Dubai Rent Increase Calculator (RERA Rental Index)
How far your rent is below the RERA average, and the 0% to 20% rise the decree allows.
Dubai · rent renewal Decree No. 43 of 2013 and the RERA Rental Index · Sources
The decree’s bands
| Your rent compared with the average | Maximum increase |
|---|---|
| Up to 10% below the average (or above it) | 0% |
| 11% to 20% below the average | 5% |
| 21% to 30% below the average | 10% |
| 31% to 40% below the average | 15% |
| More than 40% below the average | 20% |
Rules used and official sources
- Decree No. 43 of 2013 determining rent increases in the Emirate of Dubai (Dubai Land Department)
- Tenancy Guide, with Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008 (Dubai Land Department)
- Rental Index service: average rent and permitted increase (Dubai Land Department)
- Frequently asked questions (Dubai Land Department)
For general information only, not legal advice. Templates are generic starting points — have a qualified lawyer review anything you rely on.
About the Dubai Rent Increase Calculator (RERA Rental Index)
When a Dubai tenancy is renewed, the landlord cannot raise the rent at will. Decree No. 43 of 2013 ties the increase to how far your rent is below the average rent of similar units in the RERA Rental Index: no increase while your rent is up to 10% below the average, then 5%, 10%, 15% or 20% as the gap widens past 20%, 30% and 40% (the decree). Either side that wants to change the rent must give notice at least 90 days before the contract ends, unless the contract says otherwise.
Enter your current rent and the average rent from the Land Department’s Rental Index service: the calculator shows the gap, the band, the most the rent can rise to and, if you add the date the contract ends, the last day for notice. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
How to use it
- Look up the average rent for your unit with the Dubai Land Department’s Rental Index service, on its website or in the Dubai REST app: it asks for the date the contract ends, the property type, the area, the number of rooms and your current rent.
- Enter your current rent a year and that average rent a year.
- Optionally enter the rent your landlord proposes and the date your tenancy contract ends.
- Read the maximum increase, the highest new rent, whether the proposal is within it and the notice date; copy the summary.
Examples
15% below the average: up to 5%, so at most AED 89,250 a year
30% below: up to 10%, at most AED 77,000
45% below: up to 20%, at most AED 66,000
5% below: no increase
Notice of a rent change by 31 December 2026
The bands
How far the current rent is below the average rent of similar units, and the most it can rise on renewal (Decree No. 43 of 2013, Article 1):
- up to 10% below, or above the average: no increase;
- 11% to 20% below: 5%;
- 21% to 30% below: 10%;
- 31% to 40% below: 15%;
- more than 40% below: 20%.
The gap is (average rent − your rent) ÷ average rent. The decree applies to every landlord in Dubai, public or private, special development zones and free zones included (Article 2). A gap between the decree’s whole-number bands, such as 10.4%, is put in the higher band here; the Land Department’s own calculator gives the official answer.
Where the average rent comes from
Article 3 of the decree takes the average from the Rent Index of the Emirate of Dubai approved by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA). The Land Department’s Smart Residential Rent Index classifies each building by criteria such as construction quality, design, energy efficiency, services and location; it is updated every year and covers every residential area of Dubai except the Dubai International Financial Centre (Land Department FAQ). The index is a guide for a new lease and becomes the reference when landlord and tenant disagree about an increase on renewal.
Notice and disputes
Unless the contract says otherwise, a landlord or tenant who wants to change any term of the tenancy, the rent included, must notify the other at least 90 days before the contract ends (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 14, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008; Tenancy Guide). If landlord and tenant cannot agree, the dispute goes to the Rental Disputes Center, which can set a fair rent taking into account RERA’s increase criteria and the rent of similar properties in the area.
Limitations
- You supply the average rent: the calculator does not look it up, and the Land Department’s Rental Index service gives the official figure for your unit.
- Dubai only: the other emirates have their own rent rules.
- The bands apply to an increase on renewal; a new lease is agreed freely, with the index as a guide.
- The smart index covers residential buildings; the Land Department’s commercial and industrial indices are still being developed.
Privacy
Everything happens in your browser. What you enter or open here is not uploaded or stored by MySmartCoPilot.
Frequently asked questions
How much can a landlord increase the rent in Dubai?
It depends on how far your rent is below the average rent of similar units: nothing while it is up to 10% below, 5% at 11% to 20% below, 10% at 21% to 30%, 15% at 31% to 40% and at most 20% when it is more than 40% below.
How do I find the average rent for my unit?
Use the Rental Index service on the Dubai Land Department’s website or in the Dubai REST app: enter the date the contract ends, the property type, the area, the number of rooms and your current rent. It shows the average rent and the increase allowed.
How much notice must the landlord give for a rent increase?
At least 90 days before the tenancy contract ends, unless the contract says otherwise. For a contract ending on 30 June, that means by 1 April.
Can the landlord increase the rent every year?
At each renewal, within the band the decree sets for your rent and with 90 days’ notice. While your rent is no more than 10% below the average, no increase is allowed.
What if my landlord asks for more than the cap?
Point to the decree and the Rental Index figure for your unit. If you cannot agree, the dispute goes to the Rental Disputes Center.
Does the cap apply to a new lease?
No. For a new lease the index is a guide; the caps apply to an increase when an existing lease is renewed.
Is my information sent anywhere?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser; nothing you enter is uploaded or stored on a server.