Hi, I need some guidance regarding a property transaction that is not progressing as expected. My broker initiated a manual Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between me (the Buyer) and the Seller, with an expiry date of 01/02/2025. Within this period, I successfully arranged the bank mortgage, property evaluation, and NOC. However, the broker started giving excuses, such as the seller being hospitalized. Later, the broker attempted to arrange a Power of Attorney (POA). However, after that, they started ignoring my messages and calls. It now seems like they no longer intend to proceed with me, and the MOU has already expired. Meanwhile, my bank EMI has already started, and I have paid two monthly installments. The broker is still unresponsive. I have raised multiple complaints through DLD RVS against the broker, but the response has been very slow and unsatisfactory. I’m feeling stuck and financially burdened. Please advise

Hey, I'm building my house in Dubai, and it was going well. I gave the contractor 420k as a first payment, and we both agreed that the rest would be in installments. Just two months ago, the contractor went off the grid, and I can't find him. All I have is a security cheque that bounced back when I went to the bank, as the signature doesn't match what's in the file. However, I learnt that he does have money, but not the amount that's in the cheque. What should I do now to get my money back? I need advice.

Hello, I was an employee of a major group in the UAE. Now, they have transferred me to another entity within the same group in the UAE. What happens to the benefits and allowances agreed upon by the first entity? Please provide the legal details related to this matter, along with the relevant statutory provisions.

Hello, A client of mine used our consulting services online and is refusing to pay. Despite multiple reminders, she still has not made the payment. What legal action can I take against her?

Hello, A juvenile case has been withdrawn by a third party, but the prosecution doesn’t want to end it. The child is out on bail. Now the case has moved to court. What steps should be taken next, or how will they handle it?

Hello, I want to know the UAE rules regarding second marriage for expats. I am a Pakistani national and already have a wife back in my home country. Now, I want to do a second marriage in the UAE with a Moroccan girl. Can you please let me know the procedure involved? Can I get my marriage registered in the UAE? Is it mandatory to disclose the first marriage? I am on an employment visa in Dubai.

Hello, I am a manager of an LLC company with 25% share. In February 2003, a partner joined the company with a 25% share. After two months, he didn’t like the company and left. After two years, we did not know where he was. We just heard that he left to Tunisia before his visa expired. What to do with his 25% share, please?

I got a work permit and entry from a Dubai employer for work. During the travel to Dubai, do I need to show any accommodation proof, return ticket, or anything? What documents do I need to carry?

Hello. My company has filed a case against a client for failure to pay and a bounced cheque. The client's company is registered as a virtual office in the Creative City Free Zone in Fujairah, so our case is filed there. The client basically purchased some equipment from us, and his payment via bank transfer did not go through and was rejected. Then, when we deposited his security cheque after multiple attempts to contact and no answer, the cheque bounced. The company is under his wife's name, and we have filed a case on the same. The court has accepted our application, however, they have instructed the execution bureau to get the Emirates ID of this authorised signatory. The bureau is asking us to get it, and we have no way to do so, unfortunately. Without the Emirates ID, the court cannot freeze the bank accounts or put a travel ban, etc. What are our options here?

Hello, What is the minimum duration an employee must work for the employer who brought them into the country before they can terminate the contract in the UAE?

Hello, Is there any restriction on a diplomat buying property in the UAE, where he works as a diplomat at his country's consulate?

Hi. One of my friends joined a Telegram group. They said, "We will transfer some amount to your account, and your task is to transfer this amount to another account. Once the task is completed, you will get 30 or 50 AED per task." He completed 3 to 4 tasks, but he realized it was not good, so he stopped. After one week, when he opened his account, it was blocked, and the bank said, "We are conducting an investigation; after this, we will let you know." After some days, he had an accident and went to his home country. He then received a call from a landline number, which was from the Abu Dhabi police station. They said, "We have received a complaint against you; come to our investigation department." However, due to his surgery and treatment, he could not go. After some time, his bank account was reopened, and he did not receive any further calls. I want to know, if he comes back to the UAE or goes to any other GCC country, will he face any problems? If someone has a case in the UAE, can they travel to another GCC country? Please advise!

Hello, What legal action can I take in case the employer refuses to pay my salary and I don't have a contract with them?

I currently live in Sharjah and have a UAE residence visa but I am not a UAE or GCC national. I want to open an online shop (Etsy or Shopify) to sell handmade items, such as crocheted goods, bookmarks, greeting cards, etc. Do I need a license to open an Etsy shop? If so, which license do I need to sell my products online, including UAE and worldwide? How much would it cost me? Can I keep my residence visa (sponsored by my father) and not change it?

Hello, I am seeking your legal advice regarding a friend who was previously imprisoned in Abu Dhabi. His case there is now closed, but he has another ongoing case in Dubai. Currently, we have lost contact with him and are unsure of his whereabouts. How can we check where he is or access any other legal facility? Are there legal procedures to locate a person with an ongoing case? What steps should we take to get more information about his status and legal position?

Hello, How can I file a counter-complaint against a person who made a false report about me for public cursing, which I never did? He made the complaint about three months after we last met. I now have a case because of it, but I never said any bad words to him. I was stopped at the airport because of that.

I got a work permit and entry from a Dubai employer for work. During the travel to Dubai, do I need to show any accommodation proof, return ticket, or anything? What documents do I need to carry?

I would like to know how to clear my police record due to a legal case that was closed 1 year ago. I need to clear it in order to be able to get a job position.

