How to Rent Out Your Flat in Downtown Dubai — Landlord Guide

1. Calculate Your Target Rent — RERA Index First

Use the RERA Rent Calculator on the DLD app to identify the legal range for your building, unit size, and view. This is the cap on what you can charge new tenants and the cap on renewal increases.

Cross-reference with closed transactions on Property Finder/Bayut. Pricing 3-7% above the RERA index works in 2026; pricing 15%+ above triggers buyer hesitation and longer days-on-market.

2. Prepare the Property

Repairs: paint, fixtures, AC service, deep clean. Tenants in Downtown Dubai expect move-in-ready condition — every visible defect knocks 3-5% off achievable rent.

Furnish or unfurnished: furnished commands 25-40% rent premium and attracts shorter-term tenants. Unfurnished is the standard for 12-month leases. Decide based on your target tenant segment.

Service charges: clear all outstanding payments before listing. NOC issues at lease-end are the #1 transfer delay.

3. Get Professional Photography

Property Finder and Bayut algorithms favour listings with 15+ professional photos. Drone shots are essential for Burj Khalifa-view units. Budget AED 800-2,000 for a Downtown shoot.

Stage if vacant. Empty apartments photograph 15-20% smaller than furnished ones. Rental staging packages run AED 5,000-10,000 for a 1-2 month rental.

4. Choose Single vs Multi-Agent Listing

Single agent (Form A exclusive): one agent has the listing for 60-90 days. Pros: focused marketing, single point of contact. Cons: limited buyer pool. Best for premium properties (AED 200k+/year).

Multi-agent (Form A non-exclusive): multiple agents can market. Pros: wider tenant reach, faster days-on-market. Cons: marketing inconsistency. Best for mid-tier rentals.

Most Downtown rentals under AED 200k/year go multi-agent.

5. Engage a RERA-Carded Agent

Verify the agent has a RERA broker card. Standard landlord commission: 5% of annual rent + 5% VAT (paid by tenant in most cases — but the structure is your choice).

Quality indicators: 2+ closed leases in your specific building in the last 12 months; tenant references; clean DubaiLand record. Ask for the agent's last 3 deal slips.

6. Screen Tenants

Standard checks: passport + visa, Emirates ID, employment letter, 6 months bank statements, previous landlord reference. The agent collects these.

Red flags: visa near expiry, recently changed employer, no previous Dubai tenancy. Not deal-breakers but warrant conversation.

For self-employed tenants, ask for trade licence + 12 months bank statements + 1-cheque or 2-cheque preference.

7. Sign Tenancy Contract + Receive Cheques

Contract: standard DLD template. Specify: rent, cheque count, security deposit (5% unfurnished, 10% furnished), maintenance liability split.

Maintenance clause: standard practice in 2026 is "tenant pays for repairs under AED 1,000, landlord above". Negotiate this — some tenants accept up to AED 2,500. Sets your maintenance reserve expectation for the year.

Receive all cheques upfront (post-dated). Verify they clear by stamping with the agent. Banking cheques into your account as they're due is the standard workflow.

8. Register Ejari + Manage the Lease

Ejari registration: typically tenant-borne, but landlord initiates if requested. Without Ejari, the tenancy is unenforceable in court.

During the lease: respond to maintenance requests within 24-48h. Slow landlords get bad reviews and shorter tenancies. Build a vetted handyman/AC/plumber list before issues arise.

Renewal: if you want to raise rent, send a 90-day written notice before lease-end stating the new rent. RERA caps the increase based on the rental index. Without 90-day notice, tenant has the right to renew at the same rent.