Mold and Damp in Dubai Rentals: Who Repairs It and How to Prove It

Why mould in a Dubai home is a responsibility question as well as a cleaning job

Mould and damp patches in a Dubai apartment or villa are rarely only a cosmetic problem. Behind almost every black spot on a ceiling, a musty wardrobe or a swollen skirting board there is a source of water: a leaking pipe, an overflowing air-conditioning condensate tray, a failed shower seal, a roof or balcony that lets rain in, or warm humid air meeting a cold surface. Until that source is found and fixed, cleaning only buys a few weeks.

Because the source can sit inside the unit, behind a shared wall, above the ceiling in the flat upstairs or in the building's common pipes and roof, mould also raises a practical question that tenants, landlords and owners in Dubai ask every rainy season: who has to repair it, who pays, and how do you prove what happened? This guide answers those questions using the laws that govern rentals and jointly owned buildings in Dubai, and Dubai Municipality's technical guideline on mould remediation.

It is written for tenants who want a fair fix without a dispute, landlords who want to protect their property and their deposit position, and owners in towers who need to know when a leak becomes the owners association's job. It does not replace legal advice for a specific contract, but it sets out what the published texts actually say and how a well-documented repair should run from first stain to signed-off result.

What Dubai Municipality's mould guideline says about the cause

Dubai Municipality's Technical Guideline for Mold Remediation and Control (DM-HSD-GU142-MRC2) treats moisture as the root cause of mould and builds every step of remediation around finding and correcting it. The guideline lists visible growth, musty odours, water damage and hidden mould behind walls or inside air-conditioning systems among the signs that justify an investigation, and it expects the moisture source to be repaired before materials are restored.

The same guideline classifies remediation by the size of the affected area, with separate levels for up to about ten square feet, for ten to one hundred square feet, and for more than one hundred square feet or contamination inside heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. At the larger levels it expects professional remediation with containment, so that spores and dust do not spread to the rest of the home while contaminated materials are removed.

It also gives practical clearance points. Materials such as wood and drywall are expected to be dried below sixteen per cent moisture content before they are closed up or repainted, and porous materials that are heavily contaminated, such as carpeting, are removed rather than cleaned. For anyone deciding who should repair what, the message is simple: the repair that matters is the one that stops the water, and the person responsible for that source is usually the person responsible for the damage.

Where the water usually comes from in Dubai properties

In Dubai apartments, common hidden sources of damp are air-conditioning condensate trays and drains above false ceilings, leaking supply or waste pipes inside walls and under bathroom floors, failed silicone and grout around showers and baths, and windows or balcony doors whose drainage slots are blocked so that rainwater is pushed inside. In villas, roofs, balconies, terraces, irrigation lines close to walls and ground-floor walls without an effective damp-proof course add to that list.

Condensation is the other big cause. When indoor air is humid, for example after showers, cooking or drying clothes indoors, and it meets a cold surface such as an uninsulated chilled-water pipe, a window frame or an outside wall cooled by air-conditioning, water forms on the surface every day. Rooms where the air-conditioning is switched off for long periods, such as holiday homes and units between tenants, can trap humid air and grow mould quickly once the system restarts.

Each of these sources points to a different person. A blocked condensate tray inside the unit is ordinary maintenance of the unit's equipment; a leak from the flat upstairs belongs to that flat; a failing roof membrane or a cracked common riser in a tower usually belongs to the building's common parts; and condensation caused by blocked ventilation or drying clothes indoors can come down to how the home is used. That is why the first step in any mould dispute is a proper investigation of the source, not an argument about the stain.

The landlord's duty under Dubai's rental law

Dubai's landlord and tenant law, Law No. (26) of 2007 regulating the relationship between landlords and tenants, sets the default position in Article (16): unless the parties agree otherwise, the landlord is responsible during the lease for the property's maintenance works and for repairing any defect or damage that may affect the tenant's intended use of the property. Damp, leaks and mould that make a room unpleasant or unhealthy to use fall naturally within that wording.

Article (17) adds that the landlord is responsible for any defect, damage, deficiency and wear and tear occurring to the property for reasons that are not attributable to the fault of the tenant. In practice this means that mould caused by a hidden pipe leak, a defective waterproofing layer, a roof problem or an air-conditioning fault that the tenant did not cause is, by default, the landlord's to repair.

