Sub-Tenancy (Subletting) in Dubai
Sub-tenancy (or subletting) occurs when a tenant rents out all or part of the property they are leasing to a third party (a sub-tenant). In Dubai, subletting without the explicit written consent of the landlord is prohibited under the tenancy law and can be grounds for eviction. Many standard tenancy contracts include an express prohibition on subletting, but even without such a clause, the statutory default is that subletting requires consent.
Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 24
“The tenant shall not sub-lease the property or any part thereof without the written consent of the landlord.”
In Depth
Article 24 of Law No. 26 of 2007 makes it clear that a tenant may not sublet the property — whether in whole or in part — without the landlord's written permission. This applies to all forms of subletting, including short-term holiday lets on platforms such as Airbnb or Booking.com (which also require a holiday home licence from DTCM, Dubai's tourism authority).
If a tenant is found to be subletting without consent, the landlord can terminate the tenancy and apply to the RDSC for an immediate eviction order. This is one of the few situations in Dubai where the 12-month notice period does not apply — an eviction for illegal subletting can be expedited.
Short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb in Dubai also require a separate holiday home licence from the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). Operating an unlicensed holiday home is a separate legal violation that carries fines of AED 5,000–10,000 per infringement.
Tenants who want to sublet legitimately should include a subletting permission clause in their tenancy contract from the outset, or obtain a written amendment to the contract from the landlord before proceeding. Verbal agreements are not sufficient.
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