In Sharjah, a landlord may not increase the agreed rent within three years from the start of the tenancy unless both parties agree. If you accept an earlier increase, the landlord cannot raise the rent again for two years from that increase. After these periods, any increase must follow the "fair rent", calculated under the law's executive regulations. At the end of the tenancy, the landlord must return your deposit, minus only deductions for damage you caused beyond normal use. These rules come from Sharjah Law No. 5 of 2024 on Property Leasing, as announced by the Sharjah Government.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for tenants and landlords of property in the Emirate of Sharjah facing a proposed rent increase or a deposit that has not been returned. It goes deeper on two points that our Sharjah rent dispute guide covers only briefly.
That guide explains the Rental Disputes Center, filing and appeals, so they are not repeated here. Some property is outside the leasing law, such as hotel accommodation and some employer-provided housing. Ajman has different rules; see Ajman rent increases and deposit refunds.
When can a Sharjah landlord raise the rent?
The Sharjah Government Media Bureau's official summary of Law No. 5 of 2024 sets out the rent rules:
| Point | What the official summary says |
|---|---|
| Three-year freeze | The landlord may not increase the agreed rent before three years from the start of the rental relationship |
| Agreement | The freeze applies unless the parties to the contract agree otherwise |
| After an agreed increase | If the tenant accepts an increase within the three years, the landlord may not increase it again until two years after that increase |
| After the periods end | The increase must equal the fair rent, with controls and calculation set by the executive regulations |
| Changing the periods | The Executive Council may change these periods by decision |
The clock runs from the start of the relationship. The three years are counted from when the tenancy began, not from each renewal. Keep your first contract, even if you have renewed several times.
Agreeing early has a cost. If you sign a renewal with a higher rent in year one or two, that counts as agreement. The two-year bar then protects you from a further rise, but the higher rent stands.
Fair rent. The law leaves the method for fair rent to its executive regulations. A Sharjah Executive Council decision of October 2025 confirms that executive regulations exist. We could not find their published text on an official site, so we cannot state the formula. Ask Sharjah Municipality or the Rental Disputes Center how fair rent is assessed for your unit before you agree to a figure.
Comparing rents. Since 2021, Sharjah Municipality has offered an online rental map showing average rental values by area. It is an information tool. The municipality does not describe it as a legal cap on increases.
Notice period. The official summary does not state a notice period for a rent increase. Check your contract, and ask the landlord to put any proposed increase in writing with the date it starts.
Pressure tactics. The landlord must not disturb the tenant, cut services or pressure the tenant to leave, according to the official summary.
How do I get my deposit back?
The official summary lists returning the tenant's financial guarantees at the end of the rental relationship as a landlord duty. The landlord may keep all or part only for damage caused by the tenant that does not fall under normal use.
The same summary sets out the tenant's side:
- Bills and damage. The tenant pays for service consumption and any damage to the property from the day of receiving it until handing it back.
- Changes. The tenant must not make changes without the landlord's written permission and any required licences.
- Improvements. Plantings, constructions or improvements that would cause damage if removed are left behind at the end, unless agreed otherwise.
So the key questions in a deposit dispute are what condition the property was in at the start, what is normal use, and whether any bills are unpaid. Photos, a check-in report and final bills answer most of them.
Attestation. The landlord must attest the lease and any renewal with the municipality or authorised bodies within 15 days of drafting it. If a lease was never attested, either party may still file a claim with the Rental Disputes Center to establish the tenancy, and the landlord then pays the attestation fees, according to the official summary. Sharjah Municipality's renewal service says residential contracts run from one month to five years and a renewal made through its website is for one year only. Check the current fee on that page before you pay.
Paying rent during a dispute. If the landlord refuses your rent, the summary says you may deposit it with the centre, under controls set in the executive regulations. This protects you better than simply not paying, because non-payment within 15 days of the due date is a ground for eviction.
Step by step
- Find your first contract. Note the date the tenancy began and the date of any increase you accepted.
- Check the timing. Use the legal deadline organiser to see when the three-year or two-year period ends.
- Ask for the proposal in writing. Request the new rent, the start date and how the landlord worked it out.
- Compare. Check the municipality's rental information and similar listings in your building.
- Reply in writing. Accept, negotiate or refuse, and keep a copy. The rent increase preparation tool can help you prepare.
- Keep paying the current rent. If the landlord refuses it, ask the centre about depositing rent.
- Record the handover. Take dated photos and videos, settle final bills and get the key receipt signed.
- Demand the deposit in writing. Give the amount, your evidence and a clear deadline.
- File if needed. Our Sharjah rent dispute guide explains the Rental Disputes Center route.
Documents checklist
- First tenancy contract and every renewal, attested
- Any written increase proposal and your reply
- Rent cheques, transfers and receipts
- Deposit receipt or the contract clause on the deposit
- Move-in and move-out photos and videos, with dates
- Final electricity, water and other bills, and clearance letters
- Key handover receipt and any inspection report
Common mistakes
- Counting from the latest renewal. The three years run from the start of the tenancy.
- Signing a higher renewal without reading it. Agreement in writing can allow an increase inside the freeze.
- Relying on old articles. Many still describe Sharjah Law No. 2 of 2007. The rules above are from the official announcement of Law No. 5 of 2024; ask a lawyer how they apply to a lease that began earlier.
- Withholding rent in protest. Non-payment is an eviction ground. Ask about depositing rent with the centre instead.
- Treating normal use as damage. Deductions are for damage beyond normal use, so challenge charges for ordinary wear.
- Leaving without a condition record. Without photos, a deduction dispute is your word against the landlord's.
When to speak to a licensed lawyer
Advice is worth considering if the landlord seeks a large increase soon after the three years, if your lease began before Law No. 5 of 2024, if the deposit is large or the damage is disputed, or if the property is commercial. A lawyer can also check how the executive regulations treat fair rent in your case. The free case check can help you set out the facts first, and CaseDaleel can introduce an independent licensed professional only if you choose.
Frequently asked questions
Can my landlord raise the rent every year in Sharjah?
No, the law bars an increase within three years from the start of the tenancy unless the parties agree otherwise.
What happens after the three years?
Any increase must follow the fair rent, calculated under the executive regulations of Law No. 5 of 2024.
I agreed to an increase in year two. Can the landlord raise it again next year?
No, after an agreed increase the landlord may not raise the rent again until two years have passed from that increase.
Is there a maximum percentage for rent increases in Sharjah?
The official summary sets no fixed percentage and refers to fair rent under the executive regulations, so confirm the figure with the municipality or the Rental Disputes Center.
How much notice must a Sharjah landlord give before increasing rent?
The official summary does not state a notice period, so check your contract and ask for any increase in writing.
Can my Sharjah landlord keep my deposit?
Only for damage you caused that does not fall under normal use; otherwise the deposit must be returned when the tenancy ends.
Where do I complain about a rent increase or deposit in Sharjah?
To the Rental Disputes Center in the Emirate of Sharjah, affiliated with Sharjah Municipality.
Official sources
- Sharjah Government Media Bureau — Ruler of Sharjah issues law on property leasing (Law No. 5 of 2024)
- Sharjah Government Media Bureau — Law on the Rental Disputes Center (Law No. 6 of 2024)
- Sharjah Executive Council — Decision on settlement of unattested lease contracts
- Sharjah Municipality — Request to renew a certified lease contract
- Sharjah Municipality — Sharjah city rental map launched
General information, not legal advice. CaseDaleel is not a law firm.