أسئلة وأجوبة
Is the landlord's claim true that the court must sign the deposit cheque so he can return it to me?
Dear Sir/Madam,
I recently moved from my old premises to a new one because the landlord wanted the tenants out after an inheritance case as he wants to increase the rent in the building.
That case made the renewal of the contract impossible for months but once settled, I paid the amount in one go so I could move out.
In order to avoid any issue, I moved out but the landlord is taking time to give me back my deposit telling me that some agent from the justice needs to sign the deposit cheque in order for him to give it to us.
Therefore I wanted to inquire if that is true as I'm struggling now financially and that cheque would help me big time.
I paid for moving out and moving in, in one go, which caused me a lot of expenses at once and that deposit cheque is more than needed.
I gave them time, as they told me it needs 15 days, now it's been 22 days and they're still telling me the court agent did not come to sign the cheque.
Could you please advise what is the legal action that I can take?
According to UAE law, the landlord is required to return the security deposit within 14 days from the date of the tenant's move-out.
If the landlord fails to do so, the tenant has the right to file a complaint with the Rent Dispute Settlement Committee.
In your case, it seems that the landlord is using the excuse of the court agent not signing the cheque to delay the return of your deposit.
This is not a valid reason and you have the right to take legal action against the landlord.
You can file a complaint with the Rent Dispute Settlement Committee and provide them with all the necessary documents and evidence, such as the contract, proof of payment of the deposit, and any communication with the landlord regarding the return of the deposit.
Dear questioner
The deposit cheque shall be returned within a reasonable time, please review your contract terms and the specific check for the security deposit return.
If the landlord is not returning the amount, you can file a complaint with the authority.
