Dubai Villa Owners Can Rent Different Floors Of A Property To Different Families, But Legal Conditions Apply

 

Owners of two-storey villas in Dubai who wish to rent each floor to a different family must consider both the emirate’s tenancy regulations and the rules governing shared accommodation before entering into separate lease agreements.

 

The landlord-tenant relationship in Dubai is primarily regulated by Law No. (33) of 2008, which amended Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai. Under Article 4(1), the contractual relationship between a landlord and tenant must be governed by a written lease contract containing key details, including a clear description of the leased property, the purpose of the lease, the term, the rent and its payment method.

 

This means that where a villa owner intends to lease the ground floor to one family and the first floor to another, each tenancy arrangement should clearly identify the particular premises being leased and comply with the applicable registration requirements.

 

New Rules For Shared Accommodation

 

The position also needs to be considered in light of Dubai Law No. (4) of 2026 Concerning the Regulation of Occupancy and Management of Shared Accommodation in the Emirate of Dubai, which came into force on August 26, 2026.

 

The law establishes a regulatory framework for properties designated for shared accommodation and gives Dubai Municipality responsibility for regulating the activity. It applies to real estate units across Dubai, including properties located in private development areas and free zones, as well as owners authorised to designate their properties for shared housing.

 

The legislation defines shared accommodation as the joint residence of a group of individuals or families where space within a real estate unit is allocated to each of them for living purposes and facilities or services such as kitchens, dining rooms, bathrooms and outdoor areas are shared.

 

The law also establishes the concept of a real property unit designated for shared housing after meeting the conditions, controls and standards prescribed by the legislation and related decisions.

 

A digital platform, referred to as the digital window, is also provided for under the law. It is intended to receive, study and decide applications for permits and other requirements connected with the organisation and management of shared accommodation, as well as facilitate monitoring and inspections.

 

Separate Floors May Be Different

 

The distinction between separate tenancies and shared accommodation is important for villa owners. If a property owner leases the entire ground floor independently to Family A and the entire first floor independently to Family B, with each family occupying a self-contained residential area and neither family sharing facilities or services with the other, the arrangement may not necessarily fall within the statutory definition of shared accommodation under Article 2 of Dubai Law No. (4) of 2026.

 

In such circumstances, the arrangement may instead be treated as two separate residential tenancies, provided the physical configuration of the property and the proposed use comply with applicable Dubai regulations.

 

The position can be different where portions of the villa are allocated to different families or groups and they share facilities or common areas. Where residents share facilities such as kitchens, bathrooms, dining areas or other services within the property, the arrangement is more likely to fall within the definition of shared accommodation.

 

In that situation, the owner must comply with the requirements of Dubai Law No. (4) of 2026, including any applicable conditions and the requirement to obtain the relevant permit before designating the property for shared accommodation.

 

Dubai Municipality Has Regulatory Role

 

Dubai Municipality is the competent authority responsible for regulating shared accommodation under the new law. Article 5 gives the municipality broad powers to establish the framework governing the activity.

 

These powers include preparing policies and strategic plans, determining the conditions for allocating a property for shared housing, setting the maximum number of residents permitted in a unit and specifying the minimum space and shared facilities required.

 

The municipality is also responsible for determining the areas where shared accommodation may be permitted, taking into account factors such as urban planning, population density, infrastructure, sewage systems and the social character of residential neighbourhoods.

 

The authority is further empowered to create and manage the digital window through which applications and related requirements for shared accommodation can be handled.

 

Lease Contracts Must Be Clear

 

Even where a villa arrangement does not constitute shared accommodation, landlords must still comply with Dubai’s tenancy rules. Each lease should clearly identify the premises being rented, its intended purpose, duration and rent. Where different floors are leased to different families, the contracts should accurately describe the relevant floor or self-contained portion rather than creating uncertainty about the property covered by each tenancy.

 

The tenancy arrangements must also comply with the applicable requirements for registration with RERA through Ejari.

 

The fact that a villa has two floors does not, by itself, automatically mean that each floor can be rented separately. The owner must consider whether the property is legally configured and authorised for the proposed use and whether the arrangement creates shared accommodation within the meaning of the 2026 law.

 

Owners Should Check Before Leasing

 

Villa owners considering separate tenancies should therefore establish whether the proposed arrangement involves genuinely independent residential units or whether the occupants will share facilities and services.

 

Where there is uncertainty, the owner should approach Dubai Municipality for clarification before entering into the tenancy arrangements. This is particularly important where the proposed occupation could fall within the regulatory framework for shared accommodation.

 

If the arrangement is permitted, the owner should ensure that each tenancy agreement complies with Dubai’s tenancy legislation and that the relevant contracts are properly documented and registered.

 

The introduction of Dubai Law No. (4) of 2026 therefore adds an important regulatory consideration for villa owners. Renting different floors to different families is not necessarily prohibited, but the legality of the arrangement depends on how the property is configured, how it is occupied and whether the occupants share facilities or services.

 

Owners should establish the applicable requirements before renting individual floors rather than assuming that separate physical floors automatically qualify as separate, unrestricted residential tenancies.