In Dubai, unless otherwise agreed upon by both the landlord and tenant, the landlord is responsible for maintaining the rented property and addressing any issues that could hinder the tenant's normal use of the property. This includes necessary maintenance and repairs during the rental period. This obligation is outlined in Article 16 of Law No. 26 of 2007, which governs the relationship between landlords and tenants in the Emirate of Dubai:
"Article (16) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the landlord will, during the term of the Rent Contract, be responsible for the real property’s maintenance works and for repairing any defect or damage that may affect the tenant's intended use of the real property."
However, if the tenancy contract specifies that the tenant is responsible for bearing the costs or undertaking the maintenance/repair works of the rented apartment, then the tenant is legally bound to do so. Additionally, when the tenancy contract is up for renewal, both the landlord and tenant may agree to modify the terms of the existing contract. This flexibility is provided under Article 13 of Law No. 33 of 2008, which amends Law No. 26 of 2007:
"For the purposes of renewing a rent contract, the landlord and tenant may, prior to the expiry of the lease contract, amend any of its terms or reconsider increasing or reducing the rent. If the landlord and tenant fail to reach an agreement in this regard, the tribunal may determine the fair rent, considering the criteria stipulated in Article (9) of this Law."
If either party wishes to amend the terms of the tenancy contract, they must notify the other party at least 90 days before the contract expires, as stipulated in Article 14 of the Amended Dubai Rent Law:
"Unless otherwise agreed by the parties to a rent contract, where either party wishes to amend any of its terms pursuant to Article (13) of this Law, that party must notify the other party of this intent no less than ninety (90) days before the date on which the rent contract expires."
Based on these legal provisions, you have the right to negotiate the terms of your tenancy contract, including specific clauses related to maintenance responsibilities.
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