Q: Dear Sir/Madam, My tenancy contract will expire in 4 months. I was just informed that the apartment has been sold to a new landlord. The new landlord wants to impose a 15% rent increase upon renewal, even though the RERA index calculated a 5% increase. If there has been a transfer of ownership, can a new landlord impose any rent increase they wish? Or should they still comply with the RERA calculator? Imposing a big jump in rent increase could mean that new landlords can indirectly "evict" tenants with very little notice if they can't afford the newly imposed rent.

Q: I am a tenant in a villa. The landlord wants to sell the property to a new owner who wants to move in. My rental agreement is till August 15, which means my 90-day increase notice is due on May 15. Three parts to this question: 1. If the current owner serves me a 12-month notice, can the new owners still increase my rent? 2. If the current owner doesn't accept my counter-offer for the rental increase that he served before the notice (My offer is in line with the RERA calculations, but his is not), can he legally increase my rent if I get an eviction notice? 3. Is my eviction notice still valid if the sale of the property goes through? Or must the new owner serve me a new notice? Thanks in advance

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I received a rental increase letter from my landlord in Dubai with an increase of more than 40%. He provided a rental revaluation certificate as support. My current rent for a 1BHK is 42,000 AED. According to the rental index, there is a 2,000 AED hike, while my landlord is asking for an 18,000 AED increase. May I know the maximum rent increase?

Q: Dear Sir, I bought a tenanted unit, and the tenancy contract was signed by one person. Shortly after, I found out that more people are living in the unit, and the tenancy contract doesn't allow subletting. I contacted the phone number in the contract via WhatsApp, chatted with a woman, and highlighted the problem. She referred to the men living in my unit as "tenants." At the end of our conversation, I learned that she is not my tenant. The tenant in my tenancy contract is a man, and I've received his Emirates ID from the previous owner. He doesn't live in the unit, and the phone number and email address in the contract, given as his, are not his own. Is this legal? Is the contract still valid? I would like to give my tenant an eviction notice because of subletting. I've found online that I have to give him a 30-day notice. Is that correct? Is there any rental penalty for the breach of the contract? Can I get compensation for my legal costs? Thanks!

مقال في صورة مقابلة يتناول موضوع العقارات السكنية المُباعة بالتجزئة فيما يتعلق بالمسؤولية عن صيانة الممتلكات العقارية وتداعيات التخلُّف عن سداد الإيجار في الإمارات العربية المتحدة. مقتبس من المدونة الصوتية القانونية للمحامية لودميلا يامالوفا، مؤسسة مشروع لوجيكال مع لايلو.

This Decree determines the maximum percentage of rent increase for real property in the Emirate of Dubai when renewing lease contracts.

The provisions of this Law apply to real property leased out in the Emirate of Dubai, including vacant and agricultural lands, but excluding hotel establishments and real property provided by natural or legal persons as accommodation to their employees at no charge.

Provisions of this Law supersede articles (2), (3), (4), (9), (13), (14), (15), (25), (26), (29), and (36) of Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai.