Abu Dhabi has announced a temporary rent freeze across the city, the emirate’s Real Estate Centre announced on Tuesday, June 2, effective immediately.
All residential, commercial, and industrial tenancy contract renewals will be processed at a 0 per cent increase for the duration of the measure.
Any new tenancy contract on a previously rented unit will be offered at the same rental value as the preceding contract. The measure is temporary and until further notice, with the move coming as a relief to tenants across the emirate amid the ongoing regional conflict
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Currently, under Abu Dhabi law, landlords and property management companies can increase the rent by up to 5 per cent annually, provided they inform tenants at least two months prior to contract renewal.
Tenants in the Capital also pay a housing fee to Abu Dhabi Municipality, according to Abu Dhabi Council Resolution No. 13 of 2016. The housing fee is a standard 3 per cent of annual rent and applies to all housing units in the city.
The Abu Dhabi Municipality uses a system called Tawtheeq to keep a record of tenancy contracts and data related to the property being leased, providing legally binding records to protect both tenants and landlords. It is mandatory for everyone to go through it while registering and attesting all residential and commercial tenancy contracts.
Meanwhile in 2024, Abu Dhabi had launched its first official rental index for the capital. The platform that serves both tenants and landlords, is designed to increase market transparency, provide indicative rental values, and support the stability of the capital’s growing real estate market.
Rental relief in the past
In October of 2025, the Sharjah Executive Council approved a settlement for unauthorised lease contracts in the emirate, covering agreements signed before the implementation of Law No. (5) of 2024 on real estate leasing and its executive regulations.
Under the decision, tenants who regularise previously uncertified contracts that expired before September 19, 2024, would benefit from a 50 per cent exemption on authentication fees, along with a full waiver of administrative fines for failing to authenticate their leases.
The exemptions were put in place from November 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, and applied to all types of leases, including residential, commercial, industrial, and investment agreements.
Source: Khaleej Times