Questions & Answers
Can I claim compensation if my landlord evicted me to sell but gifted the property and re-rented it?
Hello,
My landlord gave me 12 months’ notice for eviction because he was interested in selling the property.
Now I found out he gifted the unit to his son and re-rented the property.
Can I claim compensation?
Dear Questioner,
Thank you for reaching out!
Under Dubai tenancy law (Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended), a landlord may issue a 12-month eviction notice if the property is intended for sale.
However, if the notice was issued in bad faith, for example, the property was actually gifted to a family member and subsequently re-rented, this may constitute wrongful eviction.
In such a case, you may be entitled to claim compensation for the eviction, which can include relocation costs and any financial losses incurred. To pursue a claim, it is important to gather evidence showing:
The property was not sold but gifted and re-rented (e.g., title deed, Ejari registration under the new tenant, or other proof).
A copy of the eviction notice and your tenancy contract.
You can file a complaint with the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre (RDSC) in Dubai. Our firm can assist you in preparing and filing the complaint and representing you before the Centre to pursue appropriate compensation.
Please let us know if you would like to proceed with this process.
Kind regards,
Mohammed Salah
Legal Consultant
Dear Inquirer,
If the landlord issued an eviction notice claiming sale but later transferred the property to his son and re-rented it, you may have grounds to challenge the eviction and claim compensation, as this could be considered a misuse of the legal notice.
For a clear evaluation of your case and to pursue your rights, we recommend booking a consultation with Future Vision for Advocacy and Legal Consultancy, or authorizing our office to represent you before the competent authorities.
Best regards.
Dear questioner,
We can file a compensation case; however, it is a little difficult to establish. Only with good evidence can we build a compensation case.
If you need our assistance, kindly share your WhatsApp number.
Since the landlord gave a false reason for eviction, you may be entitled to compensation.
File a claim with the relevant tenancy dispute authority, providing evidence of the false pretext and the property’s transfer/re-rental.
Legal guidance can strengthen your claim and ensure maximum recoverable compensation. We are honored to represent you legally.
If you wish to be represented, please contact us.
Hello,
Under Dubai rental law, if the landlord evicts a tenant on the grounds of sale, he is legally bound to actually sell the property and may not dispose of it otherwise.
The exact wording of Article (25)(2) of Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, is as follows:
2- Notwithstanding what is stated in paragraph (1) of this Article, the Landlord may demand eviction of the Tenant upon expiry of the Lease Contract in any of the following cases:
a. Where the owner of the Real Property wishes to demolish the Real Property for reconstruction or to add new constructions that prevent the Tenant from benefiting from the leased Real Property, provided that the necessary licences are obtained from the competent entities;
b. Where the Real Property requires renovation or comprehensive maintenance which cannot be executed in the presence of the Tenant in the Real Property, provided that a technical report attested by Dubai Municipality to that effect is submitted;
c. Where the owner of the Real Property wishes to recover possession of the Real Property for his own use or use by any of his first-degree relatives, provided that the owner proves that he does not own a suitable alternative Real Property for that purpose;
d. Where the owner of the Real Property wishes to sell the leased Real Property.
In all the above-mentioned cases, the Landlord must notify the Tenant of the reasons for eviction at least twelve (12) months prior to the determined date of eviction, and such notice must be sent through the Notary Public or by registered mail.
This means that if the landlord evicted you on the pretext of sale but instead gifted the property to his son and re-let it, the legal condition of “sale” has not been satisfied.
The Rental Disputes Centre has confirmed in several judgments that gifting the property or re-renting it is not considered a valid “sale,” and in such cases, the tenant is entitled to claim compensation.
You therefore have the right to file a case against your landlord before the RDC to seek damages for this misuse of the eviction ground.
If you prefer to have a direct discussion, please let me know, and I will guide you on how we may proceed.
Alternatively, if you require further clarification, you may kindly share your WhatsApp number here so that I can provide more detailed assistance.
Yes, you can claim compensation. When a landlord gives an eviction notice for a specific reason (such as selling the property) and then uses the property for a different reason (such as re-renting it to their son), the tenant can file a lawsuit for damages for wrongful eviction or breach of the terms of the notice.
Contact me at [--------------].
Yes, you absolutely have the right to challenge this. Under Dubai tenancy laws, when a landlord issues an eviction notice on grounds of sale or for personal/family use, the property cannot then be re-rented immediately.
If the landlord or his successor re-lets the property without a genuine sale or without occupying it personally, the tenant has the right to claim compensation for wrongful eviction.
In your case, gifting the property to his son and then re-renting it amounts to misuse of the eviction notice. You can file a claim with the Rental Dispute Center (RDC) to seek compensation for damages and inconvenience caused by the eviction.
I can assist you in preparing and filing the case, drafting the compensation claim, and representing you before the RDC to maximize your recovery.
Please reach out to me directly on WhatsApp or phone at [-------------] so we can review your tenancy contract and eviction notice and plan the next steps.
Thank you for contacting us via Legal Advice Middle East.
Your case touches on a situation we have successfully contested before, where a landlord issued an eviction notice on grounds of sale, but instead transferred the property to a relative and re-rented it.
The court in that matter ruled in favour of the tenant, finding the eviction to be a misuse of the legal grounds, and awarded compensation.
There are multiple legal directions available to you. First, the eviction notice citing intent to sell is only valid if the sale is genuine; gifting the unit to a family member without an actual sale may be challenged as bad faith.
Second, if the property was subsequently re-rented, this strengthens your claim for compensation since it contradicts the original eviction ground.
The strongest course of action is to file a claim before the Rental Disputes Center seeking damages for wrongful eviction and the financial harm you incurred.
Our office can assist you in structuring this claim, gathering evidence of the transfer and re-rental, and maximizing the compensation awarded. To provide precise guidance, we would need to review the eviction notice, your tenancy contract, and proof of the property’s re-rental.
Our multilingual consultants are available in Arabic, English, Russian, Hindi, and Chinese to support you.
This response is provided by RASHID ALKAITOOB ADVOCATES & LEGAL CONSULTANTS based solely on the information you have shared and does not constitute a final legal opinion. A binding assessment requires reviewing the full documents of the case.
