Is duct cleaning the landlord's responsibility in Dubai?« Back to Previous Page

Excellent question. This is a very common point of confusion for tenants here in Dubai, especially with our dusty climate.

In most standard Ejari tenancy contracts for apartments in Dubai, the responsibility for general maintenance of the property, including the air conditioning system, falls on the tenant. This typically covers things like changing the AC filters regularly. However, the deep cleaning of the internal ductwork is a different matter.

The grey dust you're seeing is a classic sign that a significant amount of debris, sand, and potentially microbial growth has accumulated within the ducts. While the tenant handles filter changes, the cleaning of the fixed ductwork system is generally considered a capital improvement or a major maintenance item for the building's central system. This responsibility almost always lies with the landlord or the building management.

Your first step should be to formally notify your landlord or property management company about the issue. Politely explain the symptoms – the stuffy air and persistent dust – and request that they arrange for a professional inspection and subsequent duct cleaning. Since you've been there for three years with no history of cleaning, it's a very reasonable request for them to address.

If they are unresponsive, you can reference Dubai's rental laws that imply a landlord must maintain the property in a habitable condition, and poor indoor air quality can fall under that. For a definitive assessment, we always recommend a professional inspection to gauge the contamination level. This provides concrete evidence to present to your landlord.

If you'd like us to take a look and provide a report, feel free to give us a call at 800-MOLDS or email hello@saniservice.com. We can clearly show what's going on inside those ducts. Hope this helps clarify the responsibility!