New Dubai housing rental rules come into force on 26 August

On 26 August 2026, Dubai’s Law No. 4 of 2026 regulating shared housing officially comes into force. The law significantly changes the rules for renting apartments and rooms and introduces liability for illegal subletting.


Tenants will no longer be allowed to independently sublease rooms, bed spaces, or parts of an apartment to other individuals.

The right to provide accommodation in a shared housing format will be granted only to:

➡️ Property owners.

➡️ Companies managing the property on behalf of the owner.

➡️ Licensed companies that lease a property from the owner for the purpose of subsequently providing accommodation to residents.

A special permit from Dubai Municipality will be required to use a property as shared housing.

The regulations will also establish:

➡️ The maximum number of residents allowed.

➡️ The minimum living space per person.

➡️ Mandatory requirements related to fire safety, hygiene standards, and the technical condition of the accommodation.

❗️ Violations of the law may result in fines ranging from AED 500 to AED 500,000.

For repeated violations within one year, the fine may be increased up to AED 1 million. In addition, authorities will have the power to suspend activities, cancel permits, revoke licences, disconnect utility services, and require the eviction of premises.

📄 Although the law enters into force on 26 August 2026, owners and operators of existing shared housing facilities will be granted a one-year transition period — until 26 August 2027 — to bring their operations into compliance with the new requirements. This period will serve as an adaptation phase, and full enforcement of sanctions against existing facilities will begin after its expiration.