Abu Dhabi Rent Increase and Eviction Law: The Rental Dispute Settlement Committee

A practical guide for tenants and landlords in Abu Dhabi on the current rent-increase rules, when a landlord can lawfully evict you, how Tawtheeq registration works, and exactly how to take a dispute to the Abu Dhabi Rental Dispute Settlement Committee.

As of July 2026, a landlord in Abu Dhabi cannot raise your rent at all. On 2 June 2026 the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) reduced the annual rent-increase percentage from 5% to 0% on residential, commercial, and industrial properties across the emirate. Every tenancy renewal must be agreed at the existing rent, and if a tenant moves out, the unit has to be offered to the next tenant at the rate on the last registered Tawtheeq contract. ADREC has described the freeze as a temporary measure that runs until further notice, with no fixed end date announced.

This guide explains what that freeze means in practice, how Abu Dhabi’s rental framework differs from Dubai’s RERA regime, how the emirate’s Tawtheeq registration system contrasts with Ejari, the grounds and notice periods a landlord must respect to evict you, and the exact steps to file a case with the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee under the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department. The governing law throughout is Abu Dhabi Law No. 20 of 2006 on the leasing of premises, as amended.

Is There a Rent Cap in Abu Dhabi Right Now?

Yes, and it is currently the strictest possible cap: zero. Since 2 June 2026, ADREC has set the maximum permitted annual rent increase in Abu Dhabi at 0%, replacing the 5% cap that had applied since December 2016. The freeze covers residential, commercial, and industrial leases, and it applies to both renewals and re-lets, so a landlord cannot reset a higher rent simply because one tenant leaves and another moves in.

Abu Dhabi’s rent cap has swung more than once, which is why the current position matters. A cap first existed under Law No. 20 of 2006, was abolished in November 2013 to let rents move with the market, then was reinstated at 5% by Executive Council Resolution No. 14 of 2016, which amended Article 16 of the leasing law. The June 2026 freeze is the latest change, driven by new-lease prices that had climbed sharply as demand outran supply. The one notable carve-out is Al Maryah Island’s Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) financial free zone, which sits under its own framework and is not covered by the ADREC freeze. For expatriates weighing a move to the capital, the rental picture sits alongside other practical hurdles such as the common reasons an Abu Dhabi work visa is rejected.

Period	Maximum annual rent increase	Basis
2006 to Nov 2013	Capped (rising to 5% in later years)	Law No. 20 of 2006 and interim resolutions
Nov 2013 to Dec 2016	No cap (market rate)	Cap abolished 9 November 2013
Dec 2016 to Jun 2026	5%	Executive Council Resolution No. 14 of 2016
Jun 2026 to present	0% (freeze)	ADREC decision of 2 June 2026, temporary

Because the freeze is temporary, treat the 0% figure as the position for this quarter and confirm it before any renewal negotiation. If ADREC lifts the freeze, the fallback is the 5% ceiling rather than an open market, unless that too is changed. The UAE government’s leasing guidance is a useful starting point, but the ADREC announcement is the controlling source for the current rate.

How Abu Dhabi’s Rules Compare to Dubai

Abu Dhabi and Dubai run entirely separate rental systems, and assuming the Dubai rules apply in the capital is a common and costly mistake. Dubai calculates permitted increases through the RERA rental index, which allows tiered rises of up to 20% when a rent sits far below the market average. Abu Dhabi uses a single flat cap set by decree, currently frozen at 0%. The registration systems, eviction-notice rules, and dispute bodies also differ. The table below sets out the practical contrasts.

Feature	Abu Dhabi	Dubai
Rent increase mechanism	Flat cap by decree, currently 0% (was 5%)	RERA rental index, tiered 0% to 20%
Governing law	Law No. 20 of 2006 and amendments	Law No. 26 of 2007 and Decree No. 26 of 2013
Tenancy registration	Tawtheeq, registered by the landlord	Ejari, usually registered by the tenant
Eviction notice before renewal	2 months (residential), 3 months (commercial)	12 months, notarized, for sale or personal use
Dispute body	Rental Dispute Settlement Committee (ADJD)	Rental Disputes Center (RDC), under DLD
Filing fee	4% of annual rent, capped at AED 10,000	3.5% of annual rent, min AED 500

If you are moving between the two emirates, read the contrast alongside our detailed coverage of tenant rights under Dubai’s RERA regime and the separate 12-month eviction notice rule that applies in Dubai. Neither of those Dubai mechanisms carries over to Abu Dhabi. If your lease is in Dubai instead, our Dubai tenancy contract guide walks through the different registration and renewal rules there.

Tawtheeq vs Ejari: How Abu Dhabi Registers Tenancies

Tawtheeq is Abu Dhabi’s official tenancy registration system, the equivalent of Dubai’s Ejari, but with one decisive difference: in Abu Dhabi the landlord or property manager is legally responsible for registering the contract, not the tenant. The system was introduced under Executive Council Resolution No. 4 of 2011 and is administered through the Department of Municipalities and Transport, with registration now handled online via the TAMM government services platform using UAE Pass.

