Q: 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!

Q: Hi I have 2 properties bought off-plan. Both are overdue. Both are above 90% completed & approximately 6-9 months overdue. I lost my job due to COVID-19 & can no longer fulfil my financial obligations. The properties are with [--------] & [-------]. Is it possible to win a case, cancel the SPA & get my money back?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I wanted some legal advice regarding my property issue. I have purchased a quarter share of a hotel room investment in a project in Dubai Marina. I have paid about 31% of the total purchase price. I have signed all the paperwork and obtained the partial property deed. Due to the Coronavirus, I am unable to continue to make the payments required. Now the developers are saying that by Dubai Law, they are allowed to keep 25% of the total purchase price from the monies I have paid. I want to know if there is any case law or discretion that the developers have to consider in circumstances such as mine where I want to complete the transaction but I am unable to due to not having a job and financially being able to complete the transaction. I am trying to sell the interest but at present cannot find a buyer. Please let me know what my legal rights are if the developer does keep the full 25% of the purchase price, do I have any legal remedies? Thank you Z.

Q: I purchased two units in an off-plan project in Dubai in October 2019. I paid 15% each of the total amounts. These properties have been registered in DLD and on my name by the developer. This project has also been delayed for two years (completion quarter 2020). The aim of my purchase was because it is near Expo 2020, the developer promised me to finish the project before the Expo started and use the units as a hotel. But Expo has gone while construction was not completed. The construction has been completed two months ago, but the handover is still ongoing now. Now the developer is pressuring me to pay the balance, otherwise, they will inform the DLD and cancel the unit and forfeit my money. The valuation of the two properties went down by 25%, and because of this, I can not sell with a huge loss. And I did not use them for Expo as well. Can I terminate the units although 100% is completed now before the developer starts the termination process?

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 employment issues and laws during COVID-19 in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

The UAE has adopted a major reform in its legislative system that brought about 40 new laws and amendments to the company law, criminal law, personal status, among others. The amendments aim to develop the legislative structure in various sectors, the labor law being one of these, was the most recent. We try in this article to shed light on the changes introduced with the new labor law and their significance on both, the employer and employee.

This Law establishes interim property register in which sale contracts, off-plan sales, and other off-plan legal dispositions of real property are registered prior to inclusion in the property register maintained by Dubai Land Department.

The provisions of this Law supersede articles (2) and (11) of Law No. (13) of 2008 Regulating the Interim Property Register in the Emirate of Dubai.

This Resolution approves the Implementing Bylaw of Law No. (13) of 2008 Regulating the Interim Property Register in the Emirate of Dubai.