Who pays for mold remediation in a Dubai rental?« Back to Previous Page

We've lived in our Jumeirah Village Triangle apartment for two years, and just noticed a bunch of black mold spreading from the corner of our bedroom ceiling, right where the wall meets the outside. It definitely got worse after the heavy dew last week. My husband thinks it's the landlord's job to fix, but I'm not sure who is responsible for the cost of cleaning our belongings if the spores got on anything. Are we obligated to pay for the mold remediation, or is that the building management's responsibility?
Posted by Samantha Jones
Asked on April 7, 2026 5:25 pm
In Dubai's rental properties, the responsibility for mold remediation is primarily determined by the cause of the moisture intrusion, as outlined in standard tenancy contracts and Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007, which regulates the relationship between landlords and tenants.

The landlord is unequivocally responsible for the structural integrity of the property. If the mold in your Jumeirah Village Triangle apartment originates from a structural defect, such as a leaking roof, faulty external waterproofing, or a breach in the building envelope, the remediation cost falls on the landlord. The persistent high humidity and heavy dew you mentioned can exacerbate these underlying issues, but the root cause is the structural failure.

However, responsibility may shift to the tenant if the mold is a direct result of occupant behavior. This includes failure to use the AC adequately to control humidity (a critical factor in Dubai's climate), chronic lack of ventilation, or damage caused by internal leaks from tenant-owned appliances that were not reported promptly.

For your situation, the mold spreading from the corner of an external wall strongly indicates an external moisture ingress, making this the landlord's responsibility. Regarding your belongings, the landlord's obligation typically covers the remediation of the structure itself. Cleaning or replacing contaminated personal items is generally the tenant's responsibility, unless you can prove the damage was a direct result of the landlord's negligence in addressing a reported structural issue.

We strongly recommend a professional inspection to definitively identify the moisture source. Our certified inspectors use thermal imaging and moisture meters to provide an irrefutable report on the cause, which is essential for discussions with your landlord. For immediate assistance, please call Saniservice at 800-MOLDS (800-66537) or email hello@saniservice.com for a comprehensive assessment and remediation plan.
Posted by Sani Admin
Answered on April 9, 2026 3:55 pm