Registration is not optional paperwork. Without a Tawtheeq-registered contract you cannot connect electricity and water through the Abu Dhabi Distribution Company, you cannot obtain a Mawaqif parking permit, and, critically, you cannot file a case with the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee. A tenancy that is not registered in Tawtheeq is not enforceable before the committee, which is why confirming registration should be the first thing you check after signing. Tenants who have dealt with Ejari registration and status tracking in Dubai will recognize the concept, though the responsible party and the portal are different.

A separate municipality housing fee applies to most expatriate tenants in Abu Dhabi, calculated as a percentage of the annual rent and billed in monthly installments through the utility account rather than paid to the landlord. It is not a Tawtheeq charge and does not affect the rent itself, but it is a recurring cost worth building into your budget, much like the wider cost-of-living calculations expats run before relocating.

When a Landlord Can Evict You in Abu Dhabi

A landlord in Abu Dhabi cannot evict a tenant on a whim, and not mid-contract except for specific breaches. Under Law No. 20 of 2006, a landlord who wants to end or change a tenancy at renewal must serve written notice at least two months before the contract expires for residential property, or three months for commercial. If no such notice is given, the contract renews automatically on the same terms and at the same rent. This notice rule is the Abu Dhabi equivalent of, but far shorter than, Dubai’s 12-month requirement.

Grounds for eviction fall into two groups: tenant fault, which can justify termination during the term, and landlord circumstances, which generally apply at the end of the term with proper notice. The table below summarizes the main scenarios.

Ground for eviction	Type	Notice / condition
Non-payment of rent	Tenant breach	Can support termination during the term after formal notice
Subletting without written consent	Tenant breach	Grounds for termination under the contract and law
Using the property illegally or causing serious damage	Tenant breach	Grounds for termination
Landlord sells the property	Landlord circumstance	Sale does not end the lease; the new owner is bound to the existing contract
Landlord or close relative needs it for personal use	Landlord circumstance	At renewal, with notice; landlord must not own another suitable property
Demolition or major reconstruction	Landlord circumstance	At renewal, with the required notice and permits

Two protections are worth underlining. First, a sale does not break your lease: if your landlord sells while you are in occupation, the buyer inherits your contract and cannot use the sale alone to remove you. Second, if a landlord evicts you for claimed personal use and then re-lets the unit to someone else, you may be entitled to compensation, so keep the eviction notice and any later listing as evidence.

What Actually Happens When You Get an Eviction or Non-Renewal Notice

In practice, most Abu Dhabi disputes start not with a formal eviction but with a renewal message. A few months before your contract ends, the landlord or agent typically sends a WhatsApp or email either proposing new terms or stating they will not renew. Under the current freeze, any message asking for a higher rent at renewal is not enforceable, and you are within your rights to insist on the same rate recorded in the last Tawtheeq contract. If the notice is a genuine non-renewal, check the date: it must reach you at least two months before expiry for it to bite, and it should be in writing.

Keep everything. Save the tenancy contract, the Tawtheeq registration, the renewal or eviction message with its date, and any record of what you currently pay. Those documents are exactly what the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee will ask for, and a clean paper trail is the difference between a quick reconciliation and a drawn-out case.

How the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee Works

Rental disputes in Abu Dhabi are decided by the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee, a specialized judicial body that operates under the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) rather than through the ordinary civil courts. The committee handles the full range of landlord and tenant disputes: unlawful rent increases, eviction and non-renewal disputes, deposit returns, maintenance obligations, and breaches of the tenancy contract. Its jurisdiction comes directly from Law No. 20 of 2006.

The process is designed to be faster and cheaper than a standard court case. It begins with a reconciliation stage, handled by the ADJD’s settlement department, which tries to broker an agreement before the case is formally heard. If reconciliation fails, the committee hears the matter, reviews the evidence and written submissions from both sides, and issues a binding decision that the ADJD enforcement department can then execute. Decisions can be appealed within set deadlines depending on the value of the claim. The structure mirrors the intent of Dubai’s Rental Disputes Center complaint process, but it is a separate body with its own rules and fees.

How to File a Rental Dispute in Abu Dhabi

If your landlord has broken the rules, filing with the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee is the formal route. The steps below reflect the current process. Your tenancy contract must be registered in Tawtheeq before you can file.

Step 1: Gather your documents

Prepare the Tawtheeq-registered tenancy contract, a copy of your Emirates ID, a copy of your passport with the visa page, the completed complaint form, and two copies of your petition setting out the dispute. Businesses should add a trade license, and anyone acting through a representative needs a power of attorney. Include evidence of the issue, such as the disputed increase notice, deposit receipts, or payment records.

Step 2: Submit the case and pay the fee

Lodge the case with the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee. The filing fee is 4% of the annual rent, capped at AED 10,000, and additional charges may apply for newspaper notices or service where a party must be summoned. Keep the case reference you are given, which you use to track progress through the ADJD channels.