The words "unless otherwise agreed" matter. Many Dubai tenancy contracts and their addenda move minor maintenance, such as changing filters or clearing small blockages, to the tenant. Before raising a mould complaint, both parties should read the maintenance clause of their own contract, because the agreed allocation applies on top of the default rule in the law.

The tenant's side: changes, care and handing the property back

The same law sets limits on the tenant. Under Article (19), a tenant may not make changes or carry out restoration or maintenance works unless the landlord permits it and the required licences are obtained, apart from restorations that are agreed or customary for tenants to carry out. A tenant who opens walls, replaces boards or hires a contractor to strip a ceiling without the landlord's agreement takes on risk, even if the intention is to fix mould.

Under Article (21), at the end of the lease the tenant must return the property in the condition in which it was received, except for ordinary wear and tear or damage due to reasons beyond the tenant's control. Article (20) allows the landlord to take a security deposit to ensure the maintenance of the property at the end of the lease, to be refunded or partly refunded when the lease ends. Mould therefore often becomes a deposit question at move-out.

A fair reading is that mould caused by a building defect or a leak the tenant reported promptly is not the tenant's damage, while mould caused by a leak the tenant hid, or by long periods of blocked ventilation and drying clothes indoors, may be argued as damage. The way to avoid that argument is evidence: dated photos at move-in, a written report as soon as damp appears, and a record of how and when it was repaired.

Towers and jointly owned buildings: when mould is the owners association's job

In a tower or community governed by Law No. (6) of 2019 concerning ownership of jointly owned real property in the Emirate of Dubai, part of the building belongs to all owners together. The law defines common parts to include, among others, the parts outside the boundaries of units that are necessary for the existence, maintenance, sustainability, safety or operation of the jointly owned property, and Article (7) lists the building's facades among the common parts. Service charges are defined as the annual charges collected from owners to cover the management, operation, maintenance and repair of the jointly owned property.

This matters for mould because many leaks start in common parts: a shared riser in a duct, a roof or podium membrane, the external facade and its sealants, or a common drainage stack. When damp in a unit is traced to one of those, the repair is a common-parts repair carried out through the management entity and paid from service charges, not by the individual owner or tenant of the affected flat.

Owners who believe a common part is not being maintained have a route. Under Article (24), the owners committee receives complaints and suggestions from owners and occupants about the management, operation, maintenance and repair of common parts, notifies them to the management entity, and submits them to RERA if the management entity fails to address them within fourteen days. Under Article (35), where RERA is satisfied that common parts are not duly maintained, it may serve a written notice requiring repairs and, if the management entity fails to act, appoint another entity to carry them out and debit the costs to the service charges account.

Leaks from the unit above or next door

Much ceiling mould in Dubai apartments can come from the unit above: a shower tray without effective waterproofing, a washing machine hose, a leaking toilet connection or a condensate drain. In those cases the source is inside another private unit, and the repair at the source is that unit's responsibility, while the damage below has to be put right once the source is fixed.

The practical sequence is the same in almost every building. The affected occupant reports to building management with photos and dates; building management or a plumber inspects the unit above, often with moisture readings or a flood test of the shower; the owner of the source unit arranges the repair; and only after the area below has dried is the ceiling or wall repaired and repainted. Skipping the drying step is a common reason stains reappear.

Where the owner of the unit above does not cooperate, the building management team and, in jointly owned buildings, the owners committee are the first escalation points. Keeping copies of every message and every inspection result builds the record that any later claim or dispute will need.

Using the mould levels to decide who does the work

Dubai Municipality's guideline gives a useful way to decide whether a household can deal with a small patch or whether a professional is needed. Small, isolated areas of growth on non-porous surfaces, after the moisture source has been fixed, are the kind of job a careful occupant or handyman can clean with suitable protection. Larger areas, contamination inside air-conditioning systems or any growth on porous materials across a wide area call for professional remediation with containment.

Agreeing the level early also helps the responsibility conversation. A tenant who reports a small patch in a bathroom ceiling and keeps the room ventilated is not normally expected to commission a full remediation; a landlord facing mould across a bedroom wall or inside fan coil units needs a contractor who can contain the area, remove damaged materials, and leave records showing the work met the guideline's clearance points.

Whatever the level, the guideline's order of work does not change: identify and stop the moisture source, contain where needed, remove or clean affected materials, dry the structure, then restore finishes. A quotation that offers only cleaning and painting, without saying how the source will be found and fixed, is a sign the problem will return.

