In Dubai, I reside in a middle-class neighborhood with reasonably priced rent.

My landlord is reasonable and has never raised rent on me out of the blue.

On the other hand, I’ve been reading about widespread increases in rent in the city. I’m concerned that my landlord would raise my rent at the next renewal by using the updated Dubai Land Department rental index.

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Are rent increases occurring around the city as a result of this update? For me, what does the revised rental index mean? Does the landlord gain from it or me? MM, Dubai

The DLD rental index, which includes all of Dubai, was recently modified to reflect the growth in the rental sector.

While rental property portals promote unoccupied property values (market rent), the index serves as a barometer of values, taking into account average rental amounts to give an estimate of what identical units are valued for tenanted properties.

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If necessary, your landlord may ask for an increase in rent based on the current market index. Your subsequent lease renewal will take this modification into account.

It is crucial to remember that any modifications to a contract must be announced in writing and given 90 days’ notice.

In response, the index is advantageous to you both. First and foremost, your landlord, as the new index provides a more precise rent amount; however, you also stand to gain, as the index remains significantly less than the market rent that would have been imposed had the unit remained unoccupied.

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Q: In Dubai, I rent a flat in a historic building. One of the clauses in the tenancy contract I signed said that the landlord was responsible for maintaining the property.

My device has been having some maintenance problems. When a technician arrives to fix the issue, he says the landlord does not pay him and demands that I do.

Is this equitable? Upon contacting the property management business of the landlord, I was informed that I would be responsible for any maintenance concerns under Dh500 ($136), with the landlord covering those above.

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The tenancy agreement makes no mention of this kind of provision. It’s an ancient building, so I’m sure there will be ongoing maintenance needs, and I fear I’ll have to foot the bill.

Since my family resides there, I want to keep the property in good condition, but the landlord won’t pay.

What steps should I take next? I have a lot more months left on my lease, which I signed, before I can get out of it. Kindly let me know. AM Dubai

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A: Generally speaking, the landlord is in charge of maintaining a rented property. However, to be more specific, I can affirm that the standard procedure is for the renter to pay any sum under Dh500, and the landlord is responsible for any amount over this.

In the event that your leasing agreement does not contain a clause of this kind, the default response is that the landlord is in charge of upkeep in exchange for the rent.

You are correct that there may be recurring maintenance issues because the property is housed in an ancient building; therefore, I would suggest setting up a meeting with the landlord to discuss your concerns and try to reach a mutually agreeable solution.

If you are still having to pay for upkeep that is the landlord’s obligation, maybe a lower rent could be helpful.

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You will be forced to submit a complaint with the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee, who will notify the landlord of his obligations, if the owner refuses to cooperate.

Mario Volpi has 40 years of experience in the real estate industry, having worked in Dubai and London as head of brokerage at Novvi Properties. The views given are for informational purposes only and do not represent legal advice.