I recently purchased a rented apartment in Abu Dhabi and agreed to honor the existing lease. After the transfer, I discovered that the lease is not a Tawtheeq contract, meaning it is not officially registered. Since I am not receiving rent (as it was a non-refundable arrangement with the seller), I prefer not to issue a new Tawtheeq. I also want to avoid a formal notice to vacate to prevent disputes, as I plan to move in. However, I have already informed the tenant that I will not be renewing the lease. I need legal advice on the implications of proceeding without a Tawtheeq contract. What are my risks, especially if the tenant refuses to move out? What legal actions, if any, can the tenant take in this situation?

My brother has been working for a company for 11 years. In the last 3 weeks, he had an incident/accident and scratched a plane since he only had 1 person to assist him as the company was not hiring enough people. Senior staff like him are working more to train inexperienced new hires which adds to their workload working almost 12 hours/day including travel to DWC. The pilot said it was aesthetic and could be painted over but a police investigation ensued. Last week 3 managers and HR talked him down as the investigation concluded. He was terminated immediately with only this month's pay and his 11-year gratuity will not be given by the company. It was not gross negligence or malicious intent, he just didn’t have enough people to help him. He owned up to the mistake and reported the incident within 24 hours. Can he fight for the gratuity?

A person currently under a deportation order wishes to appoint a trusted person with Power of Attorney (POA) to manage their financial and legal matters, including access to their bank account and other obligations. What is the process for obtaining and registering a POA in this situation? Can it be done while they are still in custody, and what steps should they follow to ensure? Please help.

Dear Sir/Madam, The Dubai Court has frozen my bank account because I was late on an alimony payment. The money was automatically deducted from my salary this month. Will the court automatically unfreeze the account once this is done, or will I need to petition the court to issue an order to unfreeze it?

What is the process of renewing the visa while a criminal case is still ongoing? I got first instance court judgment in my favor and was declared innocent, however, the prosecution filed the appeal. My residence visa is due for renewal next week. Can I process my renewal or it is blocked till the time this case is over?

Hello, I got 1 month imprisonment, a 100 AED fine, and deportation. Is there a way out if I can pay instead of serving 1 month imprisonment and still get deported?

Hello, My ID will expire on 14th May. The company is blocked. I want to change my status. How can I do this?

Hello, Can I go on vacation even though I have already resigned from my employer and my visa is not yet canceled?

Hello, What is the Stop/Suspend EXT transaction in the Labour Court?

Sir, As per my contract period, they mentioned that if I leave the company before 1 year, I have to pay 5000 dirhams. But I have already completed more than 1 year and 3 months. The company has given me a warning letter saying my work performance is low, and if I continue like this, they will terminate me. They didn't mention any charges, but they mentioned in the letter a top penalty procedure. So I need to know whether I have to pay them any charges or not.

Hello, My boss transferred a car to my name. Unknown to me, the car was not fully paid before the transfer. Eight months later, the seller called me because my boss was unreachable. The seller threatened to take me to court because my boss didn’t pay the full amount. How do I get out of this?

I was notified by the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department that a civil claim had been filed against me. I’m ignoring it. Can I just run away and exit the country easily? I guess no travel ban has been imposed against me yet. Thank you.

I had a case at Al Barsha Police Station, Dubai, for one year. On 22 April, the court announced a verdict and imposed a fine of AED 5000, which I paid on the very next day and got the certificate from DPP, which I took to the Al Barsha Police station and submitted there. The police officer told me that they have removed the travel ban, and the records will be updated in other emirates within 24 hours. It's been more than 48 hours now since I applied for a clearance certificate on the MOI app, and it has turned into status "review with the concerned party." I don't have any other cases, only this case, for which I paid the penalty already. Seeking expert advice, please.

