Dubai Rent Increase Calculator (RERA Rental Index)
The most a Dubai landlord can raise your rent on renewal, and whether the rent they ask for is legal. Enter the average from the DLD Rental Index (the official RERA calculator); the cap comes from Decree No. 43 of 2013.
- Your rent vs average
- 20% below
- Maximum increase
- AED 4,000.00 a year
- Maximum new yearly rent
- AED 84,000.00
- Same, per month
- AED 7,000.00
- Your landlord's increase
- -
- Verdict
- -
Message to your landlord
Estimate only. Not legal advice. The Dubai Land Department's Rental Index is the reference if there is a dispute.
RERA rent increase rules (Decree No. 43 of 2013)
| Your rent compared with the market average | Maximum increase |
|---|---|
| Less than 10% below (or above the average) | None |
| 11% to 20% below | 5% |
| 21% to 30% below | 10% |
| 31% to 40% below | 15% |
| More than 40% below | 20% |
How to calculate your maximum rent increase
- Gap = (market average − your rent) ÷ market average. For AED 80,000.00 against AED 100,000.00: 20% below.
- Find the band in the table: 20% below allows 5%.
- Maximum new rent = your rent + 5% = AED 84,000.00 a year (AED 7,000.00 a month).
The decree leaves small gaps between bands, such as between 10% and 11%, so we treat above 10% and up to 20% as the 5% band, and so on.
Examples
How to use the official RERA calculator (DLD Rental Index)
- Open the Rental Index on the Dubai Land Department website and choose the Residential tab (there are also tabs for commercial, industrial and staff accommodation).
- Enter your contract end date and the property type.
- Search by one of: your DEWA premise number (9 digits, on your DEWA bill), your Ejari contract number, or the building and community name.
- Enter the number of bedrooms. Your current yearly rent is optional there.
- Type the captcha and press Calculate.
- Enter the yearly average it gives you in the calculator above.
The same service is in the Dubai REST and DubaiNow apps.
Website steps as shown on 18 October 2026; apps from the DLD service page, 7 November 2026.
If your landlord asks for more than the cap
- Notice: a rent change needs written notice at least 90 days before the lease ends, unless agreed otherwise (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 14, as amended).
- Evidence: the Rental Index is the reference in rent increase disputes (DLD Tenancy Guide). Keep a copy of your result.
- Negotiate: on renewal the rent can be reviewed up or down (Article 13).
- No agreement: the Rent Disputes Settlement Centre (Decree No. 26 of 2013) can set a fair rent based on the RERA rules and similar rents in the area (Articles 9 and 13).
Ask the Centre about filing steps and fees.
Frequently asked questions
How much can a landlord raise the rent in Dubai?expand_more
It depends on how your rent compares with the average market rent for similar units. If your rent is less than 10% below the average, there can be no increase. If it is 11% to 20% below, the increase is capped at 5%. For 21% to 30% below it is 10%, for 31% to 40% below it is 15%, and for more than 40% below it is 20% (Decree No. 43 of 2013, Article 1).
Is this the official RERA calculator?expand_more
No. The official one is the Dubai Land Department (DLD) Rental Index, on the DLD website and in the Dubai REST and DubaiNow apps. It gives the average rent and the allowed increase. This calculator shows the cap in AED, checks the figure your landlord asks for and works with monthly rent.
Where do I find the average market rent?expand_more
From the RERA Rent Index (Article 3), published as the Rental Index on the Dubai Land Department website and in the Dubai REST and DubaiNow apps. On the website, search by DEWA premise number, Ejari contract number or building name. Steps are on this page.
Does this apply to free zones and all landlords?expand_more
Yes. The decree applies to all landlords, public and private, in Dubai, including special development areas and free zones such as the Dubai International Financial Centre (Article 2).
How often can a landlord increase the rent in Dubai?expand_more
Only at renewal. The rent is reviewed when the lease is renewed (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 13, as replaced by Law No. 33 of 2008), and the cap applies "upon renewing" the lease (Decree No. 43 of 2013, Article 1).
Do these rules apply in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or other emirates?expand_more
No. Decree No. 43 of 2013 covers the Emirate of Dubai only (Article 2). This calculator does not cover the rules of other emirates.
What if my rent is above the average?expand_more
No increase is allowed. The zero-increase band covers any rent less than 10% below the average, including rents at or above it.
How much notice must a landlord give of a rent increase?expand_more
At least 90 days before the lease expires, unless the parties agree otherwise (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 14, as replaced by Law No. 33 of 2008). The notice must be in writing: through a notary public, by registered post, by hand or by an electronic means the law approves (Article 2). The calculator shows the most the rent can rise, not whether proper notice was given.
Can the rent go up in the first two years of a lease?expand_more
The 2007 law had a two-year freeze (Article 9), but Law No. 33 of 2008 replaced that article and the new text has no such rule. The cap and 90-day notice apply at each renewal.
Can the rent go down at renewal?expand_more
Yes, if both sides agree. The law lets the landlord and the tenant review the rent on renewal, "whether increasing or decreasing it" (Article 13, as replaced by Law No. 33 of 2008).
I am a landlord. How do I set a legal increase?expand_more
Enter the current rent and the Rental Index average. The maximum new rent is the most you can ask on renewal. Give the tenant written notice at least 90 days before the lease ends, unless you both agree otherwise (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 14, as replaced by Law No. 33 of 2008).
Did the 2025 Smart Rental Index change these percentages?expand_more
Not according to the Dubai Land Department. Its January 2025 announcement of the Smart Rental Index describes the same increase bands, starting at 0% and reaching 20%. The index changes how the market average is worked out, not the bands.
Source
Government of Dubai Decree No. 43 of 2013 Determining the Increase in the Real-Estate Rentals in the Emirate of Dubai, Articles 1 to 3, published by the Dubai Land Department. The Dubai Land Department's Smart Rental Index announcement (2 January 2025) describes the same increase bands. Notice, renewal and dispute rules are from Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007, Articles 2, 9, 13 and 14 as replaced by Law No. 33 of 2008, and the Rental Index chapter of the Dubai Land Department Tenancy Guide. Checked against the official text on 18 October 2026.
Read the official text:Dubai Land Department Tenancy Guide (PDF) · Dubai Land Department Rental Index