25-05-2025
Sub-letting apartments in Dubai: What tenants, sub-tenants must know
Question: I cannot afford an apartment alone, so I am considering getting a couple of roommates to share a one-bedroom apartment in Dubai. I don't want to break any laws. Could you please explain the rules around room sharing and how it works?
Answer: In Dubai, sharing a rented apartment without obtaining the landlord's approval is illegal.
This is in accordance with Article 24 Law No. 26 of 2007 regulating the relationship between landlords and tenants in Dubai which states, "Unless otherwise agreed in the tenancy contract, the tenant shall not assign benefit or sublease premises without obtaining the landlord's approval."
Furthermore, a landlord may evict a tenant prior to the expiry of the tenancy term in Dubai if a tenant sub-lets the property or any part thereof without a landlord's prior written consent.
Such eviction shall extend to both a tenant and any sub-tenant without prejudice to the sub-tenant's right to seek compensation from the tenant.
This is under Article 25 (1) (b) of Law no. 33 of 2008 regulating the relationship between landlords and tenants in Dubai which states, "The landlord may seek eviction of the tenant from the real property prior to the expiry of the term of the tenancy only where the tenant sub-lets the Real Property or any part thereof without obtaining the landlord's approval in writing. In this case, the eviction will apply to both the Tenant and Sub-Tenant. However, the sub-tenant's right to claim compensation from the tenant will be preserved."
Based on the aforementioned provisions of law, if you intend to sub-let an apartment, you should obtain written consent from the apartment's landlord before sub-letting or sharing the apartment with others.
