Dubai Tenancy Guide

Tenant vs Landlord: Who Pays for Apartment Painting?

Moving into a rented apartment in Dubai, or moving out of one? Painting is one of the most common causes of deposit disputes between tenants and landlords. Here is how responsibility is normally decided, what your contract and Ejari say, and how both sides can avoid an argument.

BY DUBAI PROFIXER

Few things cause more friction at the end of a Dubai tenancy than a paint bill. The tenant looks at the walls and sees normal living. The landlord looks at the same walls and sees scuffs, marks, and faded patches that must be fixed before the next tenant arrives. Both sides feel they are right, and without a clear agreement, a simple repaint can turn into a full-blown deposit dispute.

This guide explains how painting responsibility is normally handled in Dubai rentals, what your tenancy contract and Ejari registration have to say about it, and how to tell the difference between fair wear and tear and genuine damage. It shares general guidance based on common market practice, not legal advice. For a binding answer about your specific situation, speak to a qualified legal professional.

How Painting Responsibility Usually Works in Dubai

In Dubai's rental market, there is no single rule that says the landlord always pays or the tenant always pays for painting. Instead, responsibility usually follows a practical pattern shaped by market custom and, above all, by what the tenancy contract says.

• Between tenancies, landlords usually repaint. Most landlords refresh the paint before a new tenant moves in, because a freshly painted apartment rents faster and photographs better. This repaint is normally treated as the landlord's normal cost of letting the property.
• During a tenancy, tenants usually pay for cosmetic changes. If you want a different color or a feature wall while you live there, expect to pay for it yourself, and expect to repaint it back to the original shade when you leave.
• At move-out, it depends on condition and contract. If the walls show only normal wear, many landlords absorb the refresh as turnover cost. If there is damage beyond normal wear, or the contract includes a repaint clause, the cost often falls on the tenant or comes out of the security deposit.

Because the pattern is custom rather than law, the written contract matters more than any rule of thumb. Always check what yours actually says, which is where we turn next. If you are already facing the end of a tenancy, our move-out painting guide explains what landlords usually expect and how to plan the work.

What Your Tenancy Contract and Ejari Say

Your tenancy contract is the document that decides most painting disputes in Dubai. Ejari, the official system that registers tenancy contracts, makes the agreed terms formal and enforceable, so what is written there carries real weight if there is ever a disagreement.

When you read your contract, look for these clauses:

• Painting or redecoration clause. Some contracts state plainly that the tenant must return the unit in the same painted condition or have it professionally repainted. If yours does, budget for a repaint at move-out from the start.
• Maintenance split. Many Dubai contracts divide maintenance by value, with the landlord covering major work above a threshold and the tenant covering minor work below it. Painting usually falls wherever the contract places cosmetic work, so read that section carefully.
• Addenda and special conditions. Extra typed or handwritten conditions at the end of the contract are common in Dubai. A painting obligation tucked into an addendum is just as binding as one in the main body, so do not skip those pages.

Verbal promises do not count. If the agent told you the landlord repaints every year, or that you would not be charged for painting when you leave, get it in writing and signed. In a dispute, only the registered contract and its signed addenda matter.

Wear and Tear Versus Tenant Damage

The line between normal wear and tear and tenant damage is where most painting arguments live. Wear and tear is the gradual deterioration that happens when a home is lived in normally. Damage is harm caused by misuse, neglect, or unauthorized changes, and the two are treated very differently when the bill arrives.

Usually treated as normal wear and tear:

• Slight fading or yellowing of paint over time, especially in sunny rooms
• Small nail holes from hanging pictures
• Light scuffs along hallways and around light switches

Usually treated as tenant damage:

• Large holes, gouges, or cracked plaster from impacts
• Stains from smoke, cooking grease, or spills that paint alone cannot hide
• Unauthorized dark or bold colors that need extra coats to cover
• Crayon, marker, or adhesive marks that require heavy preparation

The practical test is simple. Would the wall need just a standard refresh, or does it need repairs and extra work because of how it was treated? A standard refresh leans toward the landlord's normal turnover cost. Repairs and heavy preparation lean toward the tenant. When you discuss the work with a painter, our questions to ask before hiring a painter will help you get a clear, comparable quote.

Move In Painting and the Handover Report

The cheapest painting dispute is the one you prevent on day one. When you take over an apartment in Dubai, you usually sign a handover or move-in report describing the unit's condition. Treat the paintwork as carefully as you treat the appliances.

• Photograph every room in daylight, including close-ups of marks, cracks, and stains on the walls.
• Note the existing paint condition in the handover report before you sign it.
• If the paint is already tired, ask the landlord to repaint before you move in, and get the promise in writing.
• Keep copies of the signed report and your photos for the whole tenancy.

If you move into a freshly painted apartment and hand it back freshly painted, there is very little to argue about. If you move into a worn apartment with no record of its condition, every mark becomes your word against the landlord's. Planning the timing helps too. See how long painting a house takes in Dubai so you can schedule any repaint before your move-in date.

Move Out Painting and Getting Your Deposit Back

Move-out is when painting bills actually land. Landlords in Dubai commonly expect the apartment back in the same painted condition it was handed over in, and many deduct a professional repaint from the security deposit when it is not.

A proper move-out repaint is not a quick touch-up. It usually means filling holes, sanding, spot-priming, and two finish coats in the original color, which is why it costs real money. For a sense of the numbers, check our guide to the average price for painting a 2-bedroom apartment in Dubai and how much house painting costs in Dubai overall.

• Read your contract first. If it has a repaint clause, plan and budget for it from the start instead of discovering it at handover.
• Use a professional painter and keep the receipt. A proper invoice proves the work was done to a professional standard.
• Match the original color and finish. Landlords can reasonably reject a repaint in the wrong shade or a flat finish where there was silk.
• Do a walkthrough with the landlord or agent before you hand back the keys, and get the sign-off in writing.

Some tenants try to save money with a quick DIY job, but a patchy repaint often leads to the landlord redoing it and charging you anyway. Our comparison of hiring a painter versus DIY explains when DIY makes sense and when it backfires.

How Painting Disputes Get Resolved

If you and the other side disagree about a painting charge, start with the least expensive step and talk. Many disputes settle quickly once both sides look at the move-in report, the photos, and the contract clause together.

• Put your position in writing, politely, referencing the contract clause and attaching your photos.
• Get competing quotes. An inflated painting deduction is much harder to defend against two written quotes from reputable painters.
• Keep every receipt, message, and signed handover report. Paper trails win arguments.

If direct discussion fails, Dubai has a formal route for tenancy disagreements, the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre. Filing a case costs time and money, so it usually makes sense only when the amount in dispute justifies it. This is general information about the process, not legal advice about your case.

Practical Tips for Tenants and Landlords

A few simple habits prevent almost every painting dispute, whichever side of the tenancy you are on.

For Tenants

• Document everything at move-in and again at move-out, with dated photos.
• Get painting promises in writing, never as a phone call you cannot prove.
• Repaint in the original color using quality paint. Cheap paint that flashes or mismatches invites rejection. See the best paint brands available in the UAE before you buy.
• Book your painter early so you are not negotiating with the landlord under time pressure. Our guide on finding a reliable painting contractor in Dubai shows what to look for.

For Landlords

• Write a clear painting clause into the contract so expectations are set on day one.
• Repaint between tenancies with durable, washable paint in a neutral color.
• Do a proper handover report with photos. It protects you as much as the tenant.
• Use professional painters and keep invoices, so your standards are consistent and documented.

Tenant Landlord Painting FAQs