Who pays for mold inspection in Dubai rental: tenant or landlord?« Back to Previous Page

Under Dubai's rental law (Law No. 26 of 2007), the landlord is generally responsible for maintaining the structural integrity and essential systems of the property. This includes the building envelope and the AC system. Since the mold is on an exterior wall and directly linked to a malfunctioning AC unit that is causing dampness, the responsibility for the inspection and subsequent remediation likely falls on the landlord.

Your first step should be to formally notify your landlord or property management company in writing, detailing the issue with the AC drip and the resulting mold growth. Include clear photographs. They are obligated to address the root cause—the faulty AC—as it is a provided appliance. The constant dampness from the AC unit, especially in JVC's high humidity, creates a persistent mold-friendly environment that simple cleaning won't fix.

For a case like this, a professional inspection is strongly recommended to identify the mold species and the full extent of moisture penetration. While a landlord might initially propose a simple clean-up, the underlying moisture issue must be resolved. A proper inspection involves moisture mapping and often air or surface sampling to provide concrete evidence of the problem's scope, which can be crucial for discussions with the landlord.

If the landlord is unresponsive, you can file a complaint with the Rental Dispute Center (RDC) in Dubai. They will typically require a professional assessment report to adjudicate, which is why engaging a certified inspector with a documented process is important. The cost burden for the initial inspection is typically negotiated, but if the root cause is a structural or system failure, the landlord should ultimately bear it.