Landlord Not Returning Your Security Deposit in Dubai? Here's What to Do

Your rights when a landlord withholds the deposit

If your landlord is not returning your security deposit in Dubai, start from this: Article 20 of Law No. 26 of 2007 obliges the landlord to refund the deposit, or what remains after justified deductions, when the lease ends. Silence, vague "maintenance" claims, or round-number deductions with no invoices do not meet that bar. Ordinary wear and tear is expressly not your cost. The law is on your side — what decides these cases is process and paperwork. (General information, not legal advice.)

Step 1 — The written demand

Send a dated, written demand: tenancy and Ejari details, the deposit amount, the handover date, proof the property was returned in good condition, and a clear deadline (7–14 days is reasonable) after which you will file at the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre. Ask for any deductions to be itemised with invoices. A precise demand resolves a large share of cases on its own — and if it does not, it becomes your first exhibit.

Step 2 — Build the evidence pack

• Registered tenancy contract (Ejari certificate) showing the deposit
• Proof of paying the deposit — receipt, transfer record, or cheque copy
• Move-in vs move-out photos, dated
• Final DEWA/chiller bills, paid
• The handover confirmation and your written demand

Without Ejari registration the RDC may not hear the case at all — if you are mid- tenancy and unregistered, fix that now (see Ejari and your deposit).

Step 3 — File at the Rental Dispute Centre

File online or at the RDC (Dubai Land Department). A deposit claim costs 3.5% of the amount claimed, minimum AED 500; broader rental cases run 3.5% of annual rent up to AED 20,000, plus small administrative fees. Cases start in conciliation — settle there and half the basic fee is refunded. With a clean evidence pack, a withheld-deposit case is one of the most straightforward claims the RDC sees. The full journey from inspection to filing is in our step-by-step guide.

Never chase a deposit again

The root cause of every one of these disputes is the same: the deposit left the tenant's account on day one. When a business secures deposits with Akara, the money never moves — it is held on the card, released instantly at the end, and every action is logged. Tenants stop chasing refunds; landlords and property managers stop handling cash and cheques. That is the version of this story where step 3 never happens.