Dubai’s rental market processed AED 32.2 billion in contract value across 253,992 new and renewed tenancy contracts in the first quarter of 2026, according to Dubai Land Department figures.
Rental contract cancellations fell 25 per cent over the same period. Against that backdrop, the way residents are choosing to pay is shifting.
Rently, a rent-now-pay-later platform operating in the UAE, Singapore, and Sweden, fronts the full annual rent to landlords and splits repayments into monthly instalments for tenants, charging a service fee that varies by credit history and financial obligations. Customer data released by the company offers an early read on who is using these structures and at what price points.
The median annual lease value on the platform stands at AED 72,000, while the average reaches AED 92,000. More than 56% of customers are renting homes valued between AED 50,000 and AED 100,000 per year. The profile is broadly mid-market: established professionals looking to align a large, lump-sum expense with monthly salary cycles rather than draining savings at contract renewal.
The broader regulatory environment appears to be moving in the same direction. The Dubai Land Department recently launched its own Flexi Rent initiative, a signal that payment flexibility is becoming part of the official rental infrastructure rather than a niche fintech workaround.
“Rent has traditionally been one of the few major household expenses that hasn’t evolved alongside the way people manage their finances. Today, we’re seeing customers increasingly choose payment structures that fit around monthly salaries and modern budgeting habits. Our data reflects a broader shift in consumer expectations, where flexibility is becoming part of a better overall rental experience rather than simply another payment option,” Taimur Khan, Head of Rently UAE said in a statement.
Rently’s service also covers security deposits, splitting them into instalments and returning the full deposit to the tenant at the end of the lease.
The platform accepts applications from residents holding a valid UAE work visa, and covers properties across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, and Ras Al Khaimah.
