The 90-day rule: serving a rent-increase notice in Dubai
The increase itself is only half the job. Serving the notice properly — and on time — is what makes it stick.
The 90-day window
Under Dubai’s tenancy law, a landlord who wants to change any term of the tenancy at renewal — including raising the rent — must notify the tenant in writing at least 90 days before the current contract expires, unless both sides agree otherwise.
This is a deadline counted back from the lease end date. If your lease ends on 31 December, your notice must reach the tenant on or before roughly 2 October.
What makes a notice valid
- It is in writing and states the proposed new rent (or other changed term) clearly
- It is served on the tenant with proof of delivery — commonly via notary public, registered mail, or another method that evidences receipt
- It is delivered in time — at least 90 days before expiry
If you miss the deadline
If you do not serve a valid notice 90 days out, the contract generally renews on its existing terms — you cannot impose the increase at this renewal, even if the sliding scale would have allowed it. You then wait for the next cycle.
This is exactly the kind of date that is easy to lose track of across a portfolio. Pillar OS flags each unit’s 90-day window before it closes and generates the notice for you.