Offices
Office lease ending in 2027? A Dubai occupier's 12 to 18 month timeline
Knight Frank says Dubai firms planning 12 to 18 months ahead get the strongest outcomes. With offices about 95% occupied and most new supply arriving from 2028, here is what a 2027 lease end means and the timeline I would follow.
If your company's office lease in Dubai ends at any point in 2027, the search has already started, whether you have joined it or not. I am writing this for founders, finance directors and office managers who have a date in the lease and no plan yet. Below are the questions clients ask me most, answered from the latest published research, and the month by month plan I would follow.
Why is 2027 already late?
Because the firms that do best are the ones that move first. Adam Wynne, Head of Commercial Agency for the UAE at Knight Frank, put it plainly on 5 November 2026: firms planning 12 to 18 months ahead "are achieving the strongest outcomes, while those waiting for a lease event are increasingly finding themselves renewing by default rather than by choice."
Count back from your lease end. A lease that ends in June 2027 puts the start of that 12 to 18 month window between December 2025 and June 2026. A December 2027 end puts it between June and December 2026. For most 2027 expiries, the window is open now.
How tight is the Dubai office market right now?
Tight. CBRE's UAE Real Estate Market Review for Q3 2026 puts Dubai office occupancy at about 95%, with average office rents up 12% year on year. CBRE says demand is strongest for premium space in DIFC, Business Bay and Dubai Internet City.
JLL's Q3 2026 report reaches the same conclusion from a different angle. With no meaningful new completions in the recent period, it says the supply and demand balance sits "firmly in favour of landlords", occupiers face constrained negotiating positions, and incentives remain selective and at each landlord's discretion. JLL also notes that tenants took longer to secure space in Q3, which is one more reason to give yourself time.
Knight Frank adds the part that matters for anyone hoping to move: the balance has shifted towards renewals, often because there are few alternatives rather than because firms prefer to stay.
Will new buildings arrive in time for a 2027 move?
Not many. Savills' Q3 2026 Dubai office report, using Dubai Land Department and REIDIN data, expects new office supply to arrive like this:
| Year | Expected new office space (Savills, indicative) |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 1.76 million sq ft |
| 2027 | 2.50 million sq ft |
| 2028 | 5.27 million sq ft |
| 2029 | 6.67 million sq ft |
| 2030 | 4.24 million sq ft |
Savills says these projections are indicative and may change as projects and market conditions evolve. Read the shape, not the decimals: 2027 is a thin year, and the big step up comes in 2028 and 2029. Savills also expects strata offices, sold unit by unit to individual owners, to make up 86% of new supply in 2028. If your plan depends on a new building, ask for the completion date registered with the Dubai Land Department, not the brochure date.
Where should I look if DIFC has no room?
Start with your licence. Knight Frank notes that for regulated financial firms, being in the right jurisdiction is often the starting point of the search, which in Dubai usually means DIFC. If you are not tied to DIFC, the field opens up.
Knight Frank says firms unable to secure space in DIFC are looking at Downtown Dubai, One Central and Business Bay. Savills' Q3 rental ranges show why those districts are worth a look:
- DIFC: AED 325 to 750 per sq ft a year
- Downtown Dubai: AED 220 to 410
- Business Bay: AED 210 to 500
Ranges are wide because they span older and newer buildings. Savills also reports that buildings close to a metro station get more enquiries and let faster, so add metro access to your shortlist criteria. For more on the district, see my Business Bay offices guide.
Fitted space or shell and core?
If your lease end is fixed, fitted space is the lower risk route. Knight Frank reports that demand for fitted, managed and Cat A+ space is growing rapidly, because occupiers who have just secured scarce space do not want to add a long fit-out programme before they can operate. That demand also means good fitted units go quickly, which is another reason to start early.
A bespoke fit-out still makes sense when the office is part of your brand, for example a client-facing advisory firm. Just build its timeline into your plan from day one.
Should I renew, move or buy?
Run all three, side by side, before you speak to your landlord. A renewal is the default only if you have not prepared an alternative.
- Renew. Often the fastest route. With incentives selective, your leverage comes from having a credible alternative on paper.
- Move. Gives you the right size and location, at the cost of time and fit-out.
- Buy. Some companies are choosing to own. Savills' supply figures suggest most new strata space lands in 2028 and 2029, so compare a ready office you can occupy now with a new tower and its handover year. I covered the handover question in my notes on AHS Twin Towers and the Q3 office yield maths.
A 12 to 18 month timeline I would follow
This is how I would plan a 2027 lease end. The order matters more than the exact months.
- 18 to 15 months out: define the requirement. Headcount today and in three years, the square feet you actually use, jurisdiction (DIFC or mainland), budget, and whether you need fitted space on day one. Savills reports that two thirds of Q3 leases were for units under 1,000 sq ft, so small requirements are competing with many others.
- 15 to 12 months out: map the market. Shortlist buildings in two or three districts, including at least one ready office to buy if ownership is on the table. Ask about space under construction that could be pre-leased; Knight Frank expects pre-leasing to stay strong.
- 12 to 9 months out: view and compare. Put renewal, relocation and purchase on one page with full costs.
- 9 to 6 months out: negotiate and sign. Agree terms on your preferred option and keep the alternative alive until signatures.
- 6 months to lease end: fit-out and move. If you chose fitted space, this is your buffer. If you chose a bespoke fit-out, this window is already tight.
What should I send to start?
Three things: your current size in square feet, your lease end date, and whether you would consider buying. Message me on WhatsApp with the word LEASE and those three details at +971 50 608 6106, and I will map your options to lease or to own. You can also email [email protected].
General information, not financial advice. Market figures are from the sources listed below and can change.
Questions
When should I start looking if my Dubai office lease ends in 2027?
Start 12 to 18 months before the lease end, which for most 2027 expiries means now. Knight Frank said on 5 November 2026 that firms planning that far ahead are achieving the strongest outcomes, while those waiting for a lease event often end up renewing by default rather than by choice.
How full are Dubai offices in 2026?
CBRE's Q3 2026 review puts Dubai office occupancy at about 95%, with average office rents up 12% year on year. JLL describes the supply and demand balance as firmly in favour of landlords, with incentives selective and at each landlord's discretion.
Will new office supply in 2027 make it easier to find space?
Probably not by much. Savills expects about 2.50 million sq ft of new Dubai offices in 2027, then 5.27 million in 2028 and 6.67 million in 2029. Savills calls these projections indicative, so plan on 2027 staying tight and confirm each building's completion date.
Where do firms look if they cannot get space in DIFC?
Knight Frank says firms unable to secure space in DIFC are looking at Downtown Dubai, One Central and Business Bay. Regulated firms should confirm first whether their licence ties them to DIFC, because jurisdiction is often the starting point of the search.
Should I take fitted space or fit out a shell?
Knight Frank reports that demand for fitted, managed and Cat A+ space is growing rapidly, because occupiers who have just secured scarce space are reluctant to add a long fit-out before they can operate. If your lease end is fixed, fitted space removes one timing risk.
- Knight Frank, Adam Wynne, "Middle East office market: Niche financial firms need to move fast to secure space", 5 Nov 2026 (checked 10 Nov 2026)
- CBRE UAE Real Estate Market Review Q3 2026, reported by Economy Middle East, 3 Nov 2026 (checked 10 Nov 2026)
- JLL, UAE Office Market Dynamics Q3 2026, 6 Nov 2026 (checked 10 Nov 2026)
- Savills Dubai Office Market Report Q3 2026, reported by OffPlan Insider, 26 Oct 2026 (checked 10 Nov 2026)
Launch prices are guide or broker figures unless stated. General information, not financial advice.
