Tenant Rights When the Property Is Sold in Dubai
Selling the property does not end your tenancy in Dubai. The sale transfers ownership subject to your existing contract, so the new owner becomes your landlord on the same terms until the contract ends. A new owner who genuinely wants the home to live in can only ask you to leave at expiry, and only with the proper 12-month notice through a notary or registered mail. You keep your rent and your protections in the meantime.
- A sale does not cancel your lease
- The new owner inherits your contract
- Eviction to move in needs 12-month notice
- Your rent and terms stay the same
Your contract survives the sale
The tenancy is attached to the property, not the previous owner. When the property changes hands, your registered contract continues, and the buyer steps into the landlord’s shoes on the same rent and terms. You do not have to renegotiate or move out because of the sale itself.
When a new owner can ask you to leave
A new owner cannot evict you mid-contract simply for buying the place. If they want the home for their own or a close relative’s use, that is an Article 25 ground, but only at the end of the contract and only with 12 months notice served through a notary or registered mail. Without a valid ground and proper notice, you stay.
Protect yourself
Keep your contract, your Ejari and your payment records. If the new owner tries to raise the rent or remove you outside the rules, the Rental Dispute Center applies the same protections you had before the sale.
Prefer to do it yourself?
Read the eviction notice guide and the Dubai tenancy law, and see how to file at the RDC.
Frequently asked questions
Can I be evicted if my rented home is sold?
Not because of the sale. Your contract continues with the new owner, who can only ask you to leave at expiry with 12 months notice for a valid reason.
Does a new owner have to honour my contract?
Yes. The buyer inherits your registered tenancy on the same rent and terms until it ends.
Can the new owner raise my rent?
Only within the Decree 43 cap and with the correct 90-day notice, just like the previous landlord.
What if the new owner ignores my rights?
File at the Rental Dispute Center, which applies the same protections regardless of the sale.
Official reference: Dubai Land Department.
This is general information, not legal advice. Consult a licensed lawyer for your situation.
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