Air-conditioning, condensate and mould

Air-conditioning is part of the mould picture in almost every Dubai home. Dubai Municipality's indoor air quality guideline expects condensate trays to be cleaned at least monthly according to their condition and drain pans to drain properly. A tray that overflows above a false ceiling is enough to create a ceiling stain and hidden growth on the back of the gypsum board.

Who maintains the unit's air-conditioning depends on the system and the contract. Split units and fan coil units inside an apartment are usually part of the unit, so their routine maintenance follows the tenancy contract's maintenance clause and the landlord's default duty under Article (16). Central plant, risers and common ducts in a tower are normally common parts handled by the management entity, while district cooling equipment can follow separate arrangements between the cooling provider and the building.

For tenants, keeping access panels clear, reporting dripping or musty air promptly and allowing scheduled maintenance visits helps both the property and the deposit. For landlords, a regular AC maintenance plan with condensate checks is one of the cheapest ways to prevent mould claims. Power Zone's AC maintenance and duct cleaning guides explain what a proper service includes.

Evidence that makes a mould claim fair and quick

Most mould disputes in rentals are not about the law but about facts: when the damp appeared, where the water came from and what the tenant did after noticing it. Good evidence answers all three. Dated photos of the affected area, ideally with a wider shot showing its position in the room, are the starting point, followed by written notice to the landlord or building management on the day the problem is noticed.

Moisture readings are the next layer. A contractor's report that records readings at the stain and around it, identifies the source, describes the repair and confirms that wood and drywall dried below the guideline's sixteen per cent clearance point before closing up gives both parties an objective record. Photos of the source before and after repair, and of the opened ceiling or wall, are more persuasive than any description.

At move-in and move-out, a joint inspection with photos of bathrooms, ceilings under wet rooms, wardrobes on outside walls and AC access panels reduces arguments about deposits. If a landlord-tenant dispute does arise, a clear written record is what both sides will need.

Keeping all of this in one shared folder, with file names that include the date and the room, makes it easy to send the full history to a landlord, building manager or contractor in one message instead of searching through phone galleries later.

Villas: roofs, balconies, irrigation and ground-floor walls

In villas there is usually no owners association between the occupant and the building fabric, so the default rental position under Article (16) does most of the work: the landlord maintains the roof, the waterproofing, the drainage and the external walls unless the contract says otherwise. Mould on upper-floor ceilings after rain often points to roof membranes, parapets, roof drains or balcony waterproofing, while mould along the bottom of ground-floor walls often points to rising damp, irrigation spraying against the wall or garden levels above the internal floor.

Each of those sources has a different fix. A blocked roof drain is cleared; a failed membrane is repaired or replaced and then flood-tested; irrigation heads are moved or re-aimed so they do not wet walls; and ground-floor damp needs the moisture barrier and external levels checked before any internal plaster or paint is renewed. Painting over these stains without fixing the source only delays the next outbreak.

Tenants in villas can help by reporting stains after the first rain rather than at move-out, keeping roof and balcony drains free of leaves and sand where they have safe access, and telling the landlord when irrigation timers or heads are wetting walls. Power Zone's waterproofing and villa maintenance guides explain the inspections a villa needs before and after the rainy season.

Holiday homes, empty units and periods between tenants

Units that stand empty in Dubai's humid months are a common place for sudden mould. With the air-conditioning off or set very high, humid air can enter through gaps and vents, condense on cool surfaces and stay trapped behind closed wardrobe doors and inside bathrooms. When a new tenant or guest arrives, the first thing they notice is the musty smell.

Owners and holiday home operators can reduce the risk by keeping a low but steady level of air-conditioning or dehumidification during empty periods, leaving internal doors and wardrobes slightly open, checking bathroom extract fans, and arranging an inspection of ceilings, wardrobes and AC trays before each arrival. A short inspection report with photos at each changeover also protects the operator if a guest later complains.

Where an empty unit has already developed mould, the same order of work applies: find the moisture, fix it, decide the remediation level, remove damaged materials and dry the structure before repainting. Cleaning the surface alone before a guest arrives tends to fail within days.

