Since 2 June 2026 landlords in Abu Dhabi cannot increase rent at all. The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) cut the annual permitted increase from 5 percent to 0 percent on residential, commercial and industrial property until further notice, and every renewal or new let must reference the rent on the property's last registered Tawtheeq contract. This guide explains how the freeze works, what it does not cover, and everything else a new arrival needs: Tawtheeq via TAMM, ADDC deposits and the 3 percent municipality fee, the separate rules on Al Reem and Al Maryah under ADGM, deposits, cheques, notice periods and disputes.
At a glance
| Item | 2026 position |
|---|---|
| Governing law | Law No. 20 of 2006 on leasing, as amended, and Executive Council Resolution No. 14 of 2016 on the rent cap |
| Regulator | Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), under the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) |
| Rent increase permitted | 0% from 2 June 2026 until further notice. Previously 5% per year |
| Contract registration | Tawtheeq, mandatory, through the TAMM platform. Fee about AED 100 for individuals; property managers charge AED 200–500 including handling |
| Agency commission | 5% of annual rent plus VAT, paid by tenant |
| Security deposit | Typically 5% of annual rent, sometimes a fixed AED 5,000–10,000 |
| ADDC security deposit | AED 1,000 apartment, AED 2,000 villa, plus connection fee. Refundable |
| Municipality fee | 3% of annual rent for expatriate tenants, billed monthly on the ADDC bill and linked to the Tawtheeq |
| Payment | 1–4 cheques common, 2 most typical. Transfers accepted by many landlords |
| Notice for non-renewal | 2 months written notice before expiry for residential under Law No. 20 of 2006 |
| Notice for changes at renewal | 60 days |
| Disputes | Rent Disputes Settlement Committee, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, filed via TAMM |
| Areas under a separate regime | Al Reem Island and Al Maryah Island fall within Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) jurisdiction. Check which rules apply to your building |
Sources: ADREC press release of 3 June 2026, Abu Dhabi DMT, ADDC, TAMM, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department. Reviewed September 2026.
On 2 June 2026 the Government of Abu Dhabi, through ADREC, set the permitted annual rent increase at 0 percent. The points that matter to tenants and to new arrivals:
Your landlord must renew at your current rent. A renewal notice at a higher figure is not enforceable and can be referred to ADREC or the Rent Disputes Settlement Committee.
If a unit was previously rented, the new tenant must be offered it at the rent on the last registered Tawtheeq contract. Ask for the previous registered rental value in writing. If it is higher, the freeze gives you grounds to push back.
A brand-new unit with no prior Tawtheeq has no reference value, so the first rent is set by the market. Once registered, it becomes the reference for the next tenant.
A higher rent agreed and registered before 2 June 2026 stands. The freeze applies from that date forward.
No end date. ADREC describes the measure as temporary and in force until further notice. If lifted, the fallback is the 5% cap under Resolution No. 14 of 2016 unless rules change again. Check ADREC's announcements before every renewal while the freeze is in place.
Workarounds to watch. Some landlords test other routes: new "administrative" or "processing" fees at renewal, moving utilities or chiller from landlord to tenant, or shortening the term. None is permitted as a disguised rent rise. Keep rent, municipality fee and utilities as separate lines, ask for every change in writing, and keep receipts.
Municipality fee is separate. The 3% fee on your ADDC bill is not rent and is not frozen. It continues to be charged on the registered rental value.
Abu Dhabi brokers and brokerages must be licensed by ADREC. Ask for the licence number and check it on the ADREC website or the DARI platform.
Ask for the title deed and match it to the signatory. Many Abu Dhabi units are owned by developers' leasing arms (Aldar, Bloom, Imkan and others) rather than individuals. That is normal and often means a smoother process.
Ask for it. Under the freeze it is the ceiling for your rent if the unit was let before.
Al Reem, Al Raha Beach, Saadiyat and Yas towers typically use district cooling. Confirm who pays the chiller consumption and capacity charges. In newer communities it is often the tenant's cost and can run to AED 500–1,200 per month for a two-bedroom in summer.
Confirm the number of bays and whether visitor parking exists. Abu Dhabi's Mawaqif street parking permits are per resident and require the Tawtheeq.
Two-bedroom apartment, unfurnished, annual rent AED 110,000, paid in two cheques.
| Item | Amount | Refundable? |
|---|---|---|
| First rent cheque (half year) | AED 55,000 | No |
| Agency commission 5% plus VAT | AED 5,775 | No |
| Security deposit 5% | AED 5,500 | Yes |
| Tawtheeq registration (via property manager) | AED 300 | No |
| ADDC deposit and connection | AED 1,150 | Deposit yes |
| Chiller deposit (if applicable) | AED 1,000–2,000 | Yes |
| Internet installation and first month | AED 400–700 | No |
| Total on move-in day | About AED 69,000–70,500 | About AED 7,500–8,500 comes back |
Add the 3% municipality fee, AED 275 per month on the ADDC bill, and the second cheque of AED 55,000 six months later. If your employer offers to pay the first cheque and recover it from salary, accept.
