A legal explainer published by Khaleej Times today clarifies the rights tenants in Dubai retain when their landlord decides to sell the property. Under Article 25(2)(d) of Law No. 33 of 2008, amending Law No. 26 of 2007 regulating the landlord-tenant relationship in Dubai, a landlord seeking to end a tenancy in order to sell must notify the tenant of the eviction reason at least twelve months before the intended eviction date.
That notice must be delivered formally, either through a Notary Public or by registered mail — a verbal notice or informal message such as a text carries no legal weight. Separately, Article 28 of the same law states that transferring ownership of a leased property to a new owner does not affect the tenant's right to continue occupying the property under the lease agreement signed with the previous owner, provided that agreement carries a fixed, registered date.
In practice, this means a landlord's intention to sell does not by itself terminate a tenancy. A tenant can remain in the property through the end of the current lease term unless the landlord has issued a valid twelve-month notice through the proper legal channel. The clarification is particularly relevant for Dubai's large rental population, addressing a common source of anxiety when a "For Sale" sign appears on a rented home.
Legal advisers quoted in the coverage recommend that tenants who receive an eviction-for-sale notice check both the date it was issued and the method of delivery, since a notice sent informally or with less than twelve months' lead time does not meet the legal threshold. Tenants who believe a notice is invalid, or who face a dispute with their landlord over the sale-related eviction, can escalate the matter to Dubai's Rental Dispute Settlement Centre for a formal ruling.