Condensation and daily habits that make mould worse

Not every damp patch is a leak. Condensation forms when warm, humid indoor air meets a cold surface, and in Dubai that often happens on outside walls cooled by air-conditioning, behind large furniture pushed tight against walls, around window frames and on uninsulated pipes. Signs include damp that appears on many cold surfaces rather than one spot, mould behind furniture and in corners, and water on windows in the morning.

Daily habits make a real difference. Running bathroom and kitchen extract fans during and after showers and cooking, not drying large amounts of laundry indoors without ventilation, leaving a gap between wardrobes and outside walls, keeping AC filters clean and not switching the air-conditioning off completely in humid weather all reduce condensation. Dubai Municipality's indoor air quality guideline recommends ventilation in moisture-prone areas such as bathrooms and kitchens for the same reason.

Where condensation is the cause, the fair outcome in a rental often combines both sides: the landlord fixes building issues such as broken extract fans, missing pipe insulation or failed window seals, and the occupant adjusts habits that add moisture. A written note of what was found and agreed avoids the same discussion at move-out.

Repairing what mould damaged: ceilings, walls, carpets and wardrobes

Once the source is fixed and the area is dry, the repair depends on the material. Dubai Municipality's guideline distinguishes materials that can be cleaned from those that should be removed. Hard, non-porous surfaces such as tiles, glass and metal can usually be cleaned; porous materials with extensive growth, such as carpeting, are removed, and saturated or mouldy gypsum board and ceiling tiles are normally replaced rather than cleaned.

Gypsum ceilings stained by a past leak can often be sealed with a stain-blocking primer and repainted if the board is firm and dry, while boards that are soft, sagging or mouldy are cut out and replaced. Wardrobes and kitchen cabinets with swollen or mouldy panels can often be repaired panel by panel rather than replaced entirely, as long as the moisture behind them has been dealt with. Carpets and underlay that stayed wet are replaced rather than cleaned.

Repainting should wait until moisture readings confirm the structure is dry, and the paint used indoors should meet Dubai Central Laboratory VOC limits under the Dubai Building Code. Power Zone's painting, gypsum and wooden flooring guides explain the finishing rules for each material.

What a proper mould remediation quotation should include

A quotation worth signing explains the job from source to finish. It should state how the moisture source will be identified, whether by inspection, moisture mapping, pressure tests or flood tests, and who repairs the source if it lies outside the contractor's scope, for example in the unit above or in a common riser.

It should then describe the remediation level and method: the affected area, containment if needed, removal or cleaning of each material, protection of the rest of the home and of the air-conditioning system, waste handling, and the drying method. Finally it should set out the restoration work, the moisture readings that will be taken before closing up, and the photos and report that will be handed over.

Quotations that only say "mould treatment" or "anti-fungal spray and paint" without these parts leave both landlord and tenant exposed if the mould returns. Power Zone quotes mould work after a site inspection, with the source, the method and the handover records written into the quotation.

A simple checklist for landlords, tenants and owners committees

For landlords: read the maintenance clause of each tenancy contract, schedule regular AC maintenance including condensate trays, inspect bathrooms, ceilings under wet rooms and wardrobes on outside walls at every changeover, respond to damp reports in writing, and keep contractor reports with moisture readings and photos for every repair.

For tenants: photograph the property at move-in, report damp, leaks and musty smells in writing as soon as they appear, keep extract fans running and access panels clear, avoid opening walls or hiring contractors without the landlord's permission, and ask for a short written note of what was found and fixed after each repair.

For owners committees and building management: track leak reports by location to spot common risers, roofs or facades that keep causing damp, use the complaint route under Article (24) when the management entity does not act, and make sure repairs to common parts include drying and restoration of the units they affected.

For contractors called to a damp complaint: record the readings and photos before touching anything, explain in writing where the source is and who it belongs to, follow the guideline's order of work from source to restoration, and hand over a short report with clearance readings that the landlord, tenant and building management can all rely on.

Bathrooms: where much of the damp starts

Bathrooms combine the most water with the least ventilation, so they are where many Dubai mould problems begin. The Dubai Building Code requires wet-area floors to be smooth, hard, non-absorbent and non-slip, walls within 600 millimetres of sanitary fixtures to be moisture-proof up to at least 1,200 millimetres, and shower compartments and walls around baths to be finished non-absorbent to at least 1,800 millimetres above the drain outlet. Where those finishes are cracked, unsealed or never reached the required height, water reaches the gypsum or blockwork behind.

