Rentals in Dubai Shift: No More Partitions, Family-Only Focus
<p><strong>Dubai Landlords Shift Focus to Families and Corporates After Crackdown on Illegal Partitions</strong></p><p><strong>Dubai:</strong> Following a recent crackdown by <strong>Dubai Municipality</strong> on illegal room partitions, many landlords are now prioritizing rentals to <strong>small families and corporate clients</strong> rather than single bachelors.</p><p>The enforcement campaign, launched in late June, targeted areas including <strong>Al Rigga, Al Muraqabbat, Al Satwa, and Al Raffa</strong>, where unauthorized structural modifications had created overcrowded living conditions and posed safety risks. Many landlords were unaware their properties had been illegally sublet and partitioned to house multiple unrelated tenants.</p><p><strong>Stricter Compliance Measures</strong></p><p>In response, property owners are taking proactive steps to ensure compliance, including:</p><p>Verifying <strong>Emirates ID, employment details, and tenancy history</strong> of potential tenants.</p><p>Preferring <strong>stable family tenants or corporate leases</strong> to reduce risks and administrative burdens.</p><p>“Landlords are now more conscious, preferring stable tenants rather than managing multiple payments from several individuals,” said <strong>Humaira Vaqqas</strong> of Range International Properties. <strong>Swapna Tekchandani</strong> from Property Zone Real Estate added that this shift is beneficial for landlords seeking predictable and reliable rental arrangements.</p><p><strong>Legal and Financial Implications</strong></p><p>Under <strong>Dubai Tenancy Law (Article 24)</strong>, tenants are prohibited from subletting or modifying units without written consent. Violations can result in <strong>legal action, fines, and forced evictions</strong>.</p><p>In addition to compliance, many landlords are <strong>removing illegal partitions</strong> and investing in renovations costing up to <strong>Dh45,000</strong> to restore units to their original layouts. Repairs often include ceilings, flooring, and structural restoration. <strong>Ayman Youssef</strong>, Managing Director at Coldwell Banker, noted: “Many landlords are fully renovating their units before re-entering the rental market to meet legal standards.”</p><p>With stricter regulations and improved oversight, Dubai’s rental market is witnessing a trend toward <strong>safer, legal, and more sustainable tenancy arrangements</strong>.</p>