Hello, My rent cheque was bounced, and my landlord filed a case against me in Sharjah Court. I received a fine of 2,000 AED, which was later reduced to 1,000 AED upon appeal. Does this case count as a criminal conviction under UAE law, or was it handled as a civil matter? If I apply for a U.S. visa, will I need to submit court records under the requirement for applicants with past convictions?

Hello, I have a criminal case for fighting, and it is now in prosecution. The decision shows “a temporary matter” as both parties are accused. What does it mean? I have not received a call from the prosecution yet.

Hello, Can I stay home if my boss doesn’t pay my salary on time?

Hello, I am planning to change to another company and I am waiting for the offer. The visa from the current company is going to end in 2 months. Should I inform them about my leaving? I haven’t received any offer yet, so I didn’t inform them, and they’re asking about the renewal every day. Is it mandatory to inform them 2 months in advance?

My current landlord has sold the building I live in, and my rent cheque was due to be presented on April 1st. I contacted the new landlord and the current landlord about my rent cheque. My current landlord advised that they had withdrawn the cheque and presented it to the new landlord. However, the new landlord has ignored three requests for clarity on how to pay my rent, which is now overdue. What are my options here? I am attempting to pay the rent, but they are unresponsive.

We received a cheque which has now bounced. We have tried for over a month and a half now to get a new cheque from the person, and every day he says the next day. We need the money now. We have been to the police station, and they said they can not do anything as the reason the cheque bounced is "Insufficient funds." We have been to Al Barsha - Dubai Courts, and they said there is nothing they can do about it. We are not sure what we can do. We need the money asap to pay our kids' school fees, let alone all the interest we have lost.

Hello I joined my new company on February 26, 2025. Upon joining the new company, I asked HR if it was free to join the company, and she said yes. After working with them for 1 month, I experienced a salary delay, and I had to go to the office to ask why there was a delay in my salary. That is when the HR told me she deducted my whole salary to recover the transfer fee. Now my question is, who is supposed to pay for the transfer fee, the employee or the employer?

Is it possible for a foreigner to get a divorce here in Dubai?

Hello, I want to inquire regarding my leave privileges. I am now 11 months in my company. How many leaves am I privileged to? Based on Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 regulating labour relations and its executive regulations, you are entitled to a paid weekly rest for not less than one day, as specified in the work contract or the work regulation. The Council of Ministers may increase the weekly rest day stipulated in this article. The Decree-Law and its executive regulations also stipulate that you are entitled to an annual leave with full pay as follows: - Thirty days for each year of your extended service. - Two days per month in respect of any employee with more than six months and less than one year of service. - Leave for parts of the last year of your service in case it is terminated before you use your annual leave balance. Now my question is: do I have 22 days I can use? Can someone explain to me in detail? Thank you!

Hello, Can I sell branded replica watches online, on Facebook Marketplace, etc.? Not in a physical store, just online.

We received a cheque which has now bounced. We have tried for over a month and a half now to get a new cheque from the person, and every day he says the next day. We need the money now. We have been to the police station, and they said they can not do anything as the reason the cheque bounced is "Insufficient funds." We have been to Al Barsha - Dubai Courts, and they said there is nothing they can do about it. We are not sure what we can do. We need the money asap to pay our kids' school fees, let alone all the interest we have lost.

Hello I joined my new company on February 26, 2025. Upon joining the new company, I asked HR if it was free to join the company, and she said yes. After working with them for 1 month, I experienced a salary delay, and I had to go to the office to ask why there was a delay in my salary. That is when the HR told me she deducted my whole salary to recover the transfer fee. Now my question is, who is supposed to pay for the transfer fee, the employee or the employer?

Is it possible for a foreigner to get a divorce here in Dubai?

Hello, I want to inquire regarding my leave privileges. I am now 11 months in my company. How many leaves am I privileged to? Based on Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 regulating labour relations and its executive regulations, you are entitled to a paid weekly rest for not less than one day, as specified in the work contract or the work regulation. The Council of Ministers may increase the weekly rest day stipulated in this article. The Decree-Law and its executive regulations also stipulate that you are entitled to an annual leave with full pay as follows: - Thirty days for each year of your extended service. - Two days per month in respect of any employee with more than six months and less than one year of service. - Leave for parts of the last year of your service in case it is terminated before you use your annual leave balance. Now my question is: do I have 22 days I can use? Can someone explain to me in detail? Thank you!