Hello. My company has filed a case against a client for failure to pay and a bounced cheque. The client's company is registered as a virtual office in the Creative City Free Zone in Fujairah, so our case is filed there. The client basically purchased some equipment from us, and his payment via bank transfer did not go through and was rejected. Then, when we deposited his security cheque after multiple attempts to contact and no answer, the cheque bounced. The company is under his wife's name, and we have filed a case on the same. The court has accepted our application, however, they have instructed the execution bureau to get the Emirates ID of this authorised signatory. The bureau is asking us to get it, and we have no way to do so, unfortunately. Without the Emirates ID, the court cannot freeze the bank accounts or put a travel ban, etc. What are our options here?

Hello, Hope this message finds you well! I am seeking legal advice regarding my financial situation as a forex trader living in the UAE under a sponsor work visa. Currently, I do not work for any company and earn my income primarily through cryptocurrency trading. However, I would like to ensure that I can legally receive and withdraw approximately AED 15,000 per month into my UAE bank account without raising any suspicion from the bank. My main concerns are: I am a forex trader and earn money through cryptocurrency, which I then exchange into fiat currency (AED). How can I ensure that the process of depositing this income into my bank account is transparent and compliant with UAE laws to avoid any issues with anti-money laundering (AML) regulations? Since I do not have a formal job or salary, how should I go about documenting or explaining my income to the bank to avoid any red flags regarding the source of my funds? Are there any specific steps I need to take to ensure my deposits are compliant?

لدينا قضية مدنية مرفوعة ضد الشركة؛ وهي عبارة عن خلاف في حساب الكميات وجودتها داخل شركة مقاولات حيث فرضوا غرامات علينا لأعمال لم تكن في نطاق عملنا. السؤال: في حال استدعت المحكمة خبيرًا فنيًا للحكم بيننا، مَن يدفع راتب الخبير؟ ومَن يُعينه؟ ومن أي جانب يأتي لضمان الحيادية؟

أعزائي أعضاء ليجال أدفايس ميدل إيست، إنني أمتلك شركة في مركز دبي المالي العالمي والتي تعاني بسبب الأزمة الحالية وتم إعطاء الموظفين فترة إشعار مدتها ثلاثة أشهر لأن الشركة قد تضطر إلى الإغلاق. سأل أحد الموظفين عما إذا كان بإمكانه الحصول على مكافأة نهاية الخدمة الخاصة به مبكرًا لأن زوجته فقدت وظيفتها بسبب كورونا. هل يمكنني منحه قرضًا قانونيًا مقابل نسبة من مكافأة نهاية الخدمة الخاصة به؟ إنه يعمل في الشركة منذ 16 عامًا.

أرغب في إنهاء عقد إيجار إحدى دور الحضانة المملوكة لي في أبراج بحيرات جميرا في وقتٍ مبكر (وحدة البيع بالتجزئة) حيث توقف العمل تمامًا منذ شهر مارس. لا يمكنني التواصل مع المالك الذي يحمل الجنسية الصينية؛ إنه لا يرد على رسائل البريد الإلكتروني أو المكالمات وقد لا يكون داخل إمارة دبي. سيكون الشيك النهائي مستحق السداد في 1 مايو 2020، ماذا أفعل؟

دفعت مبلغ حجز لمطوِّر قبل توقيع أي عقود رسمية لشقة، عند معاينة شقة العرض للمشروع قام البائع بإبلاغنا بأن رسوم الخدمات ١٤ درهم وبأن الشقة سيتم تسليمها بنفس تفاصيل تشطيبات شقة العرض وأن العقد غير جاهز حاليًا وسيتم تجهيزه بعد يومين. تم هذا كله أمام أحد الوسطاء العقاريين الرسميين، وعند طباعة العقود تبين أن رسوم الخدمات ١٧.٥ إلى ١٨ درهم والتفاصيل التي ذكرها البائع بشأن بعض التشطيبات كما بشقة العرض غير مذكورة بالعقد، وعند العودة الى البائع تردد وأنكر وبعد مخاطبة شركته، لم يتعاونوا معي أبدًا ولم يُعيدوا مبلغ الحجز. كيف يمكنني استرجاع المبلغ علمًا بأنه يوجد لدي فقط وصل مختوم بالمبلغ المدفوع وشهادة شركة الوساطة العقارية؟

لقد اشتريت شقتين فندقيتين تحت الإنشاء في عام 2016؛ كان يجب استلام كلاهما في الربع الثاني من عام 2018، أحدهما مدفوع قيمتها بنسبة 100٪ والأخرى مدفوع 30٪ من قيمتها حسب اتفاقية البيع والشراء. وفقًا لاتفاقية البيع والشراء: "دون المساس بحقوق البائع بموجب البند 21 فيما يتعلق بأحداث القوة القاهرة و / أو أحداث التأخير الخارجية، يجوز للبائع تمديد موعد التسليم، وفقًا لتقديره المطلق دون سبب، عن طريق إرسال إشعار كتابي للمشتري لفترة أو فترات تصل إلى إجمالي اثني عشر (12) شهرًا ". لم يتم استلام أي إشعار كتابي، على الرغم من طلبه في 21/09/2018 عبر البريد الإلكتروني (لم يتم الرد). بعد عدة مراسلات مضللة وتغيير تواريخ الانتهاء، يقولون الآن أنه نظرًا لأنني لم أمارس حقي في إرسال إشعار كتابي للمطالبة بإكمال أعمال البناء في غضون عام واحد من تاريخ التسليم المتفق عليه ("فترة الضمان")، فإنه لا يحق لي إنهاء العقد. لم أرسل هذا الإشعار لأنني كنت أنتظر منهم إرسال إشعاراتهم وفقًا لما تنص عليه اتفاقية البيع والشراء. وفقًا لهيئة التنظيم العقاري إن الوضع الحالي هو 61.59٪ (مستحقة في 30/06/2020) و84.54٪ (مستحقة في 31/05/2020). هل يُعد هذا سببًا وجيهًا لإنهاء العقد؟