Questions & Answers
Early termination of a lease because of poor condition of the building
Hello.
I hope I can get some good insight from you. I have tried to reason with my landlord to allow me to break my tenancy contract early. He refused.
Now what legal action can I take, and can I refuse to pay the full amount as too many shortfalls in the building? It is very dirty, never cleaning, the gym is so dirty one may get a disease, faulty equipment, very bad maintenance, a pool no one can access... so many.
What can I do about it? Can I refuse to pay the whole amount? Who can I complain to? I need some info to know what to do.
Thank you.
Unfortunately, a poor living condition is not covered under the lease agreement or the law. If you are in Dubai, please file a complaint in Rental Disputes Center and if in Sharjah then - Sharjah Municipality.
PREMATURE LEASE TERMINATION: in all likelihood, premature lease termination will involve a 1-3 months rental penalty which should be clearly written in the lease agreement. So if you want to avoid the penalty then the only way is to file a complaint before the aforesaid authorities with proper evidence such as photographs etc.
Please keep in mind that that the principle of Caveat Emptor (let the buyer beware) will prevail. Your case will be weak if it can be proved that you are aware of the condition of the premises as you saw the premises before and you should have checked all the issues you are currently facing.
