Q: Hi, I am a tenant and my agreement ends on 30/8/2019, but due to unavoidable circumstances, I need to terminate the contract early on 30/4/2019. The exit clause states: 1. The penalty for breaking the contract is 2 months' rent 2. The tenant should inform the owner 2 months before vacating the unit otherwise the tenant has to pay 2 months' rent as a penalty. Already given the owner the notice on 10/2/2019, but he is still claiming the 2 months' rent penalty. Please clarify how many penalties are in play here. Thanks Didi

Q: I have served notice on my rental property in Dubai. The early termination clause states that I must give 30 days notice and pay 2 months penalty rent. Is the 2 months penalty consecutive to the notice period or is it concurrent with it? Appreciate any advice.

Q: I have a studio in discovery gardens. I have taken it on 4 cheques. My 3rd cheque is from this month, mid of April until mid of July. I have been transferred to Amsterdam and need to report on duty from June. I have informed the real estate for early termination. They told me that beside this cheque, I need to pay 2 months rent plus 1000 penalty. Can you advise how much do I have to pay for early termination as per the law?

Q: We are asking for a tenancy contract for our flat. But the agent told us that they cannot provide now because the ruling has changed and only rent of AED 45,000 and above will get this contract. Is this true?

Q: Good morning, Seeking advice. Our landlord filed a financial case against our so called bounced cheque. However, we left the old flat, and they are still holding our PDC and kept on sending it to the bank. Hoping you can help us.

Q: Dear Mam, I took one-bedroom flat in Sharjah for AED 28000, from June 2017 to May 2018. I paid 3 cheques but the last cheque I was not able to pay and stayed 3 months more. My owner made a complaint to vacate the house in august, so I vacated the house in September and he calculated for 7 months rent and was told to pay 18000. I paid 5000 cash in December and lost my job in February 2019. Now my company tried to cancel my visa, then only I come to know he filed a case. My company submitted my passport to Sharjah police HQ. I want to know what will happen next. Will the police arrest me? What do I need to do? I'm very much struck financially, please help me to solve this. Because of this problem, without knowing I lost one offer also, please guide me on what to do now.

Q: Hi, I recently gave a deposit + agency fee in cash (I have the agency receipt), but we would like to go back on our decision and not rent this apartment. We haven't signed the leasing contract yet, and neither has the owner. In the receipt, it's written that the deposit is non-refundable, but I haven't signed it, only the agent. So I don't know if it is legal. Do you know if I can get all my cash back (deposit + agency fee) when the deal did not close in the end because of me? Would the reason for deciding not to rent anymore impact the legal aspect of the situation?

Q: Hi esteemed lawyers of the UAE, I recently moved out of my apartment with a pre-termination of the lease as my wife got pregnant and I needed a bigger house. As per their rules, I paid 2-month rent as a penalty. Now, the landlord/real estate agent is not returning the PDC I gave for future rent payments. They are saying that the amount of these cheques will be settled along with my security deposit for all the damages I have done to the flat. Knowing that they have my cheques, they have made a botched inspection report showing "damages" of over AED 5000 and now blackmailing me that we have your cheques so we will encash them if you don't pay 5000 to us. The cheques were issued for the sole reason of rent payment. Can they encash the same cheques for damage compensation? What is my legal option in this case? I am under great stress right now. Thank you!

The provisions of this law, promulgating UAE Civil Code, govern the civil transactions in the United Arab Emirates. The commercial transactions remain subject to the laws and regulations applicable in their regard.

The provisions of this Decree by Law amend the Federal Law No. (18) of 1993 by replacing Clause (4) of Article (379) as well as Articles (600), (617), (641), (642), (643), (644), and adding new articles numbered (635) Bis, (641) Bis (1), (641) Bis (2), (641) Bis (3), (641) Bis (4), (643) Bis (1), (643) Bis (2), (644) Bis (1) and (644) Bis (2). The Decree-Law also repeals Articles (401), (402) and (403) of the Federal Law No. (3) of 1987.