Dubai Rental Dispute Centre: Which Documents to Translate

The RDC was set up by Dubai Decree No. 26 of 2013. Under Article 6 it has exclusive jurisdiction over rent disputes between landlords and tenants of property in Dubai, including in free zones, together with counterclaims and urgent applications. It does not hear disputes in free zones that have their own courts or tribunals (the DIFC, for example), disputes under lease-finance contracts, or long-term leases governed by Law No. 7 of 2006.

Most cases start at the Mediation and Conciliation Directorate, which tries to settle the dispute within 15 days of the parties appearing (extendable). A settlement it approves has the force of a writ of execution. Cases that do not settle go to the First Instance Division, and its judgments can be appealed within 15 days. Each stage works on the Arabic file, so a gap in translation shows up at the first step, not the last.

Dubai’s unified tenancy contract is bilingual and says the Arabic text prevails if the two languages differ. Many landlords and agents still attach English-only addenda, and some older leases are English only. Before the RDC, these are read in Arabic, so a full legal translation of every clause you rely on is the starting point, not an extra.

Two practical points. First, translate the whole addendum, not only the clause in dispute: the panel reads terms together, and a missing clause on notice or renewal can change the outcome. Second, if your lease is already bilingual, compare the two texts before filing. If the Arabic says something different from the English you signed, the Arabic is what the RDC reads. A legal translator can flag those discrepancies for your lawyer. For the lease translation service itself, see tenancy contract translation in Dubai.

Under Article 25 of Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, a landlord who wants the property back when the lease ends (for example, to sell it or to live in it) must give the tenant 12 months’ notice through a notary public or by registered mail. Non-payment of rent is handled differently, with a shorter notice to pay.

Notices often decide these cases, and the RDC checks three things: when the notice was served, how it was served, and what ground it states. A notice sent in English by registered mail has to be translated in full, together with the postal proof of delivery. A notarised notice is normally already in Arabic, but its attachments may not be. Our guide to translating a legal notice in the UAE explains how to keep the notice and its supporting documents consistent.

Rent disputes are often about what was agreed informally: a promised repair, an agreed rent reduction, a move-out date. That evidence is usually in English, and sometimes in a third language. Translate the messages you rely on as a complete exchange, keep the dates, times and sender names, and do not paraphrase. Our article on translating WhatsApp and email evidence sets out how to present chats so they can be read and checked.

When a company is a party, the RDC will want to see that the company exists and that the person acting for it may do so. A Dubai trade licence is bilingual, but a foreign parent company’s register extract, articles or board resolution will need legalisation and translation; see translating a foreign company’s commercial register. If a lawyer or agent files for you under a power of attorney signed abroad, it goes through the same chain: legalisation where it was signed, UAE attestation, then Arabic translation. See power of attorney translation in Dubai.

Check that names are spelled the same way in the lease, the Ejari, the notices and the company papers. A tenant called one thing in the Ejari and another in the WhatsApp evidence is a question you do not want the panel to ask.

Cases are filed online through the Dubai Land Department’s channels or at an authorised Real Estate Services Trustee Centre. The filing fee is set by the Dubai Land Department and depends on the claim; confirm the current fee with the DLD before you file. Translation is a separate cost, so budget for it and order it before filing rather than after the first session.

Proceedings are in Arabic. Documents you rely on must be in Arabic or filed with a legal Arabic translation. Bilingual documents, such as the Ejari standard form, usually need no further translation of the printed text.

Yes. File it with a full legal Arabic translation of the lease and any addenda. The RDC reads the Arabic, so make sure the translation covers every clause you rely on.

Translate the messages you rely on as evidence, in full and in context, with dates and sender names. Messages you do not rely on do not need translating.

Not all. Decree 26 of 2013 excludes free zones that have their own courts or tribunals for rent disputes, such as the DIFC. Ask your lawyer which forum applies to your property.

Arabic⇄English legal translation is AED 60 per 200-word page (excl. VAT), with same-day delivery available. For a lease, its addenda and a set of notices, we agree a delivery time with you and can usually start the same day.

We translate leases, addenda, notices, correspondence, company documents and powers of attorney into Arabic for RDC files, keep terms and names consistent across the set, and point out differences between the Arabic and English versions of a bilingual lease before you file. We serve Dubai clients online and from our Abu Dhabi office.

This article is general information about the translation and document side of the matter. It is not legal advice. Laws, procedures and fees change; confirm current requirements with the court or authority concerned and take advice from a lawyer on your own case.

Send us the lease, the Ejari and the messages or notices your case relies on. Smart World Legal Translation – Sole Proprietorship L.L.C. (SWLT) is a UAE Ministry of Justice-licensed legal translation company in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, led by Dr. Hani Elimam. Our federal accreditation is accepted across the UAE, including by Dubai Courts, and we hold exclusive interpretation contracts with the UAE Federal Courts and the Federal Public Prosecution. Arabic⇄English legal translation is AED 60 per 200-word page (excl. VAT), with same-day delivery available. Send your documents on WhatsApp (+971 50 864 8439), email info@swlt.ae, or use our contact page.