Tawtheeq in Abu Dhabi: registering and renewing a tenancy contract

What Tawtheeq is

Tawtheeq is the tenancy contract register run by Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipalities and Transport. Buildings and units are enrolled on it, and each lease is then registered against a specific unit. Its services are reached through TAMM, the government services portal, and tenancy contracts can also be handled on DARI, the emirate’s property platform. The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) regulates the property market as a whole.

Why registration matters

• Utilities. The electricity and water connection for a rented home is normally opened against the registered contract.
• Visas. Residence visa and family sponsorship applications ask for it.
• Government services. Many services that need proof of address rely on it.
• Disputes. The registered contract is the record both sides rely on. An unregistered contract is harder to enforce.

Who registers the contract

The landlord, or a property management company they have authorised, registers the contract. Before that, the building and unit must be enrolled on Tawtheeq, which is usually a one-off step for the owner. The tenant’s part is to provide documents and to check the details before the contract is registered.

What to prepare

• the tenant’s Emirates ID or passport copy
• the signed tenancy contract with the full unit details
• the rent and the payment schedule
• if an agent or property manager registers it: the owner’s authorisation and the company’s trade licence
• any other approval the property needs

What to check before it is registered

• Names are spelt exactly as on the Emirates ID or passport.
• The building and unit number match the unit as enrolled.
• The rent, the number of payments and the start and end dates are right.
• Maintenance responsibilities and the security deposit are written into the contract.

Renewing the contract

Renewals go through the same system before the current contract ends, building on the existing registration. Updated details, such as a renewed Emirates ID, are added at this point. Notice periods for renewal or non-renewal are set by law and by the contract, so check both well before the end date.

When a tenancy ends

When the tenant leaves, the contract is cancelled on Tawtheeq. This usually needs proof that the unit has been handed back, such as the key handover, and confirmation that the utility account has been closed.

Fees

Registration and renewal carry fees set by the authorities, and residential tenancies also attract a municipality fee linked to the rent, usually collected through the utility bill. The amounts change, so check the current figures on TAMM.