Who Pays for Property Maintenance in Dubai? Landlord vs Tenant Responsibilities
A leaking air-conditioning system, damaged appliance or unexpected repair can quickly lead to one question: is the landlord or tenant responsible?
Dubai tenancy law provides a starting point, but the tenancy contract also matters.
Under Article 16 of Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007, unless the parties agree otherwise, the landlord is responsible during the lease for maintenance works and for repairing defects or damage that affect the tenant's intended use of the property.
That does not mean every repair is automatically the landlord's responsibility.
What Does Dubai Tenancy Law Say?
The law separates several responsibilities.
Article 15 requires the landlord to hand over the property in a condition that allows the tenant to use it as agreed.
Article 16 places maintenance and repairs affecting the intended use of the property on the landlord unless the parties have agreed otherwise.
Article 17 also makes the landlord responsible for defects, damage, deficiencies and wear and tear that occur for reasons not attributable to the tenant.
The wording of the tenancy contract is therefore important.
What Is the Tenant Responsible For?
Dubai tenancy law also places obligations on tenants.
Article 19 requires the tenant to maintain the property as an ordinary person would maintain their own property and refers to restorations agreed between the parties or customarily undertaken by tenants.
At the end of the tenancy, Article 21 requires the tenant to return the property in the condition in which it was received, except for ordinary wear and tear or damage beyond the tenant's control.
This distinction between normal wear and tenant-caused damage is important.
Landlord vs Tenant: Common Maintenance Situations
There is no universal Dubai rule saying, for example, that every repair below a certain dirham amount belongs to the tenant.
Some tenancy contracts contain maintenance thresholds, but those are contractual terms rather than a general statutory threshold.
| Situation | General starting point | What should be checked |
|---|---|---|
| Structural or major defect affecting use | Landlord responsibility unless otherwise agreed | Lease terms and cause |
| Normal wear and tear | Generally landlord side | Property condition and age |
| Damage caused by tenant | May fall to tenant | Evidence of cause |
| Minor/routine maintenance | Can depend on agreement or customary obligation | Tenancy contract |
| Equipment or AC issue | Depends on cause and contract | Maintenance clause and technical report |
When a dispute arises, the actual tenancy contract and evidence surrounding the damage become critical.
What About Air Conditioning Repairs?
Air conditioning is one of the most common areas of disagreement between landlords and tenants.
The correct answer depends on factors such as:
- what failed
- why it failed
- whether the issue affects normal use of the property
- whether the tenant caused the damage
- what the tenancy contract says about maintenance
A simple contractual threshold may allocate certain maintenance costs, but landlords and tenants should not assume that one informal market rule applies to every tenancy.
What Is Normal Wear and Tear?
Dubai tenancy law expressly recognises ordinary wear and tear when discussing the condition in which a tenant must return a property.
Normal deterioration from reasonable use should therefore be distinguished from avoidable damage.
Examples could include the natural ageing of finishes or equipment compared with damage caused by misuse.
The factual circumstances matter, particularly where a security-deposit deduction is being considered.
Can the Landlord Use the Security Deposit for Repairs?
Article 20 allows a landlord to obtain a security deposit to ensure maintenance of the property when the tenancy ends, but requires the deposit or the remaining balance to be refunded at the end of the lease.
That does not mean every repair automatically justifies a deduction.
Landlords should document the property's condition and the reason for any deduction.
For tenants, move-in evidence is equally valuable.
Why a Move-In Condition Record Matters
A clear move-in condition record can prevent many maintenance disputes later.
Photos and videos can establish the condition of:
- walls and flooring
- appliances
- bathrooms
- kitchen fittings
- AC systems
- doors and windows
- furniture in furnished properties
If a problem exists at move-in, it is better to record it immediately rather than argue about its origin at move-out.
How Should Maintenance Requests Be Handled?
For landlords, the safest approach is to keep a written trail.
A maintenance request should ideally identify:
- the problem
- when it started
- whether the property remains usable
- photographs where relevant
- contractor findings
- approval for the repair
- invoice or report after completion
This becomes especially important when responsibility is disputed.
What Happens if Landlord and Tenant Disagree?
If the parties cannot resolve a tenancy dispute, Dubai's rental dispute framework provides the formal route for resolving disagreements.
A property manager should not replace legal advice or a tribunal decision, but good documentation and clear maintenance procedures can reduce the likelihood of disputes reaching that stage.
Why Maintenance Coordination Matters for Landlords
Even when responsibility is clear, organising access, contractors, approvals and invoices can take considerable time.
This becomes more difficult for landlords who:
- live outside Dubai
- manage several properties
- do not have trusted contractors
- need to coordinate repairs around a tenant's schedule
A property-management service can handle the operational side while keeping the owner informed of the issue, cost and outcome.
Landlord Maintenance Checklist
- review the relevant tenancy-contract clause
- check the move-in condition report
- ask for photos or videos of the issue
- document the tenant's written request
- identify whether the issue affects normal use
- obtain a contractor diagnosis where necessary
- approve responsibility and cost in writing
- retain invoices and repair reports
- update the property's maintenance record
- keep evidence for the eventual move-out inspection
Managing Maintenance Without the Day-to-Day Work
For landlords, the main challenge is often not understanding that a repair is needed; it is arranging contractors, tenant access, approvals, follow-up and documentation.
Seven Century's landlord services can support owners who want day-to-day maintenance coordination and property oversight handled on their behalf.