The Dubai tenancy contract is a one-page document that decides two years of your life, and most tenants never read the annex that does the real work.
A tenancy contract is the written rental agreement between landlord and tenant for residential or commercial use. In Dubai it is usually issued on a standard Ejari-compatible template, with a main page covering the rent, term, payment schedule (commonly one, two, four, or twelve cheques), deposit, and use. Behind it sits an annex with clauses on maintenance responsibility, early-exit penalty, renewal rules, and sub-letting. That annex is where tenants lose.
On a Business Bay two-bedroom I helped a client rent in 2024 at AED 165,000 in four cheques, the annex contained a clause requiring 90 days’ notice before exit, with a two-month penalty for any early termination. The tenant had assumed 30 days was enough. The clause cost him AED 27,500 when he had to relocate mid-term.
Before signing, read the annex as carefully as the rent figure. Negotiate the early-exit clause and the notice period the same way you negotiate price. The annex is the actual contract.
Related: Ejari, Landlord, Tenant, RERA.
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