Abu Dhabi, Oct. 7 -- Dubai has introduced new housing regulations prohibiting families and individuals from sharing the same residential unit.

The new rules set by Dubai Municipality under Law No. 4 of 2026 state that each shared residential unit must be given exclusively to either families or individuals. In each house, bedrooms must provide at least five square metres of space per occupant, and a washroom must be provided for every four residents.

In shared family accommodation, every family requires a dedicated bedroom with an attached private bathroom.

Property owners and commercial establishments have one year to align existing facilities with the new regulations. The new rules require shared housing units to be strictly designate...