Step 3: Attend the reconciliation stage

The committee first refers the dispute to its settlement and reconciliation department, which contacts both parties and attempts an amicable resolution. Many disputes end here. Bring your full evidence and be specific about what you are asking for, whether that is restoring the frozen rent, returning a deposit, or stopping an invalid eviction.

Step 4: Proceed to a committee hearing

If no settlement is reached, the case moves to a formal hearing where each side submits written memoranda and the committee reviews the evidence. The committee then issues a binding decision. This stage is where a clean, dated paper trail carries the most weight.

Step 5: Appeal or enforce the decision

A decision can be appealed within the deadline that applies to the claim value, generally 15 days for claims above the small-claims threshold and 30 days for higher-value cassation matters. Once a decision is final, the ADJD enforcement department implements it, including recovering amounts owed or giving effect to an eviction ruling.

FAQ

Can my landlord increase my rent in Abu Dhabi in 2026?

No. Since 2 June 2026, ADREC has set the maximum annual rent increase in Abu Dhabi at 0%, so renewals must be agreed at the existing rent. The freeze applies to residential, commercial, and industrial properties and to new lets, meaning a landlord cannot raise the rent for an incoming tenant either. It is a temporary measure that runs until further notice.

What was the Abu Dhabi rent cap before the 2026 freeze?

Before the freeze, the cap was 5% a year, in place since Executive Council Resolution No. 14 of 2016 amended the leasing law. Abu Dhabi had no cap at all between November 2013 and December 2016, when rents moved at market rate. If the current freeze is lifted, the likely fallback is the 5% ceiling rather than an uncapped market, unless the rules change again.

What is Tawtheeq and who registers it?

Tawtheeq is Abu Dhabi’s official tenancy registration system, administered by the Department of Municipalities and Transport through the TAMM platform. Unlike Dubai’s Ejari, where the tenant usually registers, in Abu Dhabi the landlord or property manager is legally responsible for registering and renewing the contract. Without a Tawtheeq-registered contract you cannot connect utilities or file a rental dispute.

How is Abu Dhabi’s rent law different from Dubai’s?

Abu Dhabi uses a flat cap set by decree, currently 0%, while Dubai uses the RERA rental index that allows tiered increases up to 20% when rent is well below market. Registration is by Tawtheeq in Abu Dhabi and Ejari in Dubai, eviction notice before renewal is two months in Abu Dhabi versus twelve in Dubai, and disputes go to the ADJD committee in Abu Dhabi rather than Dubai’s Rental Disputes Center.

How much notice must a landlord give to evict me in Abu Dhabi?

For residential property, the landlord must give at least two months written notice before the contract expires to change terms or refuse renewal, and three months for commercial property. If no valid notice is served, the contract renews automatically on the same terms. Abu Dhabi does not use Dubai’s 12-month notarized notice rule.

Can a new owner evict me after buying the property I rent?

No. A sale does not terminate your tenancy in Abu Dhabi. The buyer inherits your existing contract and is bound by its terms until it expires, so the change of ownership alone is not a ground to remove you. Any eviction would still have to rest on a valid legal ground and the correct notice.

How much does it cost to file a rental dispute in Abu Dhabi?

The filing fee at the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee is 4% of the annual rent, capped at AED 10,000. Additional costs can apply for newspaper notices or serving an absent party. This is separate from any amount you are claiming, such as a withheld deposit or an overpaid increase.

Do I need a registered contract to file a rental dispute?

Yes. Your tenancy contract must be registered in the Tawtheeq system for the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee to accept your case. An unregistered contract is not enforceable before the committee, which is one of the main practical reasons to confirm Tawtheeq registration as soon as you sign.

How long does the Abu Dhabi rental dispute process take?

Timelines vary with the complexity of the case. Many disputes resolve at the reconciliation stage within weeks, while contested matters that go to a full hearing take longer. Appeals add further time, with deadlines of roughly 15 days for standard appeals and 30 days for higher-value cassation claims.

Does the rent freeze apply everywhere in Abu Dhabi?

The ADREC freeze covers residential, commercial, and industrial properties across the emirate, but the Abu Dhabi Global Market on Al Maryah Island operates under its own legal framework and is not covered. If your lease is within ADGM, confirm the rules with that authority rather than assuming the emirate-wide freeze applies.

Official Sources

• Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) — Temporary update to the annual rental cap increase
• Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) — Rental Dispute Settlement Committees
• TAMM — Housing and Property services, Abu Dhabi
• Dari (ADREC) — Abu Dhabi Tenancy Law directory
• Law No. 20 of 2006 on the Leasing of Premises in Abu Dhabi (full text)
• UAE Government Portal — Leasing a property in the UAE

This guide is for informational purposes only and reflects rules current as of July 2026. The Abu Dhabi rent freeze is a temporary measure and the cap position can change at short notice, as can fees, notice periods, and procedures. Always confirm the current rules with ADREC, the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, or the TAMM platform, and seek qualified legal advice before acting on any rental dispute.