Dubai's shared housing law 2026 comes into effect

The implementation of Dubai Law No. (4) of 2026 regarding the regulation of occupancy and management of shared housing in the Emirate of Dubai, which was issued on last Feb.27, began on Wednesday.

According to the law, the real estate units which may be allocated for shared housing include residential apartments, independent houses, residential complexes, mixed-use buildings, townhouses, and multi-storey buildings, while the categories designated for shared housing include families, individuals of women or men, male and female students, employees of government entities, and workers of private companies and institutions.

The law obligated the lessor to adhere to the maximum capacity of the real estate unit according to the permit, place a data board visible on the facade of the unit in both Arabic and English, conclude a lease contract and hand a copy of it to the resident, and provide a guide on the resident's rights and obligations and emergency numbers.

The law also obligated lessor to maintain the unit and deliver it on the agreed date, and not to change its use or make any modifications to it without obtaining the necessary permits. The resident also has to adhere to environmental, health, and safety standards, maintain the unit, and not make any changes or maintenance work without permission, and he is prohibited from using the space for purposes other than housing, subletting it, or practicing any economic activity in it.

The law regulated the rental value, so that it is specified in the contract and paid in advance on a monthly basis, unless the two parties agree otherwise, and it includes electricity and water tariffs unless otherwise agreed upon.

The law affirmed that a resident may be evicted before the end of the contract term, in case of non-payment of rent within 30 days from the date of notification of payment, or in case of using the space for illegal purposes or contrary to public order and morals, in addition to canceling the permit or changing the land use, or if it is proved that the building is prone to collapse according to a technical report.

Eviction cases also include the issuance of a decision by the competent authority for demolition, maintenance, or urban development requirements, as well as the owner's desire to recover the unit for personal use or the use of one of their first-degree relatives, provided that the resident is notified at least 30 days in advance.

A financial fines ranging between Dhs500 and Dhs500,000 is imposed on law violators and the fine is doubled in the event of a repeat violation, provided that it does not exceed Dhs1,000,000 in all cases.

The law also allowed taking additional measures against violators, including cutting off public services from the violating unit until the violation is removed.

Owners and establishments have to regularise their status within one year from the date of its implementation of the law.