In a UAE rental, the landlord is generally the one reported to pay for repairs that fix the cause of mould, but the answer depends on the cause and on what your tenancy contract says. Gulf News (updated 16 May 2021) quoted a legal adviser saying Article 16 of Law 26 of 2007 puts maintenance on the landlord, and The National (27 March 2025) reported that AC mould and duct cleaning are the landlord's cost in Dubai. This is not legal advice. Check your tenancy contract and ask the Rental Dispute Centre or RERA which route applies to you.
What the press reported about the law
We have not read the statute ourselves. What follows is what newspapers reported, with the date, so you can read the originals.
- Maintenance. Gulf News, in a reader case updated 16 May 2021 where a landlord refused to pay for mould maintenance, quoted a legal adviser who pointed to Article 16 of Law 26 of 2007: the landlord maintains the property unless the contract says otherwise.
- Leaving early. The same Gulf News report quoted Article 7 of that law as barring early termination unless the lease agrees it or there are legal grounds. Wanting out because of mould is therefore not automatic.
- Abu Dhabi. The National (4 March 2015) reported that a health risk from mould may justify ending a tenancy early, with a refund of unused rent and deposit. That article was about Abu Dhabi, so do not assume the same rule applies in Dubai or Sharjah.
The lawyers and columnists in those articles are not official guidance. A contract can change who is responsible, so the contract comes first.
AC mould and duct cleaning
This is where reports point in different directions, which is why the contract matters.
- The National (27 March 2025) reported that the landlord pays for AC mould and duct cleaning in Dubai under Law 26 of 2007, and mentioned a Dh500 threshold used in practice.
- Gulf News (5 November 2018) reported that duct cleaning is usually excluded from maintenance contracts and that residents were paying Dh2,000 to Dh4,000 for a two-bedroom home.
So a tenant in Dubai, Sharjah or Ajman cannot assume either answer. Read the maintenance clause, and ask whether the building has a maintenance contract that covers the AC.
Why these disputes get stuck
The dispute is rarely about the mould itself. It is about the cause.
- The National (15 November 2017) reported a tenant whose agency was refusing to clean up a mouldy apartment.
- Gulf News (16 September 2018) reported a Discovery Gardens case in which a broker said the tenant was just trying to get out of the contract.
- Gulf News (September 2018) reported a Sharjah case in which management said the contract made the tenant responsible.
In these reports the argument turned on the cause. A leak, failed waterproofing or a blocked AC condensate line can point to the building. A home with poor ventilation and wet laundry indoors can point the other way. Without a record of the cause, it is one person's word against another's.
What evidence helps
- Dated photos of the mould, and of any leak, stain or damp patch near it.
- Your messages to the landlord or agent, kept in writing, with the dates you reported it.
- The maintenance clause from your tenancy contract.
- A written report that names the moisture source and says whose fix it is.
Keep any treatment receipts too. If you are worried about your health or a child's, see a doctor.
What MUMTAZ does
Mould inspection, AED 299 incl. VAT. It includes:
- An inspection of the affected rooms by a MUMTAZ surveyor
- Finding the moisture source, such as a blocked AC condensate line, failed silicone, cold bridging or a room with no working extract
- A photo report of what we found and what needs to change, including any fix that belongs to the landlord or the building
- A written remediation quote, so you know the price before any work starts
It does not include laboratory sampling or species identification. If you go ahead with treatment, home mould treatment is priced per affected room: AED 840 for one room, AED 1,155 for two and AED 315 for each room after that, VAT included.
MUMTAZ does not decide who pays. The photo report records the moisture source and whose fix it is, and you can send it to your landlord or agent. Read more on our mould and fungus remediation page, or see our Sharjah team or our Dubai team.