Does my building allow holiday homes? The check to make before you furnish

Are holiday homes allowed in every Dubai building?

Not necessarily. The DET (formerly DTCM) holiday home permit is a government licence; your building has its own rules on top. Both apply.

What the official texts say:

• Law No. 6 of 2019 on jointly owned property (Article 16) lets an owner lease out a unit. But the owner and the tenant remain bound by the owners committee statute, the Master Community Declaration and the Building Management Regulation.
• DTCM's holiday homes guide (first edition 2020) states that no permit is issued where the purchase, management or lease contract explicitly prohibits holiday home use, and that a permit obtained on incorrect information will be cancelled. We read this guide through a copy hosted on a third-party site; DET lists a 2022 edition we could not access.
• The same guide requires operators to inform guests of the internal rules of developers and building management companies.

Bottom line: a building can regulate — or rule out — short-term letting. It has to be checked building by building.

NOC for a holiday home in Dubai: which document?

You'll read that you need a "NOC" (No Objection Certificate). The term covers two different things.

1. The landlord's NOC. According to Airbnb's Dubai help page, DET's file includes, where applicable, a landlord's NOC on the approved form — the owner's consent when someone else operates the unit. DET's official page (April 2026 capture) lists a Property Management Letter on DET's template, and only mentions a landlord NOC from the building owner where a single title deed covers the entire building.

2. The building's approval. Several management companies, Houst among them (page updated 11 May 2026), say a building or strata NOC may also be required and advise securing it before applying for the permit. We did not find this document in DET's official list for apartments, which suggests it comes from each building's own rules. The safe assumption: your building management may ask for one.

One concrete sign: Emaar's Sakani portal has a "Holiday Home Operator" profile for move-in permits, with the unit permit issued by Dubai Tourism among the documents. Building management can check your permit before letting guests or crews in.

Owners association, developer or building management: who issues the NOC?

In Dubai, roles split like this:

• the developer writes the building and community rules;
• the management company (often linked to the developer — Emaar Community Management, Dubai Holding Community Management…) enforces them day to day and issues access approvals;
• the owners committee, set up under Law No. 6 of 2019, oversees how the building is managed.

In practice, your contact is almost always your tower's management company. They know whether short-term letting is permitted and which document they want. Our guide to move-in permits by developer helps you identify them.

How to check, in 5 steps

1. Re-read your sale and purchase agreement (SPA) and any community documents you received. Look for a clause on use of the unit or short-term letting.
2. Identify your building management: the developer's portal, your service charge invoice, or the agent who sold you the unit.
3. Email them one clear question: "Is holiday home use (short-term rental under a DET permit) allowed in this building? If so, which documents do you require?"
4. Keep the answer in writing. A verbal yes is worthless the day a guest is refused at the door.
5. Check your service charges. At Emaar communities, for example, the move-in permit is only issued when there are no outstanding fees on the unit.

With BuildSure, we raise this point with you from the first conversation, before anything is manufactured; the answer comes from your building manager. Building access permits and the DTCM permit are then handled by us and included in the package price.

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What if your building says no?

Don't force it. DET can cancel a permit and the building can refuse access — you'd lose time and money. We don't give legal opinions on building rules; if you're unsure how they apply, speak to a legal professional.

The simplest alternative is a long-term tenancy. A well-furnished apartment also appeals to tenants who arrive with a suitcase. See furnished long-term rentals in Dubai. And if your building says yes, next steps are here: Airbnb furnishing in Dubai, then DTCM holiday home requirements.

Get your building checked before you furnish

Send us the tower name and the area: we'll look at what applies with you, then get the apartment ready.

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