United Arab Emirates: Can landlords increase rent in Sharjah every year? – The news

Questions: I have been living in an apartment in Sharjah for five years and my landlord increases the rent every year. I just found out that landlords in Sharjah can only increase the rent after three years. Please explain the law and whether a landlord can quickly increase the rent for five years.

Answer: In Sharjah, landlords cannot increase the rent before the first three years of the lease unless both parties mutually agree to the rent increase. If the tenant agrees to a rent increase during these three years, the landlord cannot increase the rent again for another two years. This is in accordance with Art. 16 of Law No. 5 of 2024 relating to the leasing of real estate in the Emirate of Sharjah.

“1- The Landlord may not increase the agreed rent value before the expiry of 3 years from the date of commencement of the lease relationship, unless the parties to the lease agreement decide otherwise. If the tenant agrees to increase the rent before the expiry of three years, the landlord cannot increase it again until two years have passed from the date of the increase.

2. Increase in the value of rent after the periods referred to in section 1 of this Article, will be in the amount of fair rent, and the implementing provisions of this Act will specify the control of fair rent and the method of its calculation.

3- The Council (Executive Council of the Emirate of Sharjah) may, by its decision, amend the deadlines set out in paragraph. 1 of this article.”

Based on the above provision, the landlord cannot increase the rent for a period of three years from the date of conclusion of the lease agreement, unless both parties mutually agree to other arrangements.