Q: We have been using an office for rent in Al Karama since 2014 and renewed contract in August 2020. Now, since business is less we wanted to vacate the office because the rent was high and we informed the real estate office but they are saying we need to pay 2 months rent for free. Also, they are saying they will take AED 8500 old security deposit for damages and repair of office but there is no damage in office and it doesn't even have any interiors or partition works done, just open office. Kindly advise if we have any rights to vacate without paying additional payments.

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: Hi, I am a tenant and my agreement ends on 30/8/2019, but due to unavoidable circumstances, I need to terminate the contract early on 30/4/2019. The exit clause states: 1. The penalty for breaking the contract is 2 months' rent 2. The tenant should inform the owner 2 months before vacating the unit otherwise the tenant has to pay 2 months' rent as a penalty. Already given the owner the notice on 10/2/2019, but he is still claiming the 2 months' rent penalty. Please clarify how many penalties are in play here. Thanks Didi

Q: We have an enforcement order against our company due to a commercial case in Dubai courts filed by one of our creditors and the office is sealed by the court. The Ejari for the office has expired, in the meanwhile, the real estate is asking me to hand over the office or face another rental case as we are still liable for the rent. The civil case matter is involving a large sum of money which the company is not in a position to pay right now but does not want to be liable for another court case. Is there a way for the landlord to get their premises back? How long would the court keep the premises sealed until their next step?

Q: We are tenants for the past 18 years. Due to the business failure for 3 years, we are unable to pay the rent for now nearly 3 years and waiting for the landlord to say to vacate and go without penalizing us. However, now they have come to us and saying that we need to pay all the 3 years of rent. Failing to do so, the landlord will send the police to vacate us. Please can you advise us on the solution? We just want to move out from here as we cannot afford to pay the rent. Is there any help for us?

Q: Last year was very difficult for the business as we really feel the effect of pandemic. Everything else was suffering and there’s the delay in salaries and some payables in the company and that include that office rent. We were being charged of AED 60k for 1 year, payable in 12 installments. At first, we were okay and paying it on time, but later on, although we were paying, it is getting delayed due to delay of receivables as well and with low cashflow. Tenancy: July 2021 to July 19, 2022 Recently, the company started recovering so all the pending dues for the office rent were paid before the end of tenancy contract. However, the landlord kept saying that we need to vacate the office as we are delaying the payment last couple of months. NO notice from his side thru email, no agency involved. He plans to increase the rent, I asked him how much is it but still wants us to evict us. I have two days more until the end of tenancy, does the landlord have the right to evict us?

Q: We had an arrest warrant against our company owner for unpaid office rent in Dubai. As per the court order, they evicted us, sold our assets, claimed AED 95000, and requested an arrest warrant. We lost all our documents to run the company further which was removed by the landlord as per court order and not able to pay this amount as the company was in a huge loss for the last 2 years. Is there any option to remove the arrest warrant and the case? The company's legal form is a sole proprietorship.

Q: Hi, My friend purchased a business from someone this year. The seller later wrote to the landlord of the office that she was no longer the owner of the business and that she would not continue to be the tenant. She gave that in writing. After this, a real estate agent mailed my friend that since the business was sold without getting approval from the landlord who wants to sell it, hence, they want to cancel Ejari or vacate upon the expiry of Ejari which is due 40 days from now. So my friend who had no RERA experience gave the real estate agent a letter in the name of the landlord that they would vacate it after Ejari. But now they r not getting the office of their needs immediately and Landlord is not ready to extend even one hour extra. What can he do now in Ejari? There is a clause that rental rights cannot be transferred. Please note that Ejari is in the name of Business and not an individual. 1- Should they ask for legal notice? 2- Can he evict them due to the letter? Please advise how to extend it?

Q: Hello There was a rental dispute for a house that had an ownership transfer and there was a difference of opinion between the landlord and the tenant on the move-out date. The landlord is suing the tenant for the entire period until case resolution, however, the tenant claims to have evicted and did handover with the previous owner, however, he overstayed by a week as per DEWA. The RERA has now appointed an accounting expert who will check the following details: 1. Verify tenant occupancy or vacating date. 2. Review management records for occupancy details. 3. Check the previous owner's records on the vacating agreement. 4. The broker who confirmed move-out has PoA. 5. Verify ownership transfer notification to tenant. 6. Check DEWA for service disconnection details. 7. Assess rent due from 09/20/2024 – 10/11/2024 and payment status to new landlord. I would like to know what the CA would do, who does it favor, and what kind of proofs are needed to be provided. What if the CA cannot verify the house vacancy?

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.

An interview-format article covering the topic of defaulting on commercial lease in the UAE and related procedures. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW. In this article, Ludmila discusses what one should do if the tenant becomes unresponsive.

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.

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. 

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.