Q: Hello, I live in Dubai and have recently been sent on unpaid leave until further notice due to COVID-19. I am unable to pay my next rent cheque which is due in July. I would like to exit my tenancy contract early, it ends in March 2021. My contract states that I am liable and have to pay an early exit fee of the equivalent of 2 months rent if I decide to leave early. Can this be voided due to the current situation? And would I be able to leave without paying this? Does COVID-19 count as Force Majeure? If it does, would I also be able to get my deposit back? Thank you for any assistance you can offer. F.

Q: My company is suffering under the current challenging circumstances. It provides an important service in Dubai. However, due to a major decline in revenue, we are trying to negotiate with the landlord which is proving difficult and can lead to eviction. What are the options available to us? Relocating is not an option as a lot of investment has been taken place at the current location. Thanks!

Q: Please advise on this case as a landlord. My tenant informed me that she has lost her job because of COVID 19 and wants to delay the rent cheque due this month. On asking for how long she wants the delay and what is her plan for the future, she said that she does not want to pay for 3 months and then continue payment after 3 months. She has no plans to leave Dubai or the property; her whole situation is uncertain because of the current situation. The property is a townhouse in Dubai. Please advise what should I reply to her? Quote from her email (Please ask the landlord to either send back the 15th April cheque or maybe overwrite it and send a picture. My kind request is to freeze the payment for the period of 3 months and continue payment from the next cheque on the 15th of July. As for your question, I do not intend to leave Dubai, and I hope the situation will get back to normal soon, so I will be able to get a job.)

Q: Hello Sir! I rented an apartment in a villa in Abu Dhabi 4 months back and paid 4 months' rent in cash and have given three cheques for the remaining rent in advance (4-4 months) one cheque is a security cheque. We signed a contract for one year. Now because I got terminated from the job, I informed the landlord with one month's notice and evicted the house after 3 months leaving one month's of rent to him as discussed at the time of the contract. I lived only for 3 months. Now the landlord is not returning my cheques and demanding all the amount of the remaining year and threatening me for filing a case if he bounces my cheque. I negotiated and he asked me now in the last conversation to pay only for 3 months more and he will give me back my cheques, What should I do? I can't pay even for the 3 months since I have evicted the house as discussed. What are my legal rights in such a case and what's the worse I can expect if he bounces my cheques? Kindly advise. Thank you

As the world is currently experiencing a major lockdown and suspension of almost all commercial and civil operations, the question arises in the novelty of Coronavirus outbreak on how serious it is to be dealt with as a Force Majeure.

This article discusses the Ministerial Resolution No. (279) of 2020 Regarding Employment Stability in the Private Sector during the Period of Application of Precautionary Measures to Curb the Spread of the Novel Coronavirus Issued by the Minister of Human Resources and Emiratization in Abu Dhabi on 26/3/2020.

This article tries to explain the concept of Force Majeure and its application in residential tenancy contracts in the light of a recent RDC judgement.

An interview-format article covering the topic of rental disputes amidst COVID-19 in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

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.