Dubai Tenancy Law · Dubai Law 26 of 2007
Article 19
Tenant's Obligations
English translation
The Tenant must pay the Rent on due dates and maintain the Real Property in such a manner as an ordinary person would maintain his own property. Without prejudice to the Tenant's obligation to carry out the restorations that have been agreed upon or which are customary for Tenants to undertake, the Tenant may not make any changes or carry out any restoration or maintenance works to the Real Property unless so permitted by the Landlord and after obtaining required licences from the competent official entities.
Official translation, as published by the portal.
Official Arabic text
يجب على المستأجر أن يسدد بدل الإيجار في مواعيد استحقاقه، وأن يحافظ على العقار محافظة الشخص العادي على ممتلكاته، ولا يجوز له إحداث أي تغيير أو إجراء ترميمات أو أعمال صيانة في العقار إلاّ بإذن من المؤجِّر وبعد استصدار التراخيص اللازمة لذلك من الجهات الرسمية المختصة، دون أن يخل ذلك بالتزام المستأجر بإجراء الترميمات التي تم الاتفاق عليها أو جرى العرف على تكليف المستأجر بها.
What it means when you sign
This article lists the tenant's obligations. The tenant must pay the rent on its due dates and look after the property as an ordinary person looks after their own belongings. The tenant may not make any changes, or carry out restoration or maintenance works, unless the landlord permits it and the required licences are obtained from the competent official entities.
There is one carve-out. The tenant still has to carry out restoration work that was agreed, or that tenants customarily carry out.
When you are about to sign, this article means that alterations such as fit-out, partitions or repairs need the landlord's permission first, and licences where they are needed. A clause that allows or bars alterations should be read with this in mind. It also means a lease that is silent on alterations does not give the tenant free rein. The agreed or customary restoration work is the part to check, because a clause may spell out which works fall to the tenant.
In Fahm reports this article usually sits under: One-sided mechanisms
Related articles
- Article 4Cited in Fahm reportsThis article says the relationship between a landlord and a tenant is set out in a lease contract.
- Article 6Cited in Fahm reportsThis article covers what happens when a lease term ends but the tenant stays in the property and the landlord does not object.
- Article 7This article says that once a lease contract is valid, neither the landlord nor the tenant may end it on their own during its term.
- Article 9Cited in Fahm reportsThis article covers how the rent is fixed.
- Article 12This article says when the tenant pays the rent.
- Article 13Cited in Fahm reportsThis article covers changes at renewal time.