Insights · Ready property
Buying with
the tenant in.
Buying a Dubai property with a tenant already in it isn't a problem, it's a detail to check. A sale doesn't end an active lease: the tenancy transfers to you as the new owner, on the same terms, until it expires.
The lease moves with the property
Under Dubai's Tenancy Law (Law No. 26 of 2007, Article 28), a change of ownership doesn't end an existing fixed-term lease. The contract stays binding on the buyer until it expires, so you collect the same rent the tenant already pays, from day one.
If you want the unit empty
A landlord can only seek vacant possession to sell at the end of the lease, with at least 12 months' notice served through a Notary Public or registered mail (Article 25(2), as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008).
So if you're buying to move in, check the lease end date first. If you're buying to rent out, a sitting tenant can be an advantage: no empty months while you find one.
What I check before a buyer commits
- The Ejari registration, so the lease on file matches the one you're shown.
- The lease term and end date.
- The rent, and how it's paid.
Questions buyers ask
Does selling a property in Dubai end the tenancy?
No. Under Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 (Article 28), a change of ownership doesn't end an existing lease. It stays binding on the new owner, on the same terms, until it expires.
Can the new owner evict the tenant to sell?
Only at the end of the lease, with at least 12 months' notice served through a Notary Public or registered mail (Article 25(2), as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008).
What should I check before buying a tenanted unit?
The Ejari registration and the lease term: who the tenant is, the rent, and when the lease ends.
Sources, checked 11 October 2026:
- Khaleej Times, can a landlord in Dubai evict to sell (Law No. 26 of 2007, Articles 25(2) and 28)
- Mondaq, terminating a tenancy early in Dubai (a sale doesn't end the lease)