My landlord won't fix the AC in my Dubai apartment — what are my rights?

You have clear legal rights here under Dubai tenancy law. A broken AC is considered a structural defect and is 100% the landlord's responsibility to repair. Here's what to do: First, send your landlord a formal written notice via WhatsApp or email stating the fault, the date it started, and that you require repair within 7 days. Keep screenshots of all messages — WhatsApp read receipts count as proof. If they don't respond within 7 days, you can file a maintenance complaint with RERA (the Real Estate Regulatory Authority) through the Dubai REST app or at their offices. In extreme heat with a young child, you can argue the fault constitutes a threat to habitability. As a last resort, UAE tenancy law does allow tenants to arrange urgent repairs themselves and deduct from rent — but you must have documented evidence that you notified the landlord and they failed to act. Don't deduct without this paper trail.