The usual failure points are worn silicone at the junction of the bath or tray with the wall, cracked grout in the shower, leaking waste connections under basins and a weak or broken extract fan. Each produces a different pattern: black lines along silicone, dark patches spreading from a shower corner, a musty vanity cabinet or a stained ceiling in the room below. Matching the pattern to the source shortens the investigation.

In rentals, renewing tired silicone and fixing an extract fan are small repairs that prevent much larger claims, and they fall under the landlord's default maintenance duty unless the contract assigns them to the tenant. Tenants help by running the fan and wiping standing water. Power Zone's tiling and waterproofing guides explain how wet areas should be built and repaired.

Kitchens, laundries and under-sink cabinets

Kitchens and laundry areas hide slow leaks inside cabinets: a dishwasher connection, a sink waste, a washing machine hose or a water filter fitting. Dubai Municipality's mould guideline lists the inside of cabinets and the area under sinks among the places to inspect, because a small drip can soak the cabinet base for weeks before anyone opens the door.

Swollen cabinet bases, a sour smell when the cabinet opens and peeling edge banding are early signs. The fix starts with the plumbing connection, then the wet panels are dried or replaced with moisture-resistant boards, and the junction between worktop and wall is resealed. Treating the visible mould on the cabinet floor without stopping the drip does not last.

For landlords, checking under-sink cabinets at every inspection is a quick way to catch leaks before they reach floors and the unit below. For tenants, a towel left under a slow drip is a sign to report the leak, not to live with it.

Mould and air-conditioning in fan coil units

Fan coil units hidden above false ceilings are a common place for unseen growth in Dubai apartments, because their trays collect condensate every day of the cooling season. When a tray drains slowly or a drain line blocks, water stands in the tray, overflows onto the ceiling and keeps the area around the unit damp. Musty air when the AC starts, dark spots on supply grilles and staining around access panels are typical warning signs.

Dubai Municipality's indoor air quality guideline expects HVAC components that need maintenance to be accessible and condensate trays to be cleaned at least monthly according to their condition. Access panels that are missing, painted shut or blocked by wardrobes turn a routine tray clean into a ceiling repair, which is why access should be kept clear in every lease.

When growth is found inside the unit or its ducts, Dubai Municipality's mould guideline places it in its highest remediation category, which calls for professional work with containment. In practice that means cleaning or replacing contaminated components, clearing the drain, checking insulation on chilled-water pipes and confirming the tray now drains, rather than spraying fragrance into the vents.

Before signing a lease: checks that prevent mould disputes

The best time to avoid a mould dispute is before the lease starts. A tenant viewing a property can look at bathroom ceilings, the ceiling under the unit above's bathroom, the inside of wardrobes on outside walls, the base of kitchen cabinets and the area around AC access panels. Fresh paint in just one ceiling corner, a strong air freshener smell or swollen skirting boards are worth asking about.

Asking the landlord or agent when the AC was last serviced, whether there have been leaks from the unit above and who handles maintenance under the contract sets expectations early. If problems are visible, recording them in the move-in condition report, with photos, protects the tenant at move-out under Article (21).

Landlords benefit from the same checks. A unit that is inspected, repaired and documented before a new tenant arrives starts the lease with a clean record, and a clear maintenance clause in the contract reduces argument later about who handles small items such as filters, silicone and drain clearing.

Moving out: a mould check that protects the deposit

In the last weeks of a lease, tenants can protect their deposit by doing what the landlord's inspector will do: open wardrobes, look behind furniture on outside walls, check bathroom silicone and ceilings, and clean any small surface spots on non-porous surfaces. Anything larger, or any stain that suggests a leak, should be reported in writing straight away, because a leak reported during the lease is a maintenance matter, not move-out damage.

A joint inspection with the landlord, with dated photos and a signed note of what was found, keeps the discussion factual. Where both sides agree that mould came from a building issue such as a roof, a riser or a defective seal, the note should say so, which avoids a later claim against the deposit.

Landlords should then repair the source and the finishes before the next tenant moves in, keeping the contractor's report on file. That record is what shows the next tenant, and any later buyer, that the property's damp history has been dealt with properly.

Myths that make mould come back

Painting over mould with ordinary paint hides it for a short time but leaves the moisture and the growth behind, and the stain usually returns. Bleach on gypsum or other porous materials whitens the surface without dealing with growth inside the material, and mixing cleaning products can release harmful gases. Dubai Municipality's indoor air quality guideline also lists cleaners among sources of indoor air pollutants, so products should be used as directed with ventilation.

