Landlord or Tenant: Who Pays for AC Repairs in Dubai?

Short answer: under UAE tenancy law, the landlord is responsible for maintenance and major repairs unless the tenancy contract states otherwise, while tenants are generally expected to cover routine upkeep such as filter cleaning and regular servicing. In practice the contract wins, so the clause in your tenancy agreement decides who pays.

This is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute, check your contract and speak to the Dubai Rental Dispute Centre.

What the law says

Dubai tenancy law places responsibility for maintenance and repair work on the landlord by default, unless both parties have agreed otherwise in writing. The phrase that matters is unless otherwise agreed, because most tenancy contracts in Dubai do agree otherwise, often with a clause setting a value threshold.

The common contract clause

Many Dubai tenancy contracts include a maintenance threshold, frequently in the region of AED 500 to AED 1,000. The usual arrangement is:

• Repairs below the threshold: the tenant pays
• Repairs above the threshold: the landlord pays

So a capacitor replacement or a drain cleaning normally lands with the tenant, while a compressor failure or a full unit replacement lands with the landlord. Check your own contract for the exact figure, because it is negotiated per tenancy, not set by law.

Where the line usually falls in practice

Normally the tenant

• Routine AC servicing and filter cleaning
• Blocked condensate drains caused by lack of servicing
• Damage caused by misuse
• Small parts, where the contract has a threshold

Normally the landlord

• Compressor failure
• Replacing an old or end-of-life unit
• Refrigerant leaks in the fixed pipework
• Faults that existed before the tenancy started
• Anything above the contract threshold

If you live in an apartment with chilled water

Many Dubai towers use district cooling rather than individual AC units. There the building management maintains the central plant, and the tenant is usually responsible only for the fan coil unit inside the apartment and its filter, plus the cooling bill itself. The service charge structure varies by building, so check with the management office.

How to handle it without a dispute

1. Read the maintenance clause in your tenancy contract before calling anyone.
2. Report the fault in writing to the landlord or agent, by email or WhatsApp, so there is a record and a date.
3. Get a written diagnosis and quote from a licensed company, stating the cause and the cost. This is what settles most disagreements, because it shows whether the fault is wear and tear or misuse.
4. Do not authorise major work yourself and expect reimbursement unless the landlord has agreed in writing.
5. If you cannot agree, the Rental Dispute Centre handles tenancy disputes in Dubai.

Advice for landlords

An annual maintenance contract is usually cheaper than emergency repairs, and it prevents the most common dispute entirely: a tenant who never serviced the unit and a compressor that failed as a result. It also keeps the property rentable, because AC complaints are among the most frequent reasons tenants do not renew.

Need a written diagnosis?

We provide a written diagnosis and fixed quote stating the cause of the fault, which tenants and landlords can both use to settle who pays. We work with tenants, owners and property managers across Dubai.

Call 056 844 1160 or message us on WhatsApp.