Driven Joins Dubai's Flexi Rent Initiative as a Founding Partner

What the Dubai Land Department's new payment model means for tenants, landlords, and the wider market.

On June 23, 2026, the Dubai Land Department (DLD) launched Flexi Rent, an initiative allowing tenants to pay annual rent in monthly installments rather than the traditional one or two upfront cheques. The launch was reported across UAE media, including Khaleej Times and Gulf News, and set out in the DLD's official announcement. Driven | Forbes Global Properties has joined the initiative as a founding partner, signing a cooperation agreement to bring the model to its managed portfolio across the emirate.

A Role on Every Side of the Transaction

For Driven, Flexi Rent formalizes an approach already embedded in how the firm operates. Driven sits on every side of the transaction — as a broker, an asset owner, and a property manager — and is implementing the model directly rather than advising on it from the sidelines.

Speaking on Dubai Eye 103.8 FM, Founder and CEO Abdullah Alajaji described the firm's position:

"We sit on all sides of this: we're on the brokerage side, we're an asset owner, and we're a property manager. On every part of that story we're connected to the program, and we're offering this flexibility to our tenants."

Managing property and owners associations under DLD guidance, Driven carries the same stake in long-term stability as the clients it serves. The initiative also sits within a broader DLD reform arc alongside the Smart Rental Index, the First-Time Buyers initiative, and real estate tokenization. These are deliberate initiatives reshaping how Dubai's market works.

What Is Flexi Rent?

For years, renting in Dubai has run on the cheque system. Tenants typically settle a year's rent in one, two, four, or even six post-dated cheques, large sums due at intervals that rarely line up with how salaries are paid. The model has worked, but it pressures households managing other monthly costs and asks new arrivals to assemble a large upfront payment on top of relocation expenses.

Flexi Rent reshapes how rent is paid, giving tenants schedules that better match their income. Through participating companies, tenants can choose a plan that fits their cash flow:

Monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual installments, or in some cases payments spread across the full 12 months
Debit and credit card accepted, alongside the traditional cheque
Applies to new leases and renewals alike. Tenants in participating properties can request Flexi Rent terms at their next renewal

What It Means for Tenants and Landlords

For tenants, Flexi Rent eases cash flow through a lighter upfront commitment without a large sum due all at once. For landlords, it supports stability and predictability: flexible terms widen the tenant pool and help keep good tenants in place, protecting occupancy across a portfolio.

The model applies to new leases and renewals alike, and existing tenants in eligible units can request Flexi Rent terms at their next renewal.