A dehumidifier helps when condensation is the problem, but it does not stop a leaking pipe, a failed shower seal or rain entering through a balcony door. Opening windows during Dubai's humid months can bring more moisture in rather than less. The only reliable fix is to find and repair the source, dry the structure and then restore the finishes.

Another common belief is that mould is always the tenant's fault. The law's default rule puts maintenance and defects not caused by the tenant on the landlord, and many mould cases come from building issues. Evidence, not assumptions, is what settles the question.

First steps after a leak, before mould has a chance

The cheapest mould job is the one that never starts. As soon as water appears through a ceiling, under a sink or around a door, the priorities are to stop the water if it is safe to do so, protect electrics by switching off affected circuits, move furniture and belongings away, and take photos showing the extent of the water and the time it was found.

Next comes notice. A short written message to the landlord, building management or owner of the source unit, with the photos attached, starts the record that every later step depends on. Soaked carpets, rugs and cardboard should be lifted and dried or removed, and windows or extract fans used to move moist air out where outdoor conditions allow.

Finally the structure needs to dry before anything is closed or painted. Moisture readings show when that has happened; Dubai Municipality's mould guideline uses sixteen per cent for wood and drywall as its clearance point. Taking those readings, rather than guessing from the surface, is what prevents a second round of damage weeks later.

Offices, shops and restaurants

Commercial units face the same physics but bigger stakes: damaged stock, closed rooms, unhappy staff and, in food businesses, hygiene inspections. Ceiling voids full of ducts and fan coil units, kitchens with constant moisture and storerooms without ventilation are typical places for growth. The commercial lease and the building's facility management arrangements decide who maintains what, so both should be read before work starts.

Facility managers should keep a single log of leaks and damp reports by location, link each to its source and repair, and include condensate trays, extract fans and roof drains in planned maintenance. In multi-tenant buildings, repeated leaks from the same riser or roof area are a common-parts issue for the management entity, with the owners committee route available in jointly owned buildings.

For restaurants and food businesses, mould near food areas needs urgent attention because kitchen surfaces must stay smooth, non-absorbent and easily cleaned under the Dubai Building Code's food establishment provisions. Power Zone's kitchen exhaust and grease trap guide covers the other hygiene systems those kitchens rely on.

A seasonal plan against damp

Damp risk in Dubai changes through the year. Humid periods increase condensation and the load on AC condensate systems, while the occasional heavy rain tests roofs, balconies, facades and window drainage all at once. A simple seasonal plan spreads the checks so that each risk is handled before it arrives.

Before the rainy period, roof drains, balcony outlets, window drainage slots and facade sealants deserve attention, along with a check that irrigation is not wetting walls. Before and during the humid months, AC condensate trays and drains, extract fans and pipe insulation come first. After any heavy rain, a quick walk round ceilings, wardrobes and ground-floor walls catches leaks while they are still small.

Landlords with several units can turn this into a calendar in their maintenance contract, and owners committees can ask management entities to report on it. Power Zone's property maintenance schedule and annual maintenance contract guides show how these checks fit into a year-round plan.

For owners who rent out: protecting the asset

For an investor, mould is more than a repair bill. Repeated damp can damage finishes, joinery and flooring, lengthen gaps between tenants and lower what the next tenant is willing to pay. Treating damp reports quickly and fixing sources properly protects both the rental income and the value of the unit.

Owners can make this easier by keeping a property file: the move-in condition report, every damp report with photos, contractor reports with moisture readings, and records of AC maintenance. That file shows tenants that problems are taken seriously, supports a fair deposit decision at move-out and gives buyers confidence if the unit is later sold.

Choosing contractors who report the source and the clearance readings, rather than only painting, keeps that file meaningful. It also helps owners raise common-parts problems with the management entity, because a documented pattern of leaks from a riser or facade is far harder to ignore than a single complaint.

Families, children and occupied homes during remediation

When mould has to be removed from an occupied home, the main practical concern is keeping dust and spores away from the rest of the household. Dubai Municipality's mould guideline builds containment into the larger remediation levels for exactly this reason, and its indoor air quality guideline asks for renovated areas to be isolated from occupied zones, with supply air separated where necessary.

