An independent website, not affiliated with the Rental Disputes Center, the Dubai Land Department, or any government body. Information is drawn from official sources.
Rental Disputes Center Dubai
It is the judicial body responsible for settling disputes between landlords and tenants in Dubai. Before you file, it helps to know what the Center handles, how the process works, and where your case fits on that path.
The exclusive judicial authority for rental disputes in Dubai
What is the Rental Disputes Center?
The Center is not an administrative office for registering contracts. It is a specialised judicial body you turn to once an actual dispute arises between a landlord and a tenant.
A judicial arm of the Land Department
The Center was established under Decree No. 26 of 2013 and operates under the Dubai Land Department as the judicial body dedicated to rental disputes.
Exclusive jurisdiction in Dubai
The Center has exclusive jurisdiction over rental disputes between landlords and tenants in the Emirate of Dubai, including a number of free zones. The ordinary courts are not your first stop in a rental dispute.
Balancing both parties
The Center was created to deliver fair and swift resolutions that protect stability in the rental market, so that landlord and tenant receive equal treatment before the law.
What the Center does not handle
Not every rental dispute is heard by the Center. Knowing the exceptions saves you time and points you to the right authority from the start.
Certain free-zone disputes
Free zones with their own judicial committees or courts for settling rental disputes fall outside the Center’s jurisdiction.
Finance lease contracts
Disputes arising from finance lease contracts are not within the Center’s jurisdiction.
Long-term lease contracts
Disputes arising from long-term lease contracts are likewise excluded from the Center’s jurisdiction.
Not a contract-registration office
Registering a tenancy contract in Ejari is done through its own channels, not the Center. The Center is where you go when a dispute arises, not when a contract is signed.
The Center’s four departments
The Center comprises a judicial sector and an administrative one. The judicial sector has four departments, and a dispute moves between them according to its course.
Amicable Settlement Department
A pre-litigation step where the dispute is put before a conciliator who seeks an amicable agreement between the parties. It runs up to fifteen days, extendable at the supervising judge’s discretion, and excludes urgent orders and applications.
First Instance Department
If settlement fails, the dispute is referred to the First Instance Department for a judicial ruling.
Appeal Department
It hears appeals against First Instance rulings within the time limits and conditions set by law.
Execution Department
It enforces final judgments, whether financial claims or eviction orders, to secure what has been awarded.
Services the Center provides
Beyond adjudicating disputes, the Center offers a range of services connected to rental matters through its online portal.
- Filing first-instance rental cases online
- Filing appeal cases
- Amicable settlement through the conciliation department
- Enforcement of final rental judgments
- Checking and tracking case status online
- Administrative and technical support tied to litigation
All Center services are available through the official portal rdc.gov.ae. For the detailed filing steps and required documents, see the Filing a Rental Case page.
Your next step
If you have an active dispute and want to know whether filing is the right path, start with a case assessment, or review the details of filing a case.
Fees at a glance
Fees are set by the Dubai Land Department and paid at filing. This is a brief overview; the full breakdown for each type of case is on the Filing a Rental Case page.
The general fee framework
- Base fee in rental cases: 3.5% of the annual rent, minimum AED 500 and maximum AED 20,000
- Financial claims: 3.5% of the claimed amount, capped at AED 15,000
- Process-service and minor administrative fees apply depending on the case
- On reaching an amicable settlement: half of the filing fee is refunded
- Full and current details on the official portal rdc.gov.ae
Frequently asked questions
What is the Rental Disputes Center in Dubai?
A specialised judicial body established under Decree No. 26 of 2013, operating under the Dubai Land Department, with exclusive jurisdiction to settle disputes between landlords and tenants in Dubai.
Where is the Center and how do I contact it?
All Center services are available online through its official portal, rdc.gov.ae. For the latest location and contact details, please refer to the official portal directly.
Which law governs the Center?
The Center operates under Decree No. 26 of 2013 concerning the Rental Disputes Center in the Emirate of Dubai, alongside the tenancy laws regulating the landlord–tenant relationship in Dubai.
Which cases does the Center handle?
Eviction disputes, rent arrears, contract terminations, renewal and rent-increase disputes, security-deposit matters, and financial claims tied to a tenancy contract in Dubai.
What does the Center not handle?
It does not handle disputes in free zones that have their own judicial committees, nor finance lease contracts, nor long-term lease contracts.
How much are the filing fees?
The base fee is 3.5% of the annual rent, minimum AED 500 and maximum AED 20,000 in rental cases. For the full breakdown see the Filing a Rental Case page, and for the latest figures check the official portal.
Is the amicable settlement stage mandatory?
Disputes are first referred to the amicable settlement department, except for urgent orders, applications, and provisional claims. On reaching a settlement, half of the filing fee is refunded.
Content review
- Prepared by
- Firas Ahmad
- Legal review
- Dr. Mohammed Al-Ramlawi
- Last updated
- 4 August 2026
- Sources
- Rental Disputes Center — official portal: https://rdc.gov.ae/en/
- Decree No. 26 of 2013 on the Rental Disputes Center in the Emirate of Dubai — Dubai Legislation portal
- Dubai Land Department: https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/
All services are provided through accredited law firms and a licensed notary. This website is independent and not affiliated with the Rental Disputes Center, the Dubai Land Department, or any government body. Fees and procedures are subject to change; please verify with the official sources. Outcomes vary with the facts of each case.
Know where you stand before you start
Send us your case details and we will tell you whether the Center is your right destination, what the appropriate step is now, and the full cost before any step begins.