Maintenance disputes rank among the most frequently filed cases at Dubai\’s Rental Dispute Settlement Center. The regulatory framework governing who handles what is defined clearly in Dubai law and the gap between what is codified and what landlords sometimes claim is the source of most conflicts. Under Article 16 of Law No. 26 of 2007, the landlord bears primary responsibility for maintaining the property in a condition suitable for its intended purpose throughout the tenancy, a continuing obligation from day one through the final day of the contract. Dubai Municipality inspections of residential buildings rose 35% from 2025 into 2026, with over AED 10 million in fines issued for MEP and HVAC non-compliance during that period, according to SnapFix\’s 2026 RERA maintenance compliance report.
The Legal Baseline: What the Law Assigns to Landlords
The Dubai tenancy law is direct. The landlord must maintain the property in a condition that allows the tenant to use it for the purpose for which it was leased. This covers structural repairs, major system failures, and any breakdown or defect that prevents or materially impairs the tenant\’s intended use of the property.
In practical terms, this means the landlord is responsible for: structural issues including foundations, walls, roofing and load-bearing elements; HVAC systems including central air conditioning, ducting and compressors; plumbing systems including pipes, water heaters and drainage; electrical systems including wiring, distribution boards and fixed electrical fittings; lift servicing in buildings where lift access is part of the leased property\’s use; and appliances provided as part of the tenancy and listed in the tenancy contract.
Under Law No. 26 of 2007, a clause transferring the entire maintenance burden to the tenant conflicts with the landlord\’s baseline obligations and carries significant legal risk. According to Dubai\’s RDC Senior First Instance Judge Dr Omar Bin Suwaidan Al Suwaidi, as reported by Gulf News in November 2025, blanket \’tenant responsible for all maintenance\’ clauses face consistent challenge when tested at the RDC.
What Tenants Are Responsible For
The tenant\’s maintenance responsibility covers minor, routine items that arise from day-to-day occupancy. This includes replacing consumables such as light bulbs, batteries in remote controls and smoke detectors, and water filter cartridges where applicable. It includes minor cosmetic repairs, such as tightening loose door handles, replacing broken switch plates, and keeping appliances clean.
Damage arising from the tenant\’s own actions or negligence is the tenant\’s responsibility, even where the underlying system is ordinarily the landlord\’s responsibility under normal operating conditions. An HVAC unit that fails because it was not serviced is a landlord cost, and the landlord is responsible for maintenance. An HVAC unit that fails because the tenant covered the vents or otherwise obstructed it is a different matter.
The governing principle is straightforward: maintenance requirements arising from natural property aging are the landlord\’s responsibility; requirements arising from tenant actions, omissions, or misuse are the tenant\’s. Most disputes arise in the contested space between those two categories.
The Grey Areas Where Most Disputes Start
Repainting is one of the most contested items. After several years of occupancy, paint naturally fades and scuffs accumulate from normal furniture proximity and daily activity. This is wear and tear and is the landlord\’s responsibility at the end of the tenancy. Repainting is required because the tenant painted the walls without permission, left significant marks or stains, or made structural modifications, all at the tenant\’s cost.
HVAC servicing sits in a similar position. Regular filter cleaning, which is a routine maintenance task required to keep the system functioning, is the tenant\’s responsibility in most professionally managed tenancies. HVAC system failures, compressor breakdowns, or refrigerant issues are the landlord\’s responsibility, as they constitute structural system failures beyond routine upkeep.
Appliance repair or replacement depends on what was agreed in the tenancy contract and what caused the failure. A refrigerator that stops working from normal operation is the landlord\’s cost if it was provided as part of the furnished tenancy. A refrigerator damaged because it was overloaded or improperly operated is the tenant\’s cost.
KAIZEN\’s Property Management service applies a documented maintenance responsibility framework to every managed tenancy, clearly defining the scope of landlord and tenant obligations in the tenancy agreement and coordinating repairs through a structured ticketing system that maintains a full record of every request and its resolution.
How to Escalate a Maintenance Issue That Requires Attention
When a maintenance issue falling under the landlord\’s responsibility requires escalation, the first step is to submit the request in writing. A maintenance request submitted via email or a formal channel creates a dated record that is essential if the matter escalates. Verbal requests, or requests made only through informal channels, carry no legal weight if the matter reaches the RDC.
A written follow-up with a clear resolution deadline establishes the escalation record. For maintenance failures affecting habitability, including a broken air conditioning system during a UAE summer or a plumbing failure affecting water supply, escalation to RERA is appropriate immediately after an initial written request goes unresolved.
RERA provides a formal complaints channel. The Rental Dispute Settlement Center handles disputes over maintenance obligations. From November 2025, the RDC confirmed that all complaints can be filed entirely online, with hearings conducted remotely, and most standard disputes resolved within one to two weeks.
Tenants in KAIZEN-managed buildings can contact the management team directly for any maintenance matter through the structured request process.
How Professionally Managed Buildings Handle Maintenance Differently
The difference between a professionally managed tenancy and a self-managed one is most visible in how maintenance is handled. A professional manager operates a structured ticketing system: the request is logged, assigned, tracked, and resolved with a documented record at every stage. Both the landlord and the tenant have visibility into the process.
This documentation structure serves both parties. For the tenant, it creates evidence of requests made and timelines of non-response if escalation is required. For the landlord, it provides a complete maintenance history that clarifies responsibility for any condition at move-out. In buildings managed by KAIZEN, the maintenance record is available to both parties throughout the tenancy, removing the ambiguity that drives most end-of-tenancy disputes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the landlord responsible for all maintenance in a Dubai rental?
A: Under Article 16 of Law No. 26 of 2007, the landlord carries responsibility for structural maintenance and for ensuring the property remains in a condition suitable for its intended use throughout the tenancy. This covers major system failures: HVAC, plumbing, electrical systems, and structural issues. Tenants cover minor routine items and damage arising from their own actions.
Q: Who pays for AC repairs in a Dubai rental apartment?
A: HVAC system failures, including compressor breakdown and refrigerant issues, are the landlord\’s responsibility as structural system failures. Regular filter cleaning and minor servicing to keep the system functioning are typically the tenant\’s responsibility for routine maintenance. The dividing line is whether the failure arises from system degradation or from the tenant\’s maintenance of the unit.
Q: Can a Dubai tenancy contract make the tenant responsible for all repairs?
A: A blanket clause transferring all maintenance responsibility to the tenant conflicts with the landlord\’s baseline obligations under Law No. 26 of 2007. The RDC has consistently ruled against such clauses when they conflict with the landlord\’s duty to maintain the property in a habitable condition. Tenants who encounter such clauses are entitled to request their removal before signing.
Q: What should a tenant do if the landlord is ignoring maintenance requests?
A: Submit every request in writing through a formal channel, such as email, creating a dated record. A written follow-up with a clear resolution deadline reinforces the escalation path. RERA provides a formal complaints channel, and the Rental Dispute Settlement Center handles maintenance obligation disputes online, with most standard cases resolved within one to two weeks.
Q: Who is responsible for repainting a Dubai apartment at the end of a tenancy?
A: Repainting is required because of natural paint aging and minor scuffs from normal occupancy, which is classified as wear and tear and falls to the landlord at the tenancy end. Repainting is required when the tenant painted the walls without consent, caused significant staining, or caused surface damage beyond normal use; the cost is the tenant\’s. The distinction rests on whether deterioration is attributable to normal occupancy or specific tenant actions.
