Your credit score now follows you into property viewings. As of July 2026, landlords and agents across the UAE can run a formal credit check on prospective tenants through Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB) — the same body that scores you for loans and credit cards. The service was announced in May 2026 and is now live.
If you are hunting for a flat in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or anywhere else in the Emirates, this changes how you should prepare. Here is what the service does, what your rights are, and how to make sure your score works for you rather than against you.
What is the UAE tenant screening service?
It is a consent-based credit check for rental applicants, run by AECB. A landlord (or their agent) can request your credit score before deciding on your application. The score is built from your borrowing and repayment history — loan instalments, credit card payments, and other financial obligations.
In short: the same number that decides whether a bank gives you a car loan can now influence whether you get the keys to an apartment.
How the check works
The process is fully digital and runs through the AECB mobile app:
- The landlord opens the app and selects Tenant Screening
- They enter your Emirates ID number
- They pay the screening fee (Apple Pay and Google Pay are supported)
- You receive a consent request through UAE PASS
- You approve or reject the request
- If you approve, the landlord sees your credit score in the app
Two details matter here. First, nothing happens without your consent — the request arrives through your verified UAE PASS account, and only you can approve it. Second, if you reject the request or simply do not respond, the landlord's payment is automatically refunded and they never see your score.
What this means for tenants
Refusing a check is your right, but be realistic: in a competitive market, declining may read as a red flag, and the landlord can simply move to the next applicant. The practical response is to know your score before your landlord does.
A strong score could genuinely work in your favour. Tenants with clean repayment records now have a way to stand out — some may even use it to negotiate on rent or cheque terms, the same way a solid salary certificate helps. If you are paying rent monthly rather than with one or two cheques, a good score gives the landlord a reason to say yes — see our guide on paying Dubai rent monthly.
For newcomers, there is a quirk: if you have just arrived and have no UAE credit history, you may have no meaningful score at all. That is not a black mark — landlords have always assessed new arrivals on employment contracts and salary letters, and that will not change. Our first apartment in Dubai guide covers what landlords look at beyond the score.
Check your own score before you apply
You can pull your own credit report any time through the AECB app or website using UAE PASS. A score costs a few dirhams; the full report costs around AED 30. Review it before you start viewings, because errors do occur — a closed credit card that still shows as active, or a settled loan not yet updated.
If you spot a mistake, raise a dispute with AECB directly through the app. Fixing an error can move your score before your next application. For a full breakdown of what drives the number, read our guide on why your AECB credit score matters beyond bank loans.
How to improve a weak score
There is no overnight fix, but these moves have the fastest impact:
- Clear overdue amounts first — active late payments hurt more than old ones
- Pay every credit card and loan instalment on time for the next few months
- Reduce credit card utilisation — keep balances well below your limits
- Close unused cards you forgot about; they still count in your exposure
- Never bounce a cheque — bounced cheques sit heavily on your record
Key takeaway
Landlords in the UAE can now see your credit score — but only with your consent through UAE PASS. Check your own AECB report before you start flat-hunting, fix any errors, and clear overdue payments. A clean score is quietly becoming a rental asset, and for tenants with good financial habits, that is good news.
FAQ
Can a UAE landlord check my credit score without my permission? No. The screening is consent-based. You receive a request through UAE PASS and the landlord only sees your score if you approve it.
What happens if I reject the screening request? Nothing formal — the landlord's fee is refunded automatically and they never see your score. They may, however, prefer another applicant who agreed to the check.
Does the check show my salary or bank balance? No. The landlord sees your credit score, which reflects repayment behaviour on loans, cards and other obligations — not your income or account balances.
I just moved to the UAE and have no credit history. Will this hurt my application? Unlikely. New arrivals without UAE credit history are still assessed the traditional way — employment contract, salary certificate and payment terms.
How do I check my own AECB score? Download the AECB app, log in with UAE PASS, and buy your score or full report. Reviewing the full report is worth it — errors can be disputed and corrected.
Does paying rent on time improve my credit score? Rent payments themselves are not yet part of the standard score, but bounced rent cheques absolutely damage your record — and a screening request trail now exists.