I got an order of 6 months imprisonment and deportation for a judgment in absentia by the Sharjah court for selling medicine without a license. I was not involved in the case directly; my friend used my car, and he had my bank card. They made a confession that they were working for me and made a false claim that they had transferred money to me. As I am outside the country, I came to the UAE to solve my case. I got detained at the airport, and the CID asked me some questions. I mentioned they didn’t transfer me a single Dihram, so he let me go, as the case was already open for appeal. In the first instance court, they gave me the same verdict, then I appealed and attached documents like bank statements and my company details, which were not mentioned before. They gave a date for the judgment, but it was not issued, and they gave the next date. I have been suffering a lot for the last 3 months here in the UAE and for 6 months back home. So my question is that what will happen next? Will the case be open for retrial, and will the CID be convinced by my logic? Can they drop charges, or now the court decide only?

Dear Lawyers, Can a partner in an LLC company (Dubai Mainland) sell their shares to a third party without the consent of the other partners? If one partner wants to exit the company and the other shareholders are neither responding to this request nor giving permission, what is the way forward? We have sent an email to the other shareholders notifying them of the intention to sell the shares, but there has been no response. Please advise. Please advise!

Dear Lawyers, I joined a company in Dubai. According to the contract agreement given to me by the company, if I leave before the fixed contract period, I have to give two months' notice and pay a sum of 6000 dirhams. I agreed to this and continued to work under that agreement. However, the company has now introduced a new contract agreement, and all employees are under pressure to sign it. The new conditions state that no employee can take a similar job in the UAE and must agree to pay USD 3500 (AED 12600) upon leaving during the contract period. What actions can I take regarding the unfairness of this situation?

Dear Sir, I hope this message finds you well! I am writing to seek your advice regarding a debt case filed in 2016 in the UAE. The debt amounts to approximately 45,000 AED (20,000 AED cheque amount and 25,000 AED credit card amount). The associated interest has now possibly exceeded 150,000 AED. I have recently secured a job in Dubai and am eager to return; however, I am currently unable to pay the full debt amount. I am aware of a court fine of 5,000 AED. I would like to understand if there is any possibility of returning to Dubai by paying only this court fine and lawyer fee. Could you please advise on any available legal avenues or procedures that may allow me to resolve this matter and return to Dubai under these circumstances? Your guidance on this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and assistance! Best Regards,

Dear Sir/Madam, I have been a tenant in a residential unit since 2023. The real estate representative of the landlord sent a WhatsApp message stating that my rent is finalized at 24,200 AED, up from the previous contract amount of 22,000 AED, without any prior notice or email from the landlord. Kindly guide me!

Dear All, I currently have an annual rent contract with a hotel apartment in Al Barsha, Dubai. I have a separate Ejari and pay my unit's DEWA bills. My current yearly rent is the same as the rent advertised for new units in the same building. However, my contract renewal is due in three months, and the building management has informed me that a 10% increase in rent will be applied if I wish to renew. According to the RERA rental index calculator for the Al Barsha area, my current annual rent is already higher than the average rent, so no increase in rent is permissible. The building management has stated that they don't fall under the RERA rental index because they're hotel apartments. I wish to verify whether they fall under RERA rent index guidelines or not. Please advise. I am willing to open a rental dispute case and seek legal help, but I need to check if it will be valid. Thank you!

We received a cheque which has now bounced. We have tried for over a month and a half now to get a new cheque from the person, and every day he says the next day. We need the money now. We have been to the police station, and they said they can not do anything as the reason the cheque bounced is "Insufficient funds." We have been to Al Barsha - Dubai Courts, and they said there is nothing they can do about it. We are not sure what we can do. We need the money asap to pay our kids' school fees, let alone all the interest we have lost.

I live in a townhouse with a shared wall with my neighbors. They are constantly doing construction work and constantly drilling on the shared wall. They said it will last for 2 months, working 6 days a week. It is driving us crazy, and there is no way to live this way, and I have to work from home. I am very stressed. What is the immediate solution, please?

