Q: I am having an issue with my real estate company regarding security and advance rent payment. I am following up with them for more than the past 3 months but it is still not resolved.

Q: I moved out of an apartment in Abu Dhabi on 5th of June 2017. The property management company issued me with a clearance certificate for the air conditioning with the intent of deducting the final amount owed from the security deposit. It is almost two months later and they still have not refunded the balance of the security deposit. I have made repeated requests to get the money back but they are just wasting my time. How can I proceed to get this money back? In my home country, we can go to a small claims court in which the defendant would be ordered to pay, plus pay the court fees. I tried to find similar on the ADJD website but could not and as the amount is for 1300Dhs, I don't want to have to spend this filing a court case, if I am liable for the fees also.

Q: I moved to an apartment in July 2018 and the landlord was outside of Dubai. Being a foreigner, he promised to complete all documentation soon and he cashed out my cheques. Then he stated that the apartment was registered on his son (a minor) and doesn't have the necessary documents and he will complete when he comes to Dubai. He came 9 months after I moved in and that costed me to pay AED 12,100 proven fine for late renewal of my maid’s visa (Ejari is the landlord's responsibility). As per the contract, the Building Management deactivated access cards including the parking during my stay, saying the landlord failed to pay the service fee. This was the case for 100 days. All failures were acknowledged by the landlord via emails. When moving out (July 2019) his agent inspected the apartment. They promised to provide a list of deductions in few days which happened with 53 days delay and failed to present invoices and return deposit balance so far (80 days delay). The deduction is a round figure (suspicious). Please let me know if you can assist and tell me about the cost.

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.

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.