Q: Hi, I have spent just 1 month here in my new apartment with my wife and my 6 months old baby. Our neighbor is smoking inside their flat and the smoke comes inside our flat. We have already complained about it to the management and the management keeps only warning them. I have a baby who is at risk for smelling cigarette smoke and we've found out that the tenant has many complaints already. The management seems very soft to them. Are we allowed to break our tenancy since the management fails to control them? I think they have a friend who is a senior manager of the building and that's why they keep on doing crazy things without eviction. Can we terminate our contract for this reason since we have a baby?

س: مرحبًا، أريد توضيح هذا الأمر. هناك رائحة مجاري نفاذة (سيئة للغاية) في مطبخنا (في بعض الأحيان لا نتمكن من طهي الطعام بسبب الرائحة الكريهة) ولكن للأسف لا يمكننا تقديم دليل، أو صور وما إلى ذلك لإثبات هذا الأمر. الرائحة الكريهة ليست ثابتة أو معتادة ولكنها تظهر في بعض الأيام في الصباح أو أيام أخرى في الليل. من الواضح أن وحدة صيانة المبنى تعرف المشكلة ولكن لا يمكنهم فعل أي شيء والإدارة لا تتخذ أي إجراء. ويمنع مكتب المالك المستأجرين من الاتصال بالمالك. يرجى تقديم المشورة والمساعدة.

Q: Hi Lawyers, I badly need some help with regards to my tenancy contract in Sharjah. Basically, I am staying in my current apartment for almost a year now (I just renewed last June 2017 for my 2nd year contract). However, recently there was a new tenant who moved into the same floor with us (just a few units away from my unit). To cut the story short their kids are making noise on our floor. I have reported the issue to the building management which they took action, however, after few months the kids are starting to make noises again which really are affecting our privacy. Now, I have finally decided to cancel my contract with the company and I was hoping I can do it in a legal way. Will I get a penalty for doing this? Also, will I be able to take back my post dated check with them? I was thinking maybe moving to a new unit (1 bedroom) in the same building or whatever the company can offer. Thank you in advance.

Q: I moved to a new apartment in Dubai DIFC (paying AED 250,000 annual rent) and I paid in one cheque. There is construction next to my apartment which is quite noisy and disturbs me. This will continue for 2 more years. They start to go higher and louder. I'm in the 60th floor. As I record Podcasts and work from home, I need a silent environment. In my contract, it is written: "In the event of the Tenancy being terminated by the Tenant before the expiry of the Tenancy Period, the Tenant shall be liable to pay 2 months’ rent as a penalty for such termination. The Tenant shall give notice of not less than 2 months." Would it be possible for me to get out of my lease agreement without penalty? I can stay 2 more months and give notice, but I wouldn't like to pay the 2 months penalty (46,000 AED). Would it be possible to force the landlord to put soundproofing on his cost? A company that does soundproofing could add a glass layer and soundproof one room for 20,000 AED. Many thanks for your help A.

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 establishes a specialised judicial system to hear rent disputes and develops the procedure for determination of such disputes through an expeditious and simple process for the purpose of realising social and economic stability for all persons involved with the real property rental and other related sectors.

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. 

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.