Deposit protection in Dubai.
Most Dubai tenants lose part of their deposit on damages they didn't cause. The legal system favors whoever documented better. Snagify makes thorough documentation the default.
Try Snagify free →What is a deposit protection?
A rental deposit in Dubai is typically 5% of the annual rent for unfurnished and 10% for furnished. The landlord holds it for the duration of the tenancy and is supposed to return it at move-out, minus deductions for damage beyond fair wear and tear.
In practice, most landlords keep some portion of the deposit for vague reasons: 'cleaning fee', 'paint touch-up', 'deep cleaning', 'damage that wasn't documented at check-in'. Without strong tenant evidence, these claims often stand.
Deposit protection isn't a legal mechanism in Dubai (unlike the UK's tenant deposit scheme). It's a documentation discipline. Tenants and landlords who document their inspections thoroughly get their deposits handled fairly. Those who don't, fight for them.
When you need it.
You're moving into a Dubai rental and want to protect your deposit upfront.
The single most effective protection is a thorough check-in inspection on day one. Skip this step and you forfeit most of your leverage at move-out time.
Your landlord is keeping more than expected at move-out.
If you have a Snagify check-in and check-out, you have evidence to negotiate. Most disputes settle within 2 weeks once both parties have reviewed the documented evidence.
You're a landlord and want to protect yourself against tenant damage claims.
Document everything at check-in and check-out. A signed report is your defense if the tenant tries to claim damage was already there or that the property was uninhabitable.
The Snagify approach.
Step by step.
Free check-in on day one
Set the baseline. Photograph every room, AI tags issues, both parties sign. Free, takes 20 minutes.
Keep both copies
Snagify emails the PDF to both landlord and tenant. SHA-256 verification proves it can't be edited later.
Document mid-tenancy issues
If something breaks during your tenancy, document it the day it happens. Quick photos + a note. Strong evidence later.
Schedule the check-out 1-2 days before key return
Both parties present. Snagify auto-pulls the check-in for direct comparison. Pre-existing damage is excluded automatically.
Discuss flagged differences
AI highlights changes. For each one, both parties agree on responsibility (wear vs damage). Logged in the report.
Sign and settle
Both sign. The deposit is settled per the documented agreement. If there's still disagreement, the report is RDC-ready.
What you get at the end.
A complete check-in plus check-out PDF pair, both SHA-256 verified, both dual-signed, with side-by-side comparison and damage classification. Used as primary evidence in RDC cases. Tenants present this and get full deposits back in 80% of cases without filing.
Frequently asked.
5% of annual rent for unfurnished, 10% for furnished. On a 100,000 AED unfurnished tenancy, that's 5,000 AED. On 200,000 AED furnished, it's 20,000 AED. Worth protecting.
No. Unlike the UK's tenancy deposit scheme, Dubai doesn't have a third-party deposit holder. The landlord holds your deposit directly. This is one reason documentation matters so much: there's no neutral party verifying the funds.
Lack of documented check-in. The landlord claims damage existed when the tenant moved out that wasn't there at move-in. Without a Snagify-style baseline, the tenant has no evidence to dispute the claim. The deposit stays with the landlord.
Dubai tenancy law expects deposits to be returned within a 'reasonable timeframe' after move-out, typically 1-3 weeks. There's no strict legal limit. If your landlord delays unreasonably, you can file at the RDC.
You can still do a Snagify check-in and check-out on your own. The reports are weaker without the landlord's signature, but they're still legal evidence with timestamps and SHA-256. A documented report from one party is stronger than no documentation at all.