I received this email response from Sharjah Publishing Free Zone when I asked to cancel the visa for myself and an employee so that we may take up work with a new company: Dear Valued Applicant, Greetings from Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone We regret to inform you that we are currently unable to proceed with the visa cancellation for Mr. O*** F***** (Visa - Cancellation - ************) for the following reasons: 1. The company's trade license is suspended, necessitating coordination with the SPC team to address this issue. 2. The company has an existing violation, as B**** W**** M*** has exceeded their visa duration by 171 days. The company must either cancel the visa for the violator or renew it accordingly. Alternatively, late renewal or cancellation fines can be settled through an application on the portal. 3. The E-Channel has expired as of 01/06/2023, and it must be renewed before processing any visa cancellation. 4. The Establishment Card is approaching its expiry date

Hi, My employment visa was rejected without any reason stated. I contacted MOHRE, and they said it was rejected by ICP Abu Dhabi. I have never been to the UAE or any other country. This is my first visa application. I am from Pakistan, and I heard there is a shadow ban on some cities in Pakistan. I contacted ICP, but they said there is no ban on any nationality.

Hello, My boss transferred a car to my name. Unknown to me, the car was not fully paid before the transfer. Eight months later, the seller called me because my boss was unreachable. The seller threatened to take me to court because my boss didn’t pay the full amount. How do I get out of this?

Good day. For the last 3 years, the landlord's office has not responded to renew the contract, so I contacted RERA for renewal. The office doesn't respond to emails related to renewal, even though I started sending emails and reminders 2 to 3 months before expiry, and I have no choice but to contact RERA and send a notice. Once the renewal was processed by law, the landlord's office delayed in releasing the Ejari. Since it is a commercial property, my renewals are related to a staff visa, and I have to pay delay penalties. The landlord's office staff tried to take advantage of the Emirati owner, and no direct meeting was fruitful. What is the law that safeguards expats and sorts out issues without mutual compromise as they try to force their terms to be acceptable by law and not supported by any documentation?

I’m looking for legal advice regarding a hair salon incident that caused serious damage to my hair and scalp. I visited a salon for a colouring treatment, during which two rounds of bleach, which is not what I booked in for, were given to me without proper approvals, and were applied back-to-back without a strand test or proper consultation. As a result, I’ve been experiencing extreme hair breakage, daily hair loss, and ongoing scalp irritation. This has been especially distressing as I’m currently pregnant. It’s now been over 20 days since the incident, and despite multiple polite follow-ups, the salon has ignored all communication. I’m now exploring legal action to pursue compensation for the physical and emotional distress caused. I have full documentation, messages, and photos. Any guidance on the best next steps or legal routes I can take would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Hello, I have a friend who has an agency that promised me a partner's visa. She told me the payment would be 7800 AED full package, then I paid over half, 4900 AED, last October 2024. But up until February 2025, I still didn’t receive any documents from her. So I decided to apply somewhere else, and I got my investor's visa already. Now, I am asking for a refund, but until now, she is not giving it to me and not replying to my messages. What do I do with this?

Hello, Can my landlord evict me if he is selling the property to someone else? I am currently running a restaurant from the location.

Hello, My rental here in Dubai comes with a fridge and cooker. I believe these to be at least 10 years old. The fridge has now stopped working and requires a part to be replaced. This comes at a cost of 540 AED, which is over the agreed amount that I am responsible for. My Ejari comes with an extra addendum provided by the landlord, which states: 1. The landlord is responsible for major maintenance of the apartment (namely structural, electrical, and plumbing) exceeding 500 AED + 5% VAT. The tenant is responsible for any minor maintenance as needed as a result of wear and tear. 2. The property is leased with the following assets (fridge and cooker) owned by the landlord in working condition and should be returned in the same condition. Any maintenance required is the tenant’s responsibility. My question is: If I'm unable to fix this fridge, do I have to provide a new one? The company looking to repair the fridge is having an issue finding the part needed, as it is old.

I had a case at Al Barsha Police Station, Dubai, for one year. On 22 April, the court announced a verdict and imposed a fine of AED 5000, which I paid on the very next day and got the certificate from DPP, which I took to the Al Barsha Police station and submitted there. The police officer told me that they have removed the travel ban, and the records will be updated in other emirates within 24 hours. It's been more than 48 hours now since I applied for a clearance certificate on the MOI app, and it has turned into status "review with the concerned party." I don't have any other cases, only this case, for which I paid the penalty already. Seeking expert advice, please.

