Dubai residents seek parking space in tenancy contract as tariffs rise

As Dubai's variable parking tariff system increases public parking costs, tenants across the emirate are increasingly seeking to secure parking spaces as part of their tenancy agreement rather than paying escalating hourly and daily fees.

- Azza Al Ali

Legal experts say it is possible for tenants to include parking at no additional cost, but only through precise contractual arrangements, warning that assumptions about automatic parking rights are among the most common causes of rental disputes.

In April 2025, Dubai introduced a variable parking tariff system to manage demand and ease congestion by charging different rates based on location, time of day, and demand levels.

Premium zones such as Downtown Dubai, Business Bay, Deira, and Jumeirah now attract higher peak-hour charges, while off-peak and overnight parking remain free.

The impact has been significant. Average public parking costs rose by 51 per cent year on year to about Dh3.03 per hour in the third quarter of 2025, driven by higher daily tariffs and new pricing structures.

Against this backdrop, parking has become a key point of negotiation in residential leases.

According to Igor Abalov, managing partner at Lawford Legal Advisors FZ-LLC, the question of whether a tenant can demand a parking space when it is not expressly stated in the lease is one of the most frequently contested issues before Dubai's Rental Disputes Centre.

"The lease agreement plays a decisive role in determining tenant rights," Abalov said. "The tenant's ability to assert claims depends on what is expressly agreed and recorded in writing."