Q: Hi I let my friend use my cheques for rental payments for her apartment which she is renting. Unfortunately, she did not deposit the money until it was the due date so there was a bounced cheque and the real estate included my name for the travel ban case that they filed against my friend.

Q: Hi Ms. Jennifer, My friend in Dubai opened her dance studio in Karama & requested me to give her 4 cheques in my name as they had some issues opening an account. She assured me that every alternative month before the due date of the cheque she would deposit the said amount in my account. The 1st cheque was on 10 Nov 2022, for which she put the amount in my account. On 10 Jan 2023 was the 2nd cheque & this time she did not put the money in my account, I borrowed money from my known sources to avoid the cheque bounce case. It has been 13 days now & she has still not deposited my money in the account. How can I get out of this situation? I want to take back my 2 pending cheques from the landlord as the class does not belong to me, I just helped on humanitarian grounds & this is what I got in return. I have been messaging her pleading with her to deposit the money in my account but she has been giving me excuses. Please guide & help me.

Q: I have a villa in Dubai and rented it over for a year. The payment is done in 2 cheques and apparently the second cheque bounced. What are the legal measures to be taken and how much it will cost me if I move legally?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, Rental dispute with my tenant. Timeline of events: 1. Cheque due date: June 8, 2023. 2. Gave him 25 days as requested. 3. Raised a formal police complaint for a bounced cheque (as the account was closed/fraud) on July 3, 2023. 4. Again asked him to pay up or vacate; he asked for more time and I gave him more time. 5. Sent him a formal 30-day legal notice to pay and vacate the property on August 2, 2023. 6. On August 24, he called me to offer a partial payment; I said he had to pay in full by the due date. 7. On August 25, I received the RDC notice of offer and deposit, in which he stated the following: "The applicant requests your kind approval to accept an offer and deposit a cash amount of AED XXX in exchange for the rental value." If I accept the notice, how much time will he be given by the court to pay the amount? If I reject the offer, what will be the implications? Can I still open a case against him to vacate the unit when the 30-day legal notice expires on September 1?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, My contract expires in November, and I was supposed to pay the renewal checks by October 4th. However, I submitted them on October 7th. Now my landlord is penalizing me with a 15% fee. Is this a rule according to RERA?

Q: Dear Consultant, Good morning! I have a rented property in Dubai. In March 2024, when I went to visit my flat, I found a subtenant inside. He informed me that he rented from "my tenant" and is paying on a monthly basis. This occurred without my consent, and his cheques return unpaid. I have heard from my friend about many options to vacate my unit and sue the original tenant. I would appreciate your advice on the subject matter as a consultant. Many thanks!

Q: Dear Lawyers, I bought a house with an existing tenant. I renewed the contract with the same terms (no Ejari as the duration is less than one year). My tenant's cheque bounced, and he didn't vacate the house even after a 30-day notice. I am now planning to file a case. How long can he delay the case, and is there a possibility he can win?

Q: Dear Lawyers, My tenant in Dubai consistently pays rent late, and we did not renew the contract when it expired on December 23rd. However, I accepted post-dated cheques from them. Currently, two cheques for 32,000 AED are pending, and another for 16,000 AED is due on October 6th (covering rent for November and December). They signed a letter stating that if they do not pay by the end of September, they will vacate by October 1st. They’ve been late before but eventually paid. Now, they are not responding to my follow-ups, and I’m concerned they may leave without settling the rent. My questions are: 1. Can building security stop them from moving out until payment is made? 2. Should I evict them on October 1st, deposit the cheques, and file a case if they don’t pay? 3. Is the signed letter enough to evict them legally? 4. Can I deposit the cheques without a contract? 5. Can I pursue legal action against all family members living there?

In the UAE, cheque bounce is a very frequent problem faced by people during their span in the country. It is covered under the purview of Commercial Transactions Law, and legal implications/penalties can be financially severe and daunting for more “serious” offenses. Bounced cheque issues may arise in a variety of commercial transactions, including but not limited to, companies’ exchanges, bank loans, property rents or purchases, and individual transactions.

The relationship between tenants and landlords is regulated in Dubai by Law No. 33 of 2008 Concerning the Relationship Between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai. The arising rental disputes are referred to Rental Disputes Settlement Centre (“RDSC”) created by Decree No. 26 of 2013 to reconcile between the parties and reach an amicable settlement or seek a final judgment issued and enforced by the RDSC.

An interview-format article covering the topic of residential retail properties pertaining to the liability for property maintenance and the repercussions of defaulting on rent payments in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

This Decree establishes a specialised judicial system to hear rent disputes and develops the procedure for determination of such disputes through an expeditious and simple process for the purpose of realising social and economic stability for all persons involved with the real property rental and other related sectors.

Provisions of this Law supersede articles (2), (3), (4), (9), (13), (14), (15), (25), (26), (29), and (36) of Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai. 

The provisions of this Law apply to real property leased out in the Emirate of Dubai, including vacant and agricultural lands, but excluding hotel establishments and real property provided by natural or legal persons as accommodation to their employees at no charge.

The provisions of this Decree by Law amend the Federal Law No. (18) of 1993 by replacing Clause (4) of Article (379) as well as Articles (600), (617), (641), (642), (643), (644), and adding new articles numbered (635) Bis, (641) Bis (1), (641) Bis (2), (641) Bis (3), (641) Bis (4), (643) Bis (1), (643) Bis (2), (644) Bis (1) and (644) Bis (2). The Decree-Law also repeals Articles (401), (402) and (403) of the Federal Law No. (3) of 1987.