Tawtheeq is the DMT's tenancy registry, accessed through the TAMM platform. Like Ejari in Dubai, it is mandatory and it unlocks everything: ADDC connection, the municipality fee account, Mawaqif permits, family sponsorship, school registration and any rental dispute.
In most cases the landlord or the property management company registers the contract and hands you the Tawtheeq certificate. Larger landlords do this within 48 hours of signing. If your landlord is an individual who has not set up a Tawtheeq account, you can register through a typing centre or a licensed property manager for a handling fee.
Abu Dhabi Distribution Company supplies the city and its suburbs. Al Ain is served by Al Ain Distribution Company (AADC). Connection is online through the ADDC app with your Tawtheeq number and Emirates ID. Allow two working days.
Deposits are AED 1,000 for an apartment and AED 2,000 for a villa, refunded when you close the account and settle the final bill. Expect summer bills of AED 400–900 for a two-bedroom apartment and AED 1,500–3,500 for a four-bedroom villa, mostly air conditioning. Abu Dhabi's tariff for expatriates is higher than for nationals, and the slab jumps at higher consumption, so a villa with a pool can surprise you.
The 3% municipality fee is charged on the annual rent shown on your Tawtheeq, divided by 12 and added to each ADDC bill. On AED 110,000 rent it is AED 275 per month, AED 3,300 per year. It applies to expatriate tenants only. It is not affected by the rent freeze.
Abu Dhabi uses the DMT standard tenancy contract within Tawtheeq. Additional terms can be attached and are enforceable if signed. Check:
During the term your rent cannot change, the landlord cannot enter without notice, and you cannot be asked to leave except for breach after written notice.
Either party who does not wish to renew must give written notice at least two months before expiry for residential property under Law No. 20 of 2006. In practice contracts state 60 days, and any change in terms at renewal, which under the freeze cannot include rent, also needs 60 days written notice. If neither side gives notice, the contract renews on the same terms for the same period.
Unlike Dubai there is no 12-month notice requirement for a landlord who wants to sell or move in, and no requirement to serve through a notary. Two months in writing is the statutory minimum. Some tenants negotiate longer notice into the contract. For a family with school-age children it is worth asking for six months.
Rental disputes in Abu Dhabi go to the Rent Disputes Settlement Committee under the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, filed through TAMM. Fees are modest and confirmed at filing. Bring the Tawtheeq contract, the disputed notice, your payment history and any correspondence. Cases involving rent increases above the permitted figure, which is now zero, are decided quickly. Continue paying your current rent while a case is open. Withholding rent weakens your position.
For breaches of the freeze specifically, ADREC has asked tenants to report directly through its website, customer service line and official email. ADREC oversees compliance and coordinates with landlords.
| Rule | Abu Dhabi | Dubai |
|---|---|---|
| Registration system | Tawtheeq (DMT via TAMM); ADGM regime on Al Reem and Al Maryah | Ejari (DLD) |
| Rent increase | 0% from 2 June 2026, previously 5% | Smart Rental Index bands 0–20% |
| Notice for changes at renewal | 60 days | 90 days |
| Notice for non-renewal | 2 months for residential | 12 months via notary for listed reasons |
| Municipal charge | 3% of rent on ADDC bill, expatriates | 5% of rent on DEWA bill |
| Utility deposit | AED 1,000 apartment, AED 2,000 villa | AED 2,000 apartment, AED 4,000 villa |
| Typical cheques | 2 | 4 |
| Dispute body | Rent Disputes Settlement Committee via TAMM | Rental Dispute Centre, DLD |
| Rent level | Typically 15–30% lower than comparable Dubai property | Higher |
Full Dubai detail is in Guide 3.
For a new arrival choosing between the two cities, the freeze tilts the numbers. A family signing a three-year plan in Abu Dhabi in 2026 can budget rent as fixed. A similar family in Dubai should budget for Smart Rental Index increases of 5–10% at each renewal if their starting rent is below market. Combine that with Abu Dhabi's lower starting rents and lower school fees, and the five-year housing cost gap between the cities widens further.
See the Dubai v Abu Dhabi Property comparisonFor anyone thinking of buying in Abu Dhabi to rent out, the freeze caps rental growth on tenanted units and makes the sitting rent the key number in any yield calculation. Guide 5 covers this.
Frequently asked questions
If you want a straight answer about a building, a landlord or a renewal notice, WhatsApp us. Our verified partner Altura Property handles Abu Dhabi and Dubai rentals and sales.
Verified partner · Rentals & sales
Altura Property — handles Abu Dhabi and Dubai rentals and sales across every community.
Trust
Relocate2UAE, Abu Dhabi. Based here, written by teams handling Tawtheeq and ADDC every renewal season.
ADREC press release of 3 June 2026, AD DMT, ADDC, TAMM, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department. Reviewed September 2026.
Independent. Relocate2UAE does not benefit from your tenancy or your rent level.
What changed since the last version: first publication, written after the ADREC rent freeze of 2 June 2026. Freeze status, Tawtheeq fees and ADDC deposits reviewed September 2026.
Disclaimer: This guide is for general information and is not legal advice. The rent freeze and fees can change. Always verify current figures with ADREC, the DMT and a licensed professional before acting.