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!

Dear sir/madam, I would like someone to be honest with me. I am in the UK. How long have I got to claim inheritance in Dubai? I was reading in the Gulf News that the laws of the country of the deceased at the time of death can be applied regarding the will. Is this true or false? I am really looking for these two questions to be answered first. Can anyone help me with this, please?

Dear Advocate Sweta Singh, I am from India and in Sep 2018, I purchased an apartment in a hotel. The hotel has not been completed and the delay is more than a year. They have not paid any compensation as per the contract, nor do they talk about it. I have paid more than 80% in installments and paying it regularly. Please help me, guide me on how to cancel the deal and get a full refund, or any other way which helps me recover my investment. Regards

Dear questioner, My father (Muslim) has passed away in South Africa. He leaves behind 4 children, his wife (our mother) and his own mother. He had a will for South Africa in which, I (oldest son) am executor. The will does state that it encompasses all property and assets wherever they may be. He has various properties and assets in the UAE. My questions are: 1. Does his will have power in the UAE or will it be divided by Sharia? 2. What documents are required to wind up his estate? 3. What is the wind-up process within the UAE?

My son tragically died in Dubai and his salary has been paid into a UAE HSBC bank account. My daughter also lives in Dubai and has an HSBC account. How can I access my Son's bank account, please? I live in the UK.

My uncle died 2 weeks ago in one of the private hospitals here in Dubai. We have already completed everything regarding the repatriation of his body with the help of his employer and his remains are already sent back to our home country last week. He used to give me an access of his ATM card before and I tried to access it just few days ago and I found out that there is some amount of money left on his bank account. I am aware that he has some pending bank loan requests before he died, so I am afraid that amount might be the reason of such big amount. Being the only family member of my deceased uncle, what should I do in order to make sure that the amount is from his savings and not from his bank loans? In case the amount is proved to be his own savings, is there any chance for me to get the authorization to claim that amount from the bank to be used by his family? He has a wife with 3 kids back home. Thanks a lot in advance.

Hi, My husband who was a travel agent was sentenced to 5 months in jail and deported last year in Sharjah due to selling fake Corona tests for traveling outside the UAE. So my question is how can I lift his deportation and make him come back as it is difficult for me and my 1-year daughter to live without him here? Please help!

Dear Sir/Madam, I want to know if there is any police case pending against me. It may be towards non-payment of credit card bills. I would appreciate it if you inform me what your charges will be and the time to know. Best Regards,

Hello, I took out a loan in the amount of 4,000,000 DHS, and I repaid the principal amount but I refused to pay the interest which was 800,000 DHS, I still own a property in Dubai and the value is around 3,000,000 DHS. The bank wants to take the whole property as collateral for my debt. Can the bank do this? Or do they have to sell the property, take what I owe them, and pay me the rest? Or will they be taking the whole property? Are they allowed to do such a thing?

Hello. We are in the process of establishing a small real estate consultancy company (startup) in Dubai to provide purchasing advice for customers and connect them to real estate agents. We need help in writing the Privacy Policy, and Terms & Conditions for the website. Kindly provide your estimated quotation.

Hi, I purchased an off-plan property in Dubai that had an estimated completion date of August 31, 2020. I received an email that due to a delay, my completion date has been pushed forward to April 30, 2022. The email they sent for the delay did not say what was the reason for the delay. Since the developer has violated the SPA by delaying the project past 12 months of the completion date, can I request that the contract be cancelled and get what I have paid back? Do you believe that the developer could utilize Covid-19 as Force Majeure as a reason for not following the contract? Regards