Hello, We are a building materials trading company based in the UAE. We supplied materials worth AED 50,000 to a customer around 8 months ago, but despite repeated follow-ups and reminders, no payment has been made to date. We would appreciate guidance on the following: 1. What legal action can we take to recover the amount? 2. What documents should we have ready (e.g., delivery notes, invoice, emails)? 3. How long does the legal process typically take in the UAE for such cases? 4. Is there a recommended timeline or deadline after which legal steps should be initiated? Thank you in advance for your advice!

A pharmacy gave me the wrong set of medicine that was not prescribed by my doctor. Can I file a complaint?

I have undergone a surgical treatment in India and got a medical leave report from there for 15 days. Can I submit the same medical leave report in the UAE so that the annual leave won't be affected? The HR is responding that the same 15 days of medical leave will be counted from my annual leave. Kindly assist

Dear Lawyers, Can a partner in an LLC company (Dubai Mainland) sell their shares to a third party without the consent of the other partners? If one partner wants to exit the company and the other shareholders are neither responding to this request nor giving permission, what is the way forward? We have sent an email to the other shareholders notifying them of the intention to sell the shares, but there has been no response. Please advise. Please advise!

Dear All, I currently have an annual rent contract with a hotel apartment in Al Barsha, Dubai. I have a separate Ejari and pay my unit's DEWA bills. My current yearly rent is the same as the rent advertised for new units in the same building. However, my contract renewal is due in three months, and the building management has informed me that a 10% increase in rent will be applied if I wish to renew. According to the RERA rental index calculator for the Al Barsha area, my current annual rent is already higher than the average rent, so no increase in rent is permissible. The building management has stated that they don't fall under the RERA rental index because they're hotel apartments. I wish to verify whether they fall under RERA rent index guidelines or not. Please advise. I am willing to open a rental dispute case and seek legal help, but I need to check if it will be valid. Thank you!

Dear Lawyers, I am from India, and I am an HIV patient undergoing treatment. Recently, I received a job offer in Dubai. Can I go to Dubai with this condition? Is it possible to work in Dubai with this issue? Can you give me suggestions, please?

Dear Lawyers, Is there any way to take action or legal proceedings in cases of online scams? One of my friends was cheated by a lady on a matrimonial website, and he is still seeking to recover his money.

Dear Lawyers, The former owner of a unit sent an email to the tenant stating he wouldn't renew the contract as the unit was being sold. The tenant acknowledged the email and agreed to vacate the property at the end of the contract, so no eviction notice was issued. Now, the property has been sold. The tenant has been reminded about the email exchange but no longer acknowledges it and refuses to leave, claiming it has nothing to do with the new owner. Does the new owner have a claim if they go to the RDC to evict the tenant? Will the email exchange hold in court?

Can the employer report absconding if an employee goes to their home country on leave but does not come back to UAE?

Dear Lawyers, I rented a studio on a monthly basis, and my rent included all utilities and bills, with a contract that isn’t Ejari. Now, the landlord has cut off the DEWA and is asking me to vacate the unit and take the rest of my rent three months before the contract expires. Is there any legal action I can take against him?

Dear Lawyers, Dubai Tenancy Question Addendum: 1. In case of not renewing the contract, the tenant shall inform the landlord 3 months prior. If the tenant fails to do so, they shall bear a penalty of 2 months' rent for not notifying the landlord. 2. Failure to execute the renewal (at the sole discretion of the landlord) shall result in the automatic termination of this agreement. 3. The landlord unequivocally objects to the tenant's continued occupation of the premises after the expiry of this agreement. An overstay fee shall apply from the day following the expiry of the term. The tenant’s continued occupation shall not result in the automatic renewal of this agreement. Questions: A. Does this addendum supersede the laws of the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA)? B. Does the contract automatically renew, or is it considered terminated as per the conditions of the addendum? C. How much should be paid to the landlord if the tenant vacates a week after the expiry of the contract?

Dear Lawyers, Can a husband renew only his 6-year-old child's visa and refuse to renew his wife's visa? What happens in that case?

Dear Lawyers, During the sale of the property, to whom is the security deposit returned? The tenant or the new owner?