Hi, My employment visa was rejected without any reason stated. I contacted MOHRE, and they said it was rejected by ICP Abu Dhabi. I have never been to the UAE or any other country. This is my first visa application. I am from Pakistan, and I heard there is a shadow ban on some cities in Pakistan. I contacted ICP, but they said there is no ban on any nationality.

Seeking legal advice. I was working in the UAE for almost 12 years, and I am on a visa renewal. However, my medical is unfit due to HIV. My employer is willing to help me if there is any way to process the renewal of my visa. What can be the procedure for me to be able to stay and renew my visa and be able to seek medical treatment in the UAE?

Hello, If I am to evict my tenant at the end of the tenancy (property in Abu Dhabi), can I send the tenant an email (registered in Tawtheeq), or does the notice have to be through the notary public or registered mail? Do I need to give a reason for non-renewal?

Hello, We have an agreement with a company to supply food for their buffet on a daily basis, with invoices to be issued monthly and payment to be made every three months. The relationship actually lasted for nine months, and payment was made for two periods. In the third period, due to disagreements between our company and the company to which the supply was made, they refused to pay, noting that the outstanding amount so far is fifty-four thousand dirhams. Can we claim the amount, noting that the agreement is not written, but there are emails exchanged between us and invoices?

Hello, How much time does Dubai Court usually take to seize the amount from the bank to release my travel ban?

I’ve lived in my building for over 4 years, with the most recent rent being AED 50,000. Each year, the management collects cheques and extra AED 2,400–2,500 cash (no receipt) for management and Ejari fees. My contract was due for renewal on 15 Feb 2025, but management delayed, demanding a 10% rent increase even though no formal 90-day notice and the RERA index did not allow it. After a month of excuses, the manager called on 12 March, insisted increase to 55K, and threatened eviction if I refused. When I referenced RDC, he hung up. The next day, he again made unprofessional remarks, so I decided to go with RDC. I submitted my offer and deposit on 13th March, but the management didn’t respond. The case went to the judge on 14 April he ruled in my favor. On 30 April, I applied for the execution of the ruling, and RDC says I can renew Ejari only on 8th May at DLD with cheques given to them. However, on 1st May 2025, I received a notarized eviction notice for non-payment of rent and communication. My question is, what will happen at DLD now?

Hello, I'm from the Philippines, working here for 15 years. I have a big problem, and they have repeatedly given me a case of a cheque worth AED 73,000 for almost 9 years. Recently, they filed a case again after knowing that my case was done last October. This cheque is a guarantee cheque only for my 5-year monthly car installments. I paid for almost 2 years and have 3 years left to be paid, but I gave the person who guaranteed my car a cheque worth AED 73,000 at that time. I don't have enough requirements to get the 5-year monthly installment car, so I asked someone to help me, but my biggest mistake is that I don't have any agreement for this cheque because I totally trust him as my family. After delaying payment for 2 months because I went on vacation and came back, he asked me to visit their shop. When I went, they just called me and told me to get his things.

Hello, Is there a way out or a possibility that the authorities don't deport me and instead give me a time period to leave the UAE on my own after I have completed my imprisonment and paid the fine?

Hello, My landlord vacated the property with 12 months' notice, stating he would live there himself. However, he started renting the property through the holiday homes system. Is a permit issued by the DTC for a holiday home valid proof to prove that he is renting and to claim compensation?

I have a video recording of my husband beating me in our garden. Can I show this in the child custody hearing? It was filmed with my phone camera

We won the case with the RDC that the tenant has to evict the property. We are told there is a cooling period before they say the date he has to leave. How long is the cooling period he can appeal and then what happens next if he appeals and if he doesn't? He was served the one-year notice and then refused to leave, hence the case we raised with RDC and won. Thank you

Hello, Is it legally permissible for an employee holding a Fujairah free zone visa with a job role in sales and marketing to primarily work remotely from various locations, including Dubai, while visiting the Fujairah-based company once a week? The employee would meet clients and conduct business activities on the UAE mainland. Does this arrangement comply with UAE labor laws?

Hello lawyers, Could you please clarify the regulations regarding working hours for nursing/breastfeeding mothers in the UAE during Ramadan? How many hours are they entitled to?