In Dubai, if a landlord serves a 12-month eviction notice due to selling the property, the new owner may not need to re-issue it—judges now often uphold the original notice. However, legal outcomes remain at the judge’s discretion. If the notice was served on November 30, 2023, the tenant can stay until November 30, 2024, even if the new owner wants to move in.

The new landlord cannot evict a tenant just to re-rent the property. If they want to increase rent, they must give 90 days’ notice before renewal, and the increase must follow the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) guidelines. If no notice was given, the rent remains unchanged.

In Abu Dhabi, rental renewals follow a 5% cap on rent increases, per Law No. 20 of 2006. A tenant currently paying Dh48,000 was asked to renew at Dh65,000, a 35% hike. This is legally unenforceable, and the tenant can challenge it through the Abu Dhabi Rental Dispute Committee. However, negotiating a reasonable increase may help maintain a good landlord-tenant relationship.