Q: Dear, Last year, 28th September 2017 to be exact, we rented 1 BHK Flat in Bur Dubai. The flat is old and since we required it on an urgent basis, we took the flat with unfixed things. We as the tenant fixed whatever is needed (bathroom door, kitchen cabinets, bathroom ceiling...etc.). We decided not to renew the contract due to the maintenance issues we had encountered. Now, the real state agent is asking us to pay the maintenance which quoted me for AED3500/- (kitchen and toilet ceiling change, full flat ceiling change, light change, switch change, kitchen exhaust fan change, all cleaning, shower pipe change, cabinet hinges repair, all materials and labours). Do we really need to pay for this maintenance? Please advice. Highly appreciate your immediate answer. Thanks & regards,

Q: I have a tenant with an expired contract. I agreed to have a new contract for this year but I did not sign with him yet. He was 35 days late to pay the first 50% of the rent. Our agreement with him that he pays maintenance, but he deducted AED 40,000 from the rent because he said he changed the door latch and main circuit barker. I objected and demanded my money for the full rent (he paid 8,000 and he deducted 40,000). I want my full payment.

Q: I live in a 4 bedroom apartment in Deira/Dubai. 3 out of the 4 bedrooms have sewage leakage problem somewhere in the ceiling and the smell is horrible. The landlord refuses to fix the problem even though my tenancy contract clearly states that he must fix on his expense. To make the story short, After filing for a case against him at the RDC, It all went down to the police station where he refused to sign a paper that states his willingness to fix. Next, a Dubai Municipality official visited the apartment and submitted a report to the Land Department confirming that the apartment smells very bad. All meanwhile I refused to pay any rent to pressure this landlord to fix. So now 4 months have passed and the accumulated rent has built up to above AED 100,000. The landlord has filed a case to claim the rental amount. What to do? And how can he file a case against me at the RDC without the RDC asking him to fix the apartment first?! Can I refuse to pay this landlord? I think it is unfair to pay!

Q: I have been renting an apartment for 1.5 years in Dubai. Recently, the kitchen ceiling leaked and the water has gone into the wooden cabinets and 3 of the cabinets have completely rotted from inside. All of our food in there is destroyed. Not only that, but the water from the leak mixed with the glue from the wooden cabinets and became brown and sticky. It is now all over the worktops and the floor and appliances in the kitchen. There are puddles of brown water on the floor. The entire kitchen is unusable. The main maintenance person first refused to visit the apartment to inspect the damage. He only came when we insisted and then told us we have to wait until next Thursday to get the work done. Meanwhile, we cannot use the kitchen, every day the water is spreading more and more and there are now flies everywhere (and the smell is terrible). Can I legally deduct the rent for the number of weeks we have been without a kitchen? I need to pay rent for the second half of the year in August.

Q: Hello, I am a tenant living in Dubai and last winter lots of villas were affected by the rain and there was a lot of damage caused by the rain. There was leakage in the entire villa, the floor went down and a lot of tiles popped out and cracked, and that’s what the engineer sent by the developer to see the damages told me. I have the proof paper from the developer for all the damages. They only fixed the leakage, painted the walls, and refused to fix the tiles. My question is, is it my responsibility or the landlord's as it wasn’t caused by me?

Q: I have an apartment tenancy contract. It started only one month ago. My apartment owner is not doing maintenance work. My first water bill was a big amount. Finally, I found an internal water leaking problem. Every day my family faces a different problem. I need to cancel this for our safety. But they ask for 3 months' payment. Please help me

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.

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.

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.