants and owners.

For tenants: being the tenant landlords want

Report problems early, keep filters clean, run extractor fans, keep drains clear and give access for repairs. Small habits prevent big repairs, and a good record makes your landlord far more likely to say yes when you need something fixed fast.