Non-Renewal Notice (Dubai)

The 90-day non-renewal notice requirement stems from Article 14 of Law No. 26 of 2007. This article establishes the principle of automatic renewal: a tenancy contract that reaches its end date without either party giving the required notice is deemed to have been renewed.

It is critical to understand that a non-renewal notice and an eviction notice are different things. A non-renewal notice tells the other party that the tenancy will not be extended at the current terms — but a landlord who sends only a non-renewal notice and expects the tenant to vacate is not in compliance with the law unless they have also served a valid 12-month eviction notice under Article 25.

In practice, a non-renewal notice from a landlord may signal the start of an eviction process, but it is not by itself an eviction order. Tenants who receive a non-renewal notice with less than 90 days remaining before the contract end date can argue that notice was not validly given and that the tenancy has therefore automatically renewed.

Tenants who wish to leave also benefit from the 90-day rule: if you give proper notice 90 days before the expiry date, you can exit without liability for the remaining term. If you leave without notice, you may be liable for rent for the remainder of the lease.