Are tenants allowed to make temporary changes in rental property?

Question: I’m renting a two-bedroom apartment in Dubai, and my two children currently share one of the rooms, I would like to divide their shared room into two separate spaces. I understand that structural modifications are generally not allowed in rental properties here. Howev-er, would it be legally allowed to install a non-permanent partition, like a gypsum board divider, that doesn’t affect the apartment’s structure? Please advise on the legality of this and whether any permissions are required for this type of modification.

- Ashish Mehta

Answer: In Dubai, tenants are prohibited from making any changes or carrying out maintenance work in a rental property without first obtaining approval from the landlord and the relevant authorities, including but not limited to Dubai Civil Defence. This is outlined in Article 19 of Law No. 26 of 2007, which regulates the relationship between landlords and tenants in the emirate. The law states: