Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers
10 available 10 • View allTime frame for asking a tenant to vacate an apartment
Q: Hi,
I received a call from the landlord that he wants to sell the property and is not planning to renew our contract which will end on the last of the next February. He requested us to pay the last quarter cheque in cash.
Please tell me about my legal situation and the right advice in the following cases:
1- What is your advice regarding paying the last quarter into cash (as he said that he closed his bank accounts)?
2- Does he has a right to ask me to leave the apartment before 3 months?
3- Is it right that as per Dubai law, he cannot increase the rent unless we continue for 3 years?
Thanks in advance!
Dec 4, 2021
1249
Can the landlord force rent increase if it is not allowed by RERA Rent Index?
Q: Hello Madame.
My landlord sent me a notice to increase rent on the renewal of tenancy, 90 days in advance before the end of the contract.
However, no rent increase is permitted as per RERA Rental Index, as such, I refused the increase and asked him to renew the tenancy at the same rent as last year.
He refused and asked me to vacate upon tenancy completion which is on 14-Feb. Now, he is threatening to come to the house, and force me to vacate on 14-Feb.
What are my legal options?
I want to continue living in this house, and pay the same rent, as last year, as no increase is permitted as per RERA Rent Index.
Feb 10, 2022
2683
Increasing the rent 15 days before the contract renewal
Q: Can a landlord ask for a 10% increase in the rent just 15 days before the contract renewal?
Oct 26, 2021
1527
A tenant refuses rent increase and payment term changes: What to do?
Q: Dear Sir/Madam,
I purchased a property in December 2022 and served the eviction notice on January 9, 2023. The current tenancy agreement is set to expire on June 30, 2023.
I want to modify the payment terms for the new contract, effective from July 1, 2023, to January 8, 2024 (the end of the eviction notice), changing from 12 checks to 1 for the six-month period.
Additionally, I intend to increase the rent by 20% as I believe the existing tenant is paying 60% less than the current market rate.
The tenant refuses to accept these changes and wishes to renew the lease with no alterations.
Where do I stand in this situation?
RERA provides varying information each time I seek clarity.
Mar 8, 2023
397
Can the landlord evict me or increase the rent by sending a two months notice for that?
Q: My landlord wants to evict me (60 days notice) because he wants to sell the property. I told him that he has to give me a 12 months notice which he sent and we received.
He also wants to increase the rent above the RERA Index Calculator. I informed him that I am not willing to pay the increase above RERA calculator and also because he did not give us a 3 months notice for the increase and asking me to leave in 2 months.
He does not want to renew the contract saying I did not confirm to him my intention to stay (as per contract it says 2 months notice to be given by the tentant or landlord if they want to stay or leave) and that I should leave in 2 months.
I am aware that he knows we want to stay since we are discussing rent and eviciton in 12 months the landlord is using this now to evict us. We want him to be fair and want to understand our rights.
Jun 4, 2023
147
The landlord wants to increase rent above RERA Index. How to renew my contract?
Q: My landlord was asking for an unjustified rent increase of 9K, while the RERA calculator showed 3K. He was threatening to go through the Rent Valuation process, however, he only gave me a notice period of 83 days.
According to Dubai Decree No 43 of 2013 and Law No 33 of 2008, landlords are required to provide a 90-day notice period before making any changes to the rental contract, including increasing the rent amount.
Failure to comply with this notice period entitles the tenant to refuse the rent increase.
As the current contract is coming to an end by the end of next week, I have made several attempts to reach out to my landlord and his real estate agent to reiterate my interest in extending the contract and collecting the rental cheques at the old prices.
Also, I kindly requested that they provide me with the contract as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I have not received any response thus far, and considering that this week is a holiday week, I do not know what to do.
Sincerely,
Jun 26, 2023
474
Can the landlord force me to pay rent increase if he sent the notice after the 90 days period?
Q: The landlord wants to increase the rent but didn't give me the 90 days notice.
He claims it is according to the RERA law, but I insisted that he didn't give me the notice, so he can't do that. I filed Offer and Deposit at RDC.
He is saying now that he refused the offer and deposit and I will have to pay for the increase if I want to renew the contract.
What should I do?
Jul 11, 2023
96
Can landlord increase rent without 90 days' notice?
Q: Hi,
Our agent has asked for a rental increase without giving us 90 days' notice. He has only given us one month's notice.
He is now threatening us that if we do not agree to the increase, he will ask for a Rental Valuation Certificate, and the increase will be much higher.
My question is, can he do this? RERA states that he needs to give us 90 days' notice.
I have looked at our contract, and even though it does not explicitly say that he needs to give us 90 days' notice, it does state that the increase will be according to RERA guidelines.
I would really appreciate your help with this matter, as we are feeling very stressed at the moment.
Sep 11, 2023
862
Does construction and lower rent in my building justify refusing a rent increase?
Q: Dear Sir/Madam,
The landlord is increasing the rent by 15% this year, 17% last year, and also 17% the year before.
I refused and told her it’s not fair; a 5% increase is reasonable due to the 1-year non-functional swimming pool and the construction area around it.
It has been ongoing since last year without completion (the entire area and swimming pool have been broken since last year) due to a court case between the management and the developer.
The index shows a 15% increase in the same area, but the rent in my building is much less than that.
Does the ongoing construction work, which has not been finished for a year now and may never be finished as long as the court case is open, matter? And do the prices of similar units in my building count?
Thank you in advance for your reply!
Apr 30, 2024
72
What to do if the tenant refuses to vacate despite of two months eviction notice before contract expiry?
Q: Hello,
I'm a landlord looking to evict my tenant by the end of the contract. I've already sent him a 68-day lease non-renewal notice via email, which he acknowledged.
However, he's now claiming the notice is too short and he doesn't want to vacate (Abu Dhabi).
Do I have a case for court, and if it goes to the Rental Dispute Office, how long does the eviction process typically take and when can I file a case?
The tenant has been in the property for the past 5 years, but I failed to complete the Tawtheeq for 2022/2023 and 2023/2024.
I initiated the Tawtheeq request in 2022, but the tenant never completed acceptance from his side, so now it's pending in TAMM and blocking any new requests.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Location: Abu Dhabi.
Thank you
May 10, 2024
432
Legal blog
1 available 1 • View allWhat You Should Know While Renting a Property in the UAE
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.
Feb 24, 2020
3931
Laws & Regulations
3 available 3 • View allLaw 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.
Nov 26, 2007
24287
Law No. (33) of 2008 Amending Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai
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.
Dec 1, 2008
24943
Decree No. (43) of 2013 Determining Rent Increases for Real Property in the Emirate of Dubai
This Decree determines the maximum percentage of rent increase for real property in the Emirate of Dubai when renewing lease contracts.
Dec 18, 2013
13240
Premium
Other answers by
451 451 answers •
View allAre there any restrictions on a diplomat buying property in the UAE?
Hello,
Is there any restriction on a diplomat buying property in the UAE, where he works as a diplomat at his country's consulate?
Feb 20, 2025
71
If someone has a case in the UAE, can they travel to another GCC country?
Hi.
One of my friends joined a Telegram group. They said, "We will transfer some amount to your account, and your task is to transfer this amount to another account. Once the task is completed, you will get 30 or 50 AED per task."
He completed 3 to 4 tasks, but he realized it was not good, so he stopped. After one week, when he opened his account, it was blocked, and the bank said, "We are conducting an investigation; after this, we will let you know."
After some days, he had an accident and went to his home country. He then received a call from a landline number, which was from the Abu Dhabi police station.
They said, "We have received a complaint against you; come to our investigation department." However, due to his surgery and treatment, he could not go.
After some time, his bank account was reopened, and he did not receive any further calls. I want to know, if he comes back to the UAE or goes to any other GCC country, will he face any problems?
If someone has a case in the UAE, can they travel to another GCC country?
Please advise!
Feb 17, 2025
134
What can I do if my employer refuses to pay me and I have no contract?
Hello,
What legal action can I take in case the employer refuses to pay my salary and I don't have a contract with them?
Feb 18, 2025
123
I want to open an online shop. Do I need a license to open an Etsy shop?
I currently live in Sharjah and have a UAE residence visa but I am not a UAE or GCC national. I want to open an online shop (Etsy or Shopify) to sell handmade items, such as crocheted goods, bookmarks, greeting cards, etc.
Do I need a license to open an Etsy shop?
If so, which license do I need to sell my products online, including UAE and worldwide?
How much would it cost me?
Can I keep my residence visa (sponsored by my father) and not change it?
Feb 14, 2025
117
How can we locate a person with an ongoing legal case?
Hello,
I am seeking your legal advice regarding a friend who was previously imprisoned in Abu Dhabi. His case there is now closed, but he has another ongoing case in Dubai.
Currently, we have lost contact with him and are unsure of his whereabouts. How can we check where he is or access any other legal facility?
Are there legal procedures to locate a person with an ongoing case?
What steps should we take to get more information about his status and legal position?
Feb 11, 2025
142
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