Last updated: June 2026 · Educational guide · Not legal advice
What the Rental Index Does
The Dubai rental index is designed to compare a tenancy's current rent with the market rent for similar property details. Dubai Land Department describes the service as a way to calculate the rental increase and average market rent by entering the required area data.
This matters because tenants and landlords often argue from different numbers. A landlord may point to listing prices. A tenant may point to last year's contract. The index is the better starting point because it is the official renewal reference.
Inputs to Prepare
- Current annual rent in AED.
- Contract end date or renewal date.
- Property type, such as apartment or villa.
- Area, building, or municipality details where required.
- Bedroom count and size where required.
- Ejari contract number or DEWA premise number if the official form asks for them.
How to Use This Site With the Official Index
- Enter your current annual rent and estimated market rent in the calculator.
- Check whether the rough result is 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, or 20%.
- Open the official Dubai Land Department rental index and enter the full property details.
- Compare the official result with the landlord's proposed rent.
- If the landlord's figure is higher, ask for the index basis in writing before agreeing.
Evidence to Save
Save everything before you respond. A clean file of evidence can turn a vague argument into a simple renewal discussion.
- Screenshot or PDF of the official rental index result.
- Your existing tenancy contract and Ejari details.
- The landlord's rent increase notice with date and proposed amount.
- Emails, WhatsApp messages, or registered notices about renewal.
- Comparable listings only as supporting context, not as the main proof.
Index Result vs Asking Prices
Asking prices on property portals can be useful market context, but they are not the same as an official rental index result. Listings may be optimistic, stale, furnished, upgraded, or in a different building quality tier. Use them carefully.
If a proposed increase is based only on listings, ask for the official rental index result. This keeps the discussion factual and reduces the chance of paying more just because the market is noisy.
Official Source
Open the Dubai Land Department rental index calculator. If the official tool is unavailable or the form fields do not match your case, check again later or use Dubai REST app channels.