For Dubai holiday home hosts
DTCM Holiday Home Rules on Cleanliness and Condition
What Dubai’s holiday home guide says about cleanliness, linen, towels, amenities and upkeep, in plain words, and how a turnover covers those points. Print the checklist or save the PDF.
Last checked 16 October 2026 · LUMINA Property Care · luminacare.ae
Holiday homes in Dubai are licensed by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), which many hosts still call DTCM. DET publishes the Holiday homes regulation guide (the “Leasing Out Holiday Homes User Guide”, first edition 2022) on dubaidet.gov.ae. It sets out how units are permitted, classified and inspected.
This page only covers the parts about cleanliness, condition and housekeeping. It is a summary, not legal advice. The rules can change, so always check the current guide on dubaidet.gov.ae or with DET before you apply for or renew a permit.
What the DET guide says
Section 5.4, check-in and check-out
The licensee must hand the guest the keys and make sure the guest receives the unit “in a clean and ready state”.
Section 5.4
If a guest arrives and finds a major fault that stops them staying, such as an air conditioning fault or a water leak, the licensee must offer another unit of the same standard and size or better, at no extra charge.
Section 3.2, classification
An inspector checks the unit against the conditions in the guide. If something is missing, the permit holder is warned or fined and has two weeks to fix it. Inspectors come back to check, and also make unannounced visits.
Section 3.2, QR code
Each unit has a QR code on the outside of the door, under the DEWA plaque. Guests, neighbours and building management can scan it to send feedback or complaints straight to DET.
Section 5.11, violations
The list of violations includes not providing regular maintenance for the holiday home and not answering a complaint that DET passes to you. Each carries a fine.
Appendix 1, conditions and classification
The appendix lists what every unit needs, by type (standard or deluxe apartment, standard or deluxe villa, farm). Many items are about cleanliness and housekeeping; they are in the checklist below.
Source: Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai, Holiday homes regulation guide 2022. Numbers in brackets in the checklist below are the guide’s section or Appendix 1 item numbers.
Readiness checklist: housekeeping and safety items
- Unit handed over clean and ready for each guest (5.4). Photo
- Cleaning tools and accessories in the unit for the rooms, bathrooms and kitchen (1.3).
- Washing machine with dryer working (1.4).
- Waste basket in the kitchen and in each room (1.6).
- Electric iron and ironing board (1.8).
- Vacuum cleaner available to guests on request, free of charge (1.10).
- First aid kit in the unit (1.11).
- Visitor guide with building services, nearby facilities, a list of the unit contents and DET contact details for complaints (1.16).
Beds and bathrooms
- Beds with modern mattresses, sheets, pillows and clean bedspreads of the right size (3.3, 3.4). Photo
- Two sets of bed sheets and pillow covers for every bed (3.9).
- Wardrobe with at least six hangers in each bedroom (3.7).
- Bathing and personal hygiene items such as soap and shampoo (4.3).
- Two sets of towels for each room, a towel holder and a bath mat (4.5, 4.7, 4.8). Photo
- Sink with mirror and lighting in each bathroom (4.2).
Kitchen, condition and upkeep
- Cooking utensils and tableware for each bedroom (5.8).
- Microwave, fridge and cooking device clean and working (5.3 to 5.7).
- Odour extractor fan in the kitchen (5.9).
- Floors and walls in good condition (1.1).
- Air conditioning, water and lights checked before each stay, so a fault is found before the guest finds it (5.4).
- Regular maintenance done and recorded (5.11).
- Optional: signs that let guests choose to reuse sheets and towels (8.4), and bins or signs for separating waste (8.5).
How a turnover covers these points
A good turnover handles the cleaning and housekeeping side of the guide on every stay: the unit is cleaned and reset, beds are made with fresh linen, two towel sets go out per room, toiletries and paper are restocked, bins are emptied and the kitchen kit is counted. Before cleaning starts, the cleaner checks the AC, water and lights and reports damage or faults with photos, so the host can fix them before the next guest arrives.
At LUMINA, our own full-time cleaners, trained by LUMINA to European standards, do this against each unit’s own checklist and photograph every room when the unit is ready. You can see the photos in your portal, which also gives you a dated record of the unit’s condition.
The licence, the permit, insurance, the smart lock, safety equipment and the classification itself stay with the licensee. A cleaning company cannot get or keep a permit for you.
Use our room-by-room holiday home turnover checklist for each changeover, or read about holiday home and Airbnb cleaning in Dubai.
Guides for holiday home hosts
- Holiday Home License Dubai: What Cleanliness Rules MeanDubai distinguishes a holiday-home operator’s licence from a permit for each unit. Here is what DET says about cleanliness, guest readiness and documenting your turnover process.Read the guide
- Holiday Home Management vs Cleaning Service in DubaiShould you hand over your Dubai holiday home or manage it yourself with a turnover cleaner? Compare the workload, control and responsibilities of each approach.Read the guide
- Holiday Home Linen Management Dubai: A Practical Host GuideBuild a linen system that works between Dubai bookings: calculate spare sets, plan laundry handoffs, inspect stains and separate DET guidance from host practice.Read the guide
- Superhost Status Dubai: Rules and Five Guest-Ready TouchesAirbnb awards Superhost status based on hosting performance, not luxury extras. Here are the eligibility rules and a practical Dubai holiday-home checklist.Read the guide
Turnovers that keep your unit guest-ready
Calendar-synced turnovers with linen, amenities, damage checks and a photo of every room after each clean.