Q: Is it illegal to build a partition inside a flat? Where can I find anything about real estate laws in the UAE, specifically in Sharjah? Do we have a government official website where I can find the list of laws applied in the UAE?

Q: Dear Sir/ Mam, I am staying in Sharjah. We stayed in the same flat for the last 2 years. Our contract is ended on May 5th. But as we are migrating to another country we requested our landlord to stay here till June end 2 months back. He agreed to the same at that time. Now he is asking to give 3 months more rent from June as a penalty to settle the things. Our contract already finished now. Please advice what to do as we are not in a good financial position to give 3-month rent without staying.

Q: My husband and I are living in Wasl properties. One day when the inspection was carried out, our cousin was there at home. The Wasl guy took his ID and fined us AED 8000.00 for subleasing. Actually, the cousin is staying in a nearby bachelor accommodation but when we told them that, they asked us to prove the relationship in a week's time. Please advise, how to get rid of the fine as we are not subleasing?

Q: I was living in a sharing accommodation not having any link with the main owner. There is a 3rd person who took from the main owner and rent to 4-5 people. We were paying that person timely. But maybe he did not pay to the main owner, and suddenly main owner representative came and give all 4-5 people notice to pay 8 months' due rent, which we already paid to that agent in cash. We told him we don't know you and neither we have any agreement better to catch that 3rd person whom you have an agreement with. One day, the owner came to the flat and took out Emirates ID copy. Anyhow, we vacated the room already and now he is calling on the phone and asking us to pay electricity bills. We told him we already paid to the 3rd person. He said he will take legal action. Kindly advise what can happen. We paid all the rent which is including everything. We are salaried persons and we are afraid.

س: اشترى أخي شقة من الباطن من المالك لأن أقساطها لم تُسدد بالكامل ودفع له ثمنها المُتَّفق عليه ثم ضاع العقد من أخي والشقة لم يسكن فيها حتى الآن. كيف يمكن إثبات الحق فيها؟ وكيف يمكن بيعها أو تأجيرها لشخص آخر؟

س: السلام عليكم، لدي شقة وأجرتها إلى مستأجر (شركة ذات مسؤولية) لغرض السكن العائلي (٣ أفراد). لدي شكوك مؤكدة أنهم يؤجرونها من الباطن لشباب عزَّاب إذ يوجد بالشقة ٨ أسِرَّة. كيف يمكنني إثبات واقعة التأجير من الباطن بدون موافقتي باعتباري المالك؟ وما العقوبة الواقعة على المستأجر؟ هل يمكنني إخلاؤه والمطالبة بتعويض؟ شكرًا جزيلاً!

Q: Dear sir/madam, Our tenant in Dubai has sublet our studio apartment to bachelors (four females staying in the studio unit). We have also confirmed this with inspection with the government and they have confirmed it is indeed four females living there and they provided us with a report. How long does it take to evict and break the contract early? In addition, can the tenant seek compensation from the landlord?

س: السلام عليكم، أبرمت عقد إيجار موثق في أبوظبي مع مستأجر أصلي في شهر ٢/٢٠٢٢ ومنحته وكالة خاصة في العقار بالإدارة والإشراف والتأجير وقبض الإيجارات وكتابة العقود، كما يحق له توكيل الغير ورفع الشكاوى ضد المستأجرين في المحاكم. شيك الدفعة الثانية عن شهر ٧/٢٠٢٢ ارتد ورجع من البنك لعدم كفاية الرصيد. رفعت عليه شكوى بإخلاء العقار لعدم السداد وخلال أيام سيصدر الحكم بالإخلاء ودفع المستحقات والمصاريف والرسوم. المشكلة أن المستأجر الأصلي تنازل عن المنفعة والاستفادة في شهر ٣/٢٠٢٢ لمستأجر آخر بدون علمي وبدون رضاي حيث قبض المستأجر الأصلي من المستأجر الجديد ثمن تنازله عن المنفعة وسافر ولم يرجع أبدًا منذ شهر ٣/٢٠٢٢ إلى الآن، والذي يدير ويقبض ويؤجِّر للأخرين هو المستأجر الجديد باسم المستأجر الأصلي الذي منح المستأجر الجديد وكالة عامة على ضوء وكالتي. العقود الآن بيني وبين الأصلي وليست بيني وبين الآخر، وتوجد محادثات يقول أنه شخصيًا سوف يدفع لي ويتحمل ذلك ويجب أن أمهله، ومكتوب في الوكالة بند يقول فيه: "يسدد الوكيل على الموكل أي مستحقات أو شيكات باسمه وتحمل توقيعه". هل أستطيع مقاضاة الآخر بناءً على كل ما ذكرت لكم؟

Q: I am a landlord. I gave my apartment to a guy who did not pay any rent and used my apartment for subleasing. I got so angry that I canceled the Ejari online on DLD and it got canceled easily. Now I sent an eviction notice to the tenant as the tenant is absconding and granted a broker his POA. So I am planning to file a case in RDC. Will it be accepted or rejected as I canceled the Ejari?

Q: Property Management fined me for subleasing. I am a tenant of [----] and one day, a member of an inspection team visited my apartment, my friend was there and they accused me of giving the apartment on sublease. They took a picture of both our Emirates IDs and fined us AED 8,020 for subleasing the unit. My friend is living in company-provided accommodation and I have provided a letter from her company for the same but [----] is not accepting it and forcing me to pay the fine. Kindly advise, what can I do in such a case? Thanks