Dubai rent increase rules in 2026: how much can you legally raise rent?
Dubai caps how much rent can rise at renewal. The cap depends entirely on how far your current rent sits below the market reference for your building.
The sliding scale
Rent increases in Dubai are governed by Decree No. 43 of 2013. The maximum lawful increase is set by a sliding scale based on how far your current rent sits below the market reference for comparable units:
- Up to 10% below the reference — no increase is permitted
- 11–20% below — up to 5%
- 21–30% below — up to 10%
- 31–40% below — up to 15%
- More than 40% below — up to 20%
So if your rent is already close to the market figure, you cannot raise it at all this renewal — regardless of how rents have moved elsewhere.
What "market rent" means now
Since January 2025 the reference is the Smart Rental Index — a building-specific value, with buildings star-rated 1–5. It is not a single city number; two towers on the same street can have different index values. You can look up your building free in the Dubai REST app or on dubailand.gov.ae, and the official RERA rental increase calculator is the figure that legally counts.
The 90-day catch
Even when the scale allows an increase, you must give the tenant written notice at least 90 days before the lease ends. Miss that window and the increase cannot take effect at this renewal — however far below the index the rent is. See our guide on serving the notice correctly.