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The UAE rental market just got a new layer of due diligence. The Etihad Credit Bureau’s Tenant Screening service, first announced in May, has now gone live, giving landlords a formal way to review a prospective tenant’s credit score before finalising a lease.
For a market as competitive as this one, where several applicants often chase the same unit, the move gives landlords another data point beyond income letters and references.
How It Works
The process runs entirely through the ECB mobile app.
1. A landlord opens the Tenant Screening feature and enters the applicant’s Emirates ID details.
2. After payment, a consent request is sent to the tenant via UAE PASS.
3. Once the tenant approves, their credit score appears directly in the landlord’s app.
No score is shared without that approval. If a tenant declines or the request simply expires unanswered, nothing is disclosed and the landlord’s payment is refunded automatically. Tenants also need a fully verified UAE PASS profile before any request can go through.
What Landlords Actually See
The service surfaces a prospective tenant’s credit score, giving landlords a clearer read on financial reliability alongside the usual checks. According to ECB, the aim is to help landlords “gain deeper insights into applicant profiles and make more informed rental decisions.”
What It Means for Tenants
The bigger shift may be behavioural. With credit history now a visible part of the leasing conversation, tenants have good reason to check their own credit standing before they start apartment hunting, not after. A strong score could work in an applicant’s favour when landlords are weighing multiple offers, while anyone with outstanding financial issues may want to address them before submitting an application.
ECB is encouraging tenants to review their credit reports proactively, rather than being caught off guard mid-application.
The Takeaway
This is a meaningful step toward a more transparent, data-informed rental process in the UAE. Landlords gain an additional layer of assurance, and tenants who stay on top of their credit standing will likely find the leasing process smoother going forward.
Whether you’re a landlord looking to list a property or a tenant preparing to apply, our team at Vetra Real Estate can walk you through what this change means for your next move.
