Understanding The New Tenant Registration Rules

The housing department has said that residents in the emirate have two weeks to register the individuals they are living within their properties&lsquo whether owned or rented.

Last week, the Dubai Land Department (DLD) notified all owners, developers, property management companies, and tenants about the registration of their co-occupants in owned and leased properties. To complete the registration, all owners, developers, property management companies, and tenants must follow an eight-step process, including adding personal details and Emirates ID.

Once registered, details of co-occupants will automatically be updated on the tenancy contract. Registering all the people living in a home allows each resident to use an Ejari contract as proof of address.

Registering is simple and can be done online through an eight-step process.

No details were given on potential penalties for failing to register co-occupants within the two-week deadline.

The DLD notified owners and management companies on Friday, September 23.
Once registered, co-occupants will automatically be updated on the Ejari tenancy contract.
The update follows changes to family laws in the UAE to allow unmarried couples to live together, as well as unrelated flatmates.
Registering all the people living in a home will allow each resident to use an Ejari contract as proof of address.

“It is now legal for unmarried people to live together and also for people to sub-let their property when they have written consent from their landlord,” said Dean Charter, owner of Paragon Properties in Dubai.
“If someone wants to rent an apartment or villa and there are multiple families living there, this change will ensure these occupants get treated well and fairly.
“It will also help those who are sub-letting a property to get paid the rent they are owed."
There have been problems in the past with people being evicted immediately if they had not paid their rent, without having any rights, Mr Charter said.
“By adding these tenants to an Ejari contract it gives them more tenancy rights in a sub-let situation," he said.
“The process is very simple to add new occupants to an Ejari.”

The rules apply to all owners, developers, property management companies, and tenants.

What must details of co-occupants be uploaded to the app?

Some tenants and homeowners in Dubai have already begun receiving instructions from their property owners or developers on details of how to register co-occupant details.

According to information made available on the Dubai REST app, tenants and homeowners must upload the name, Emirates ID and date of birth of all co-occupants on the application. Once the data is entered, applicants must click 'verify'. Details of all members of the family who are living on the property must be entered.

DLD has not confirmed if details of live-in house help must also be entered.

How can residents register co-occupant details?

Residents can register co-occupants via the Dubai REST app.

Is there a penalty for not applying before the two-week deadline?

DLD has not provided details of potential penalties for failing to register co-occupants within the two-week deadline.
 

What steps must they follow to register?

1. Open Dubai REST App and log in to the application. Please register if you're a new user
2. Choose your role as an "individual" and log in with UAE PASS for quick access
3. Authenticate yourself via the UAE PASS application
4. From the dashboard, select the property where you are a tenant/ owner
5. Select manage co-occupants to proceed
6. Select "add more" to add co-occupants to the property where you are a tenant
7. Enter the Emirates ID and date of birth of the co-occupant and select 'verify.'
8. Add all family members/ flatmates living on that property. To remove a co-occupant, select the delete icon and submit.