In a family home that usually means closing off the work area, sealing AC returns and grilles in the room, removing damaged materials in sealed bags along an agreed route, and cleaning the surrounding area thoroughly at the end of each day. Children and anyone with breathing sensitivities are best kept out of the work area until cleaning is complete and the room has been aired.

Agreeing these arrangements in advance with the contractor, and writing them into the quotation, avoids surprises on the day. It also gives tenants and landlords a shared view of what a proper job looks like, which matters when one side is paying and the other is living with the work.

When the same damp keeps coming back

Recurring mould in the same place is a strong sign that the source was never properly fixed or that there is more than one source. Typical examples are a ceiling that is repainted every year under a shower that was never flood-tested, a wardrobe wall that grows mould every humid season because of condensation and poor ventilation, or a ground-floor wall where irrigation keeps wetting the base.

Breaking the cycle starts with a fresh investigation rather than another round of cleaning: moisture mapping across the area, checks of plumbing and AC drains nearby, flood tests of showers and balconies above, and a look at ventilation and insulation. The report should state what was ruled out as well as what was found, so that the next repair targets the real cause.

In jointly owned buildings, recurring damp across several units under the same roof area or along the same riser is evidence of a common-parts problem. Documenting it unit by unit and raising it through the owners committee route under Article (24) of Law No. (6) of 2019 is more effective than each owner repairing their own ceiling again.

How Power Zone handles mould and damp in Dubai

Power Zone treats every mould call as a moisture investigation first. A team inspects the affected area and its surroundings, traces the likely source through plumbing, air-conditioning, waterproofing or condensation checks, and explains in writing who the source belongs to when it lies in another unit or in common parts. Repairs follow the order set by Dubai Municipality's guideline, from stopping the water to drying, removal or cleaning, and restoration.

Because Power Zone has in-house teams for plumbing, air-conditioning, waterproofing, gypsum, painting and cleaning across all seven emirates, the source repair and the finishing work can be done by one company with one set of records. For landlords and building managers, that means a single report that shows the cause, the fix and the clearance readings, which is the document that settles most mould questions between landlords, tenants and owners associations.

To arrange an inspection, use the mould remediation guide or the quotation form, and mention whether the property is a rental, a holiday home or a unit in a jointly owned building so the right team and records are prepared.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays to fix mould in a rented apartment in Dubai?

Unless the contract says otherwise, Article (16) of Law No. (26) of 2007 makes the landlord responsible for maintenance and for repairing defects that affect the tenant's use, and Article (17) covers damage not caused by the tenant's fault. Mould from leaks or building defects is therefore normally the landlord's to fix.

Can my landlord deduct mould from my security deposit?

Article (21) requires the tenant to return the property as received, except for ordinary wear and tear or damage beyond the tenant's control. Mould from a building defect or a promptly reported leak is not the tenant's damage; mould caused by hidden leaks or blocked ventilation may be argued. Dated photos and written reports decide most cases.

Can I hire my own contractor to remove mould in a rented flat?

Article (19) says a tenant may not carry out changes, restoration or maintenance works without the landlord's permission and the required licences, apart from agreed or customary tenant repairs. Report the problem in writing first and agree who will carry out the work.

Who repairs mould caused by a leak from the flat above?

The owner of the unit where the leak starts repairs the source. The damaged ceiling or wall below is repaired once the area has dried. Building management and, in jointly owned buildings, the owners committee are the escalation points if the upstairs owner does not act.

When is mould the owners association's responsibility?

When the moisture comes from common parts such as a shared riser, the roof, the facade or common drainage. Under Law No. (6) of 2019, service charges cover the maintenance and repair of jointly owned property, and RERA can order repairs to common parts that are not duly maintained.

How dry must walls be before repainting after mould?

Dubai Municipality's mould guideline uses moisture content below 16 per cent for wood and drywall as a clearance point before materials are closed up or repainted.

Can small mould patches be cleaned without a professional?

Small isolated patches on non-porous surfaces can usually be cleaned with suitable protection once the moisture source is fixed. Dubai Municipality's guideline expects professional remediation with containment for larger areas or contamination inside air-conditioning systems.

Does Power Zone inspect and remove mould in Dubai?

Yes. Power Zone traces the moisture source, repairs it or reports who it belongs to, removes or cleans affected materials following Dubai Municipality's guideline, dries the structure and restores finishes, with a written report and photos.

Reference sources

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