What is decennial liability for contractors and architects in the UAE?

Decennial liability is a mandatory protection under the UAE Civil Transactions Law that makes the contractor and the architect/supervising engineer jointly liable for ten years for total or partial collapse of a building, and for serious defects that threaten its structural safety and stability. 'Decennial' means ten years — this period runs from handover/delivery of the works and cannot be excluded or reduced by agreement, because it is a matter of public order under UAE law. It applies even if the defect arises from the ground itself or the employer approved the defective structures. Liability is focused on structural integrity rather than minor finishing defects. A claim must be brought within a defined period after the collapse or the discovery of the defect, so acting promptly once a problem appears is important — confirm the exact filing window for your case, as it is time-barred. Because this is a strong but technically specific remedy, an owner should obtain an engineering assessment and legal advice quickly. You can compare verified UAE construction-litigation professionals on LEXAI.