Dubai Landlords Must Follow Legal Notice Rules Before Seeking Eviction of Commercial Tenants, UAE Law Clarifies

Commercial landlords in Dubai cannot immediately evict a tenant merely because a shop or business premises has remained closed for several days. Under Dubai’s tenancy laws, landlords are required to follow a defined legal process that includes serving formal notice to the tenant and filing a case before the emirate’s Rental Dispute Center (RDC).

The rules apply even to shops operating inside hotels, as such premises fall within the scope of Dubai’s rental regulations.

Under Law No. (33) of 2008, which amended Law No. (26) of 2007 regulating the relationship between landlords and tenants in Dubai, the provisions of the law apply to all real property leased in the emirate, except accommodation provided free of charge by employers to employees.

This means hotel-based retail outlets and commercial units registered through Ejari are protected and governed by the same tenancy framework applicable to other leased commercial properties in Dubai.

In many commercial tenancy agreements, landlords include clauses preventing tenants from keeping business premises closed for extended periods without justification. A common provision states that a tenant should not close the shop for more than seven consecutive days.

However, even if such a clause exists, the landlord cannot directly force the tenant out or terminate the lease without following statutory procedures.

Dubai law allows a landlord to seek eviction before the expiry of a lease contract in certain circumstances. One of the grounds applies where a commercial tenant leaves the leased premises unoccupied without a valid reason for 30 consecutive days or 90 non-consecutive days within a year, unless both parties have agreed otherwise in the contract.

In addition, the law permits eviction if the tenant fails to comply with obligations under the tenancy agreement or the rental law itself, provided the violation continues even after formal notice has been served.

Before initiating eviction proceedings, the landlord must notify the tenant and provide 30 days to rectify the breach. The notice must be served either through a Notary Public or by registered mail.

Only after the notice period expires without compliance can the landlord approach the Rental Dispute Center to request eviction.

Legal experts note that the RDC remains the competent authority for resolving disputes involving commercial leases in Dubai, including disputes related to business closures, breach of tenancy conditions and non-compliance with lease obligations.

Therefore, if a tenant shuts down a rented commercial establishment without explanation or in violation of the Ejari agreement, the landlord’s remedy lies in following the legal notice procedure and filing a case before the RDC rather than taking unilateral action.

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