Dubai Municipality has rolled out new standards for shared housing ("bed space") units, effective September 8, 2026 for new properties, with existing shared accommodations given until September 8, 2027 to comply. Under the rules, each occupant must have at least five square metres of bedroom space. Bathroom ratios are set at one toilet per four occupants and one shower per six occupants where facilities are separate, or one combined bathroom per four occupants where toilet and shower share a room. Kitchens must provide at least one square metre per occupant and meet separate safety and hygiene standards. Operators must hold a permit and can only run shared housing in municipality-approved areas. An entire building or villa must be designated exclusively for either individual occupants or families — not a mix of both — and engineering consultants must sign off on fire safety, sanitation, environmental, security and electrical systems. Laundry facilities and a multi-purpose common area are also mandatory. "What this will do is make the stay more peaceful, with no more arguments over using the toilet," said Haroon Khan, who sublets a shared housing unit in Rashidiya. But the tighter occupancy limits are expected to push up costs. "If the number of occupants comes down, the cost per person could go up," said Abdul Gaffar, a real estate agent in Karama. Estimates suggest bed-space rents could rise by Dh200 to Dh300 per person in some areas as operators spread fixed costs across fewer tenants per room.