In Dubai, disputes frequently arise where a tenant has failed to pay rent, issued a bounced cheque, or accumulated unpaid fees, and the landlord considers suspending major maintenance services such as air conditioning repairs or essential building systems.
Some landlords attempt to include clauses in the lease agreement stating that maintenance services will be suspended in case of rent arrears or bounced cheques.
The answer is no. A landlord cannot suspend or refuse major maintenance as a response to rent non-payment, bounced cheques, or accumulated arrears. The statutory obligation to maintain the property is independent of the tenant's payment status and cannot be overridden by a contractual clause. The landlord's remedy for non-payment is legal enforcement through the Rental Disputes Centre — not the withholding of essential services or maintenance.
Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai (as amended by Dubai Law No. 33 of 2008)
Key principle:
Under Dubai tenancy law, the landlord is responsible fo...