Questions & Answers
How long can the tenant stay in the property if the landlord sold it?
Dear lawyer,
I am a tenant in Dubai, seeking advice about the following situation:
The current 1-year lease terminates on 22/09/2022 (in 78 days). As the tenant, I want to renew the lease and the landlord knows it.
The landlord would like to sell the flat, however, she is still uncertain as no buyer has been found.
No official eviction notice has been ever sent, only random WhatsApp messages that invite me to wait so that more potential buyers can come to see the flat.
For obvious reasons, I am not willing to wait until the last minute to know if the lease can be renewed - and the real estate agent (appointed by the landlord) is pressing to bring more viewers.
Considering the points above:
1- Can I "force" the landlord to extend the lease now?
2- If the landlord sells the propriety prior to the end date, will I be forced to move out on the end date (without any notice)?
Thank you in advance
There is no evection notice in place for the need to move out because of renovations, self-usage for the landlord, or for sale.
The landlord has no right to throw you out - unless you have signed an agreement (additional contract to the official Ejari lease contract) that would state that you agree to such eviction during your rental tenure.
You might want to check the initially signed lease agreement to make sure.
Also, check the notice period that the landlord should give you (for example 90 days or 2 months) prior to the end of the contract.
