Hi I bought an off-plan property from a developer in downtown during the peak time. My payment plan was based on construction with completion being Dec 2019. I have paid more than 50%. I requested the developer to readjust my payment plan as the project is delayed. They moved on payment forward and sneakingly changed completion date to Aug 2021 in the document. The SPA still says Dec 2019. Now I'm struggling to pay the next payment due to COVID-19 and project is completed 56% as par Dubai land department and 60% as per the developer. The developer is asking for payment and calling me every day. My question is can I still use the delay in the project as a clause to cancel my unit? Can I cancel my apartment and how much can the developer deduct? After selling me, the developer started offering customers post-handover payment plans for 4 years, which is very unfair as even if I complete my payment, no one will buy from me as the developer is selling something with 4 years post-handover. Can legal help be provided in this regard?

I am a health professional in Canada. Years back, I posted my CV to work in the middle east on a job site in the gulf. Last week, I got 3 emails claiming from a general hospital in Abu Dhabi, a hospital Dubai and another medicare hospital in Dubai for online recruitment. they showed interest in my CV. All emails were from free accounts (gmail.com address). I chose then to forward an email to the concerned HR department of the concerned hospitals. I forwarded one email to the official email of one of the hospitals (as given on the hospital site). They replied and said, yes, the email is legitimate and you can apply with confidence. Now I got an offer letter from Dubai hospital with handsome salary offer but from a Gmail address. They're asking me to start position in one month only and asking to contact a travel agency based in Dubai. Is it a scam or true? I have forwarded the email to the HR department of the hospital to determine authenticity.

Hi, What is the law if an employer wants to change a contract from an unlimited to a limited contract? Is the employer liable to pay the 3 months arbitrary dismissal (if valid) + other monies owed prior to changing the current unlimited contract to a limited contract?

Can a developer change the layout of the building as shown at the launch event and part of all brochures/online advertisements/model under the pretext that the same is not included in the SPA? For the launch, we got convinced with the building design and layout but at delivery, it’s changed without prior intimation. Can I make a legal case or can they take the guise that it’s not part of the SPA? Can I get a refund for the 30% advance payment and refuse possession of the unit?

Hi sir, I live in the UK. I am an investor and a broker for a property development company. One of my customers bought an off-plan property from it i.e just Cavalli Villa 2 years ago. 33% was completed and handover is due in 2021. My client paid part of the deposit around AED 390000 (£80000) and she has been paying to the project for the last two years until early this year when COVID- 19 hit the UK. Since then, she has been ill and lost her job and, therefore, she is unable to pay. My customer received a letter from the company saying that if the outstanding amount is not paid within 30 days, then they will take her to court. They say that they would cancel her plot and she will lose all MONEY paid so far. My client needs payment delay until her situation improves but this request has been declined. The money secured under the ESCROW account. Can the developer have the power to take money from the escrow account? What is her right under Dubai law? Can she do anything to avoid court order? The UK is in lockdown at the moment with no proper or normal banking functions. Thank you!

Hello, Is there any restriction on a diplomat buying property in the UAE, where he works as a diplomat at his country's consulate?

Hi. One of my friends joined a Telegram group. They said, "We will transfer some amount to your account, and your task is to transfer this amount to another account. Once the task is completed, you will get 30 or 50 AED per task." He completed 3 to 4 tasks, but he realized it was not good, so he stopped. After one week, when he opened his account, it was blocked, and the bank said, "We are conducting an investigation; after this, we will let you know." After some days, he had an accident and went to his home country. He then received a call from a landline number, which was from the Abu Dhabi police station. They said, "We have received a complaint against you; come to our investigation department." However, due to his surgery and treatment, he could not go. After some time, his bank account was reopened, and he did not receive any further calls. I want to know, if he comes back to the UAE or goes to any other GCC country, will he face any problems? If someone has a case in the UAE, can they travel to another GCC country? Please advise!

Hello, What legal action can I take in case the employer refuses to pay my salary and I don't have a contract with them?

I currently live in Sharjah and have a UAE residence visa but I am not a UAE or GCC national. I want to open an online shop (Etsy or Shopify) to sell handmade items, such as crocheted goods, bookmarks, greeting cards, etc. Do I need a license to open an Etsy shop? If so, which license do I need to sell my products online, including UAE and worldwide? How much would it cost me? Can I keep my residence visa (sponsored by my father) and not change it?

Hello, I am seeking your legal advice regarding a friend who was previously imprisoned in Abu Dhabi. His case there is now closed, but he has another ongoing case in Dubai. Currently, we have lost contact with him and are unsure of his whereabouts. How can we check where he is or access any other legal facility? Are there legal procedures to locate a person with an ongoing case? What steps should we take to get more information about his status and legal position?

