In Dubai, most tenants pay a security deposit of around 5 percent of the annual rent for unfurnished homes. Whether you get it back often comes down to a handful of small repairs. Landlords and property managers check walls, fixtures, paint and appliances closely at move-out. A day of repairs before handover is usually far cheaper than the deductions.
Start Two Weeks Before Handover
Check your tenancy contract and the move-in inspection report or photos. You only need to return the home in the condition you received it, allowing for normal wear and tear.
Walls and Paint
Fill Holes
Picture hooks, curtain rods, TV brackets and shelves all leave holes. Remove fixings, fill the holes, sand them flush and touch up the paint. See our small wall hole patching and touch-up painting service.
Repaint If Needed
Many contracts require walls returned in the original colour. If you painted a feature wall, or the walls are heavily marked, a move-in and move-out repaint is often the safest option.
Remove Wallpaper
Peel-and-stick wallpaper can pull paint off. Remove it carefully and touch up any damage. See peel-and-stick wallpaper removal.
Bathrooms and Kitchen
- Replace black or mouldy silicone around the bath, shower and sink. See caulking.
- Clean grout and fix cracked or loose tiles.
- Check taps and toilets for drips and fix them.
- Degrease the oven, hood filters and extractor fan.
Doors, Cabinets and Fixtures
- Tighten loose handles and adjust doors that rub or do not latch.
- Adjust dropped cabinet doors and replace broken hinges. See cabinet hinge repair.
- Replace dead bulbs and cracked switch plates.
- Make sure every key and access card is ready to hand over.
AC and Appliances
- Clean AC filters, and book a service if the contract requires one.
- Check that supplied appliances work and are clean.
- Reinstall any original fittings you removed, such as curtain rails or light fittings.
Take Photos
Once everything is done, photograph every room, wall and appliance with the date visible. Keep these with your move-in photos in case of a dispute.
Common Deductions and How to Avoid Them
These are the issues we see most often on Dubai move-out reports:
- Wall anchors and holes: remove every plug, fill and touch up.
- Marked or coloured walls: repaint feature walls back to the original colour.
- Mouldy silicone and grout: reseal baths and showers and clean grout.
- Broken blinds and curtain tracks: repair or replace before handover.
- Dirty AC filters and vents: clean filters and grilles, and service units if your contract asks for it.
- Missing light bulbs: replace all dead bulbs with matching ones.
- Damaged doors and handles: adjust doors and tighten or replace loose handles.
Doing these yourself or booking one handyman visit is almost always cheaper than the amount deducted for them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Have to Repaint Before Moving Out in Dubai?
It depends on your tenancy contract and the condition of the walls. Many contracts ask for walls to be returned in the original colour. Normal wear is usually accepted, but marks, holes and feature colours you added often need touching up or repainting.
Can My Landlord Keep My Deposit for Nail Holes?
Small, neat holes are often treated as fair wear, but large holes, wall anchors left in place and damaged paint can lead to deductions. Filling holes and touching up paint before handover is usually much cheaper than a deduction.
How Long Before Handover Should I Book Repairs?
Book repairs one to two weeks before handover so there is time for paint to dry and for any follow-up. Leave the final day for cleaning and the inspection, not repairs.
What Should I Photograph at Move-Out?
Photograph every wall, floor, ceiling, door, window and appliance in good light, plus close-ups of anything repaired. Keep the photos with your move-in report so you can compare them if there is a dispute about the deposit.
One Visit, Whole List
Our handymen work through the full move-out list in one visit: holes, touch-ups, silicone, hinges, handles and fixtures. Book an odd job handyman visit or see all minor home repairs. If you are moving furniture too, we can take apart and rebuild it.