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.

Q: Dear sir/madam, My current rent is 140k for 3 BHK. Now is the time for the first renewal. My landlord has increased rent to 170k, whereas as per the RERA rent calculator, the rent of similar units in the areas is up to 110k. Please advise if the increase is legal!

Q: I am a tenant and for the last 3 years, my landlord has been arguing about the rent. I always say I will pay as per RERA. Last year in Jan 2022, he gave a court-attested notice to sell. All year he has been threatening to throw me out and not to renew if I don't agree to his demands of an 80% rent increase. He has only done 1 viewing in the last 12 months (the property is not listed on any website). He is willing to let me stay if I accept an 80% increase in rent, otherwise, he is asking me to leave (refuses to give this offer in writing). He is saying he has enough evidence to show he tried to sell and after I leave he will keep empty for 2 months and then rent it out. I have emails from past years. During this year, I have had some WhatsApp messages but he is refusing to give the actual renewal offer in writing. If he gives me a drafted Ejari physically & gets my signature first before signing himself, will I still be able to take it as evidence to RDC? Or will the RDC say I have agreed to the new terms by signing the new Ejari?

Q: I am a landlord and trying to increase the villa rent in accordance with the DLD rent evaluation certificate basis. 90 days before the current lease expires, I sent the tenant a registered mail and email along with a rental evaluation certificate asking to increase the rent as per DLD valuation. The evaluation certificate showed an increase of 40% in the current rent. My tenant refused the rent increase according to the DLD evaluation certificate and he told me by phone about 30 days before the end of the rent contract that he will deposit the rent with RERA without any increase in the rent. What are my options?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to seek your advice on a matter related to my tenancy. I am facing some concerns and uncertainties. Recently, my landlord proposed an unjustified rent increase of 9,000 AED. The RERA calculator clearly indicates that the increase should be only 3,000 AED. There was mention of going through the Rent Valuation process, but since our last communication, there has been no further response from either the landlord or the real estate agent. My concern is that my tenancy contract is due to expire in just a couple of days, and I have not received any communication regarding the renewal process. I had previously sent an email inquiring about the rent contract and the collection of rental cheques, but unfortunately, there has been complete silence in response.      At this point, I am unsure about the next steps to take. I genuinely want to ensure that everything is in order and that I can continue my tenancy without any disruptions or uncertainties.

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, Last year, I received a one-time offer while signing the contract. The original price was 45,000 dirhams, but I received a 6,000 dirham discount, so I am currently paying 39,000 dirhams for my apartment. I received a 90-day notice that my rent will now be 48,900 dirhams. Can someone tell me what numbers I need to use to calculate my new rent? Is it legal to increase my rent in this way? The company claims that the price is based on the rental index calculator.

Q: Hi, My broker has been trying to increase my rent beyond what is allowed by RERA for three years. They make it difficult for me to file a complaint, but eventually, they always send an offer that is in line with RERA's calculator. They know that we will eventually renew the contract at the RERA-approved rate, but they still keep doing this every year. They waste my time and energy with long, pointless negotiations. What can I do to stop this? The owner is not an Emirati. Thanks for the answers!

Q: Hello, I have a studio apartment in Al Merkadh. The rent for a studio apartment in Al Merkadh ranges from AED 46,000 to 56,000 per year. Currently, my tenant pays AED 54,000 per year. As per the law, can I ask him for a 10% increase in rent from the next renewal, which is due in the next 3 months? Am I entitled to increase the rent in this case? Can I increase the rent for my tenant even if the RERA rental index says there is no increase in rent? How can I obtain a rent valuation certificate for my property? If we ask our current tenant (a single person, not a family) to vacate the property upon the completion of the tenancy, will a 90-day prior notice by email suffice, or do we need to send him a notice through a lawyer? He is refusing to leave the property and is asking me to give him a 12-month notice, but when I gave him the property, he verbally agreed to leave it after 1 year. What