Tenant-Side · Deposit Records · RDC

Security deposit not returned in Dubai: evidence and route.

A Dubai tenant whose security deposit has not been returned should document the amount paid, the tenancy terms, the property’s condition, the return of keys and possession, every stated deduction and each refund request before considering the RDC route; a withheld deposit does not automatically qualify for a payment writ.

The central question is not only “Was the deposit returned?” It is also what the contract says, what condition the property was in at the beginning and end, what deductions are asserted, and what each side can document.

What Dubai’s tenancy law says about the deposit

Article 20 of Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 states that a landlord may obtain a security deposit to ensure maintenance of the property when the lease expires, provided the landlord undertakes to refund the deposit or its remainder when the lease expires.

Article 21 states that, when the lease expires, the tenant must surrender the property in the condition in which it was received, except for ordinary wear and tear or damage due to reasons beyond the tenant’s control. It directs a dispute between the parties on that issue to the tribunal.

Those provisions do not establish, by themselves, a universal deposit amount, a universal number of days for repayment, a blanket painting or cleaning charge, or a fixed tenant/landlord maintenance split. The signed tenancy, condition evidence, actual work, causation, deductions and procedural route matter. Do not publish or rely on a universal formula.

A date point for tenancies spanning 1 June 2026

Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 repealed Federal Law No. 5 of 1985, and the replacement Civil Transactions Law took effect on 1 June 2026. Article 4 states that the new Law applies from commencement and does not apply retroactively to preceding facts and acts unless otherwise provided. For an agreement or events spanning that date, the applicable provisions depend on the issue and relevant dates - including formation, performance, breach, accrual and any limitation period - and on applicable special legislation. Do not assume that a pre-1 June 2026 contract is governed exclusively by either Code. A licensed UAE lawyer or legal consultant should confirm the position for an individual matter.

Start with a deposit reconciliation

Do not describe a disputed deduction as proved merely because it appears in an email or invoice. Preserve the source record and mark the point as agreed, disputed or missing.

Evidence checklist for a withheld deposit

For RDC filing, the official first-instance service says documents must be in Arabic or legally translated into Arabic and uploaded through the system. Preserve source-language originals alongside the legal translations.

Build a factual chronology

Record the sequence without argument:

• contract and deposit date;
• move-in and initial condition record;
• relevant maintenance or damage events;
• notice of move-out or tenancy expiry;
• inspection and handover date;
• date keys and possession were returned;
• each deduction or refund statement;
• each request for documents or payment;
• each response, partial payment or missed stated date; and
• the balance that remains disputed.

If an important event is not documented, label it as missing rather than recreating it from memory as though it were a contemporaneous record.

A factual demand record

This wording requests a reconciliation and records the facts. It is not a legal notice and should not be presented as satisfying the notice conditions of a payment writ or any other legal procedure.

Attach only clearly labelled copies and keep the originals.

Which RDC route may apply?

Article 6 of Dubai Decree No. 26 of 2013 gives the RDC jurisdiction over landlord–tenant rental disputes concerning property in Dubai, subject to exclusions for free zones with a competent special tribunal or court, lease-finance contracts and qualifying long-term leases.

An unresolved deposit-refund dispute may therefore fall within the RDC’s conciliation or first-instance route if that jurisdiction applies. The procedure and relief must be selected from the actual facts; this guide does not choose or draft the claim.

See the complete RDC filing guide for jurisdiction, Arabic-document requirements, filing steps, timing caveats and appeal information.

Why a payment writ is not automatic

The RDC’s current writ-of-payment service lists requirements that include written proof of a specified debt immediately due, proof of the debtor’s domicile, proof of notice to pay, proof the debtor received that obligation, identity and IBAN records, and supporting documents. It states that the debtor must be notified through a Notary Public or by registered mail and that a filing may follow five days after notice if payment is not made.

Whether a deposit record satisfies those conditions is a legal classification, not an administrative assumption. A standard first-instance or conciliation route may instead need to be considered. Obtain licensed UAE advice before treating a factual refund email as the required notice or selecting a payment-writ procedure.

Current RDC fees for a deposit claim

The first-instance service page states that a monetary claim is charged at 3.5% of the amount claimed, with an AED 500 minimum and AED 15,000 maximum. If a deposit request is combined with another type of relief, the system’s classification and total may differ; do not assume the monetary-claim line is the whole fee.

The page also lists AED 100 process service, AED 25 power-of-attorney registration if applicable, AED 10 knowledge fee and AED 10 innovation fee. Filing through a Real Estate Services Trustee Centre adds the stated partner fee of AED 130 plus VAT on that fee.

The writ-of-payment service currently states the same 3.5% monetary basis, AED 500 minimum and AED 15,000 maximum, plus the listed applicable charges. That fee does not mean the writ is available on the facts.

For the amicable-settlement service, half of the basic-claim fee is refunded only if conciliation is sought and a settlement is reached. Recheck every live fee and condition before filing. These are RDC charges, not Dispute.ae fees.

What happens after filing?

For the website route, the RDC describes account access, service selection, data entry, document upload, electronic verification and fee payment. The first-instance page then lists attendance through tele-litigation and receipt of the judgment through the website. The Trustee Centre route uses centre staff for document checking and data entry before payment.

The page’s one-business-day service time is for completing registration, not for deciding the deposit dispute. Decree No. 26 of 2013 contains stage periods that can be extended, and a case may involve service, sessions, expert evidence, a decision, any available appeal and enforcement. Do not promise a decision date or recovery date.

Questions about a security deposit not returned in Dubai

Is a security deposit mandatory in every Dubai tenancy?

Article 20 of Law No. 26 of 2007 says a landlord may obtain a security deposit. Do not describe the law as imposing a universal deposit amount or requirement for every tenancy.

Must the landlord return the whole deposit?

Article 20 refers to refunding the deposit or its remainder when the lease expires. Article 21 addresses return of the property in its original condition, except for ordinary wear and tear or damage beyond the tenant’s control. The contract, condition evidence and substantiated deductions matter; no result is automatic.

How quickly must a Dubai security deposit be returned?

The cited tenancy provisions do not state a universal number of days. Check the contract and written commitments, record every request and promised date, and obtain licensed advice if the balance remains disputed.

Can the landlord always deduct repainting or cleaning?

No blanket outcome should be stated. The tenancy, move-in and move-out condition, ordinary wear, actual work and evidence of each claimed deduction must be considered. This guide does not assign a universal painting or cleaning cost to either party.

What if there was no signed move-out inspection?

Collect the evidence that does exist: original photographs and video, maintenance records, messages, key-return proof, access records, witness details and the landlord’s deduction documents. Mark the missing inspection as a gap rather than assuming what it would have shown.

Is a WhatsApp message enough evidence?

Preserve the complete, unedited conversation with participants and dates visible, together with other records. The RDC FAQ discusses modern communications as evidence in rental disputes, but admissibility, authenticity and weight are legal questions for the tribunal. A message is also not automatically a legally sufficient notice for a payment writ.

Can I use a payment writ to recover the deposit?

Not automatically. The RDC writ service requires a specified immediately payable debt, written proof and stated notice and receipt conditions. Obtain licensed advice on whether the facts meet that route or whether another RDC procedure is appropriate.

How much is the RDC fee for a deposit refund claim?

For a monetary claim, the current RDC page states 3.5% of the amount claimed, with an AED 500 minimum and AED 15,000 maximum, plus applicable charges. Combined relief or a different service may change the classification and total.

Does an RDC filing guarantee the deposit will be recovered?

No. Filing does not guarantee acceptance of every request, settlement, judgment, payment, recovery or enforcement.