There was a gas pipe explosion in our building and the whole floor is unhabitable. So we are located on another floor, gas usage was cut and had to rely on electric plates which takes longer time to cook and there is the fear of fire if left unattended. Gas will be reinstalled after 3 months and we wish to terminate the contract early because we cannot use the gas which is one of the facilities we agreed for in the contract and we feel unsafe in the building because every now and then the alarm goes on. They gave us an option to move to their other buildings but will even be farther from work plus the transportation costs will increase. Do we have to pay penalty charges for a situation that is not our doing? We are already having heart palpitations whenever there’s an alarm?

Good morning, We have given an employee a final warning due to attitude and creating fights with employees. Last time, she did the same thing after that she left the office early without informing the manager (she informed the owner of the company which is not the direct report) after that she was absent for 2 days without informing the same. She sent a message to the owner of the company, but the owner did not reply nor approve her reason for being absent. Is it valid that I serve her termination? Thank you!

I'm an Australian non-Muslim expat resident for 10 years. My wife is the same, as are our three children, ages 19,16 (girls) and 11 (boy). I have opened a case for divorce in Australia, and the hearing is in November. My wife wants to take me to court in the UAE regarding child maintenance. I currently pay 35% of my monthly salary to my wife for child support. She wants more. I am due to leave the country next July permanently. If she opens a court case, will that stop me from leaving? Has she got a case for more money?

Hello team, I have a Chinese team in a Dubai-based company, they are working in Dubai itself. Can we exempt them from Dubai national holidays and provide holidays related to China national holidays? Can you please suggest something?

I got a call from police yesterday said I should come today to give a statement they didn’t tell me what it’s about. I’m freaking out, all I know is I owe Etisalat. Apart from that, I don’t have any issues here. Can you help?

My wife is a partner in a civil company in Dubai. The company has 4 partners; 3 of them are out of the country. The company bought things for AED 50k which was not paid back and now they filed a case. What will be the liability for my wife? she is not the manager of the company. What will be my wife's liability for that company?

Hi Sudhanshu, Hope you are well. What are my rights for establishing an e-com business meant for trading outside the UAE. 1) Do I still need the UAE trade license? 2) Can I receive payments in the UAE banks through international online business since I live in the UAE and would be here for some more time? Best regards, A.

Hello, I hope you're all doing well during this tough time. I have a question in regards to bounced cheques, specifically corporate cheques. I have a cheque for AED 800,000, and it has bounced. The owner of the corporate has asked for a month to pay back. However, I am worried he will leave the country and not honour his obligation. My questions are fairly simple: 1) Am I to put a case on the individual who signed it or the corporate? 1) If I put a criminal and civil case on the corporate right now and he's unable to settle amicably, can I put a travel ban on the owner (who signed) as it is a corporate case? 2) Does the new insolvency law as of late 2019 also apply to corporates? 3) Is the owner personally liable if the company doesn't have assets or cash?

I had given a cash loan of 1.2 million to a restaurant owner in Dubai for 1 year, on a PDC security. They served me some profit for almost a year, and when the date of repayment came, he started giving me different dates. I bounced the cheques and complained in Dubai police, the police have opened a case and put a travel ban on the signing authority. While running out of the country, the lady who was the signing authority was arrested and sent to the police station and from there to the public prosecution. They used some links and skipped out of the country although the company and other partners are still in Dubai. Please advise me what should be done to recover the amount, as the signing authority ran away.

I want to divorce my husband; my concerns are as below; If the divorce proceeding is under Sharia Law, what are my chances when it comes to; 1. Child Custody & guardianship - I believe I will get the custody until age 11. My question is if the husband is unemployed for 6 months now, can he still be considered as guardian since he can't provide for the family? And if I can show that he has never been a provider for the family (basically, I pay ALL the bills since we got married) & I have a proof that he had an affair a year ago, can I get the guardianship as well & full custody? Can the child get an opportunity to choose where he wants to live with when he reaches puberty? 2. DIVISION OF ASSETS - Since I got a land inheritance from my parents, is he entitled to get 1/2 of the property? Obviously, he has no house/properties in his home country as well as savings and I am worried he will get everything. I own 50/50 in which he didn't sweat a dime on it. Awaiting your advice.

Compensation for poor performance & false accusations. We hired a consultancy agency to provide us with their services. During our working relationship, the deliveries were consistently late, and the service was unreliable. We gave them numerous chances to improve performance and meet timelines. The details of these problems have been communicated to them repeatedly but they did not address the problems in a timely manner, causing us extra expenses in addition to mental and emotional agony. During the project, my father passed away & they have used this matter as an excuse to pause work on the project without notifying us causing us further delays. Recently, we serviced them a notice for contract termination for their failure to adhere to mentioned services. In response, they have wrongfully accused me of talking badly about their staff & making insulting & inappropriate comments about their work which have made the working relationship difficult. Do we have legal rights to pursue?