Hi, I need some guidance regarding a property transaction that is not progressing as expected. My broker initiated a manual Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between me (the Buyer) and the Seller, with an expiry date of 01/02/2025. Within this period, I successfully arranged the bank mortgage, property evaluation, and NOC. However, the broker started giving excuses, such as the seller being hospitalized. Later, the broker attempted to arrange a Power of Attorney (POA). However, after that, they started ignoring my messages and calls. It now seems like they no longer intend to proceed with me, and the MOU has already expired. Meanwhile, my bank EMI has already started, and I have paid two monthly installments. The broker is still unresponsive. I have raised multiple complaints through DLD RVS against the broker, but the response has been very slow and unsatisfactory. I’m feeling stuck and financially burdened. Please advise

Hey, I'm building my house in Dubai, and it was going well. I gave the contractor 420k as a first payment, and we both agreed that the rest would be in installments. Just two months ago, the contractor went off the grid, and I can't find him. All I have is a security cheque that bounced back when I went to the bank, as the signature doesn't match what's in the file. However, I learnt that he does have money, but not the amount that's in the cheque. What should I do now to get my money back? I need advice.

Hello, I was an employee of a major group in the UAE. Now, they have transferred me to another entity within the same group in the UAE. What happens to the benefits and allowances agreed upon by the first entity? Please provide the legal details related to this matter, along with the relevant statutory provisions.

Hello, A client of mine used our consulting services online and is refusing to pay. Despite multiple reminders, she still has not made the payment. What legal action can I take against her?

Hello, A juvenile case has been withdrawn by a third party, but the prosecution doesn’t want to end it. The child is out on bail. Now the case has moved to court. What steps should be taken next, or how will they handle it?

I filed a money claim above AED 10,000 (but will probably be above AED 50,000 if capital + dividends are combined) against someone in Abu Dhabi. The mediation time has elapsed, 2 court sessions have been done, and the defendant still hasn’t shown up or appeared in either of those. In the last/latest court session, the judge said that the defendant is still inside the UAE. About the travel ban, is it automatically applied to him because of the case, or do I have to ask/request it to be applied to him through the Abu Dhabi court?

I’ve lived in my building for over 4 years, with the most recent rent being AED 50,000. Each year, the management collects cheques and extra AED 2,400–2,500 cash (no receipt) for management and Ejari fees. My contract was due for renewal on 15 Feb 2025, but management delayed, demanding a 10% rent increase even though no formal 90-day notice and the RERA index did not allow it. After a month of excuses, the manager called on 12 March, insisted increase to 55K, and threatened eviction if I refused. When I referenced RDC, he hung up. The next day, he again made unprofessional remarks, so I decided to go with RDC. I submitted my offer and deposit on 13th March, but the management didn’t respond. The case went to the judge on 14 April he ruled in my favor. On 30 April, I applied for the execution of the ruling, and RDC says I can renew Ejari only on 8th May at DLD with cheques given to them. However, on 1st May 2025, I received a notarized eviction notice for non-payment of rent and communication. My question is, what will happen at DLD now?

السلام عليكم، أود الاستفسار بشأن قضية إبعاد زوج خالتي من دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة. زوج خالتي كان مقيماً في الإمارات وكان قد وُلد وترعرع هناك. في عام 2013 تم إبعاده من الإمارات، وكان ذلك نتيجة لسياسات حكومية كانت تستهدف مجموعة من المقيمين في تلك الفترة، وهو لم يكن قد ارتكب أي مخالفة في ذلك الوقت وكان يُعتبر ضحية للسياسات المتبعة. أرغب في معرفة الإجراءات التي يجب أن أتبعها حالياً من أجل رفع هذا الإبعاد وتمكينه من العودة إلى الإمارات. أرجو أن توضح لي كيف يمكنني مساعدته في هذا الموضوع. شكراً جزيلاً.

I recently joined a new organization in the Hamriyah Free Zone, and my previous organization has not released my end-of-service benefits. The HR has instructed the finance team not to do so because I had contacted one of their clients. In my DMCC contract, there is no Non-Compete clause, but the offer letter has one, and now they are not releasing the end-of-service. Is this legal? What are my rights?

Hello, I have multiple cheque execution cases filed against me due to financial strains last year. My trade license and visa will expire next month, along with my Emirates ID. Is it possible for me to renew my license and visa along with EID prior to settling the execution cases? The trade license and visa were issued by the free zone authority. I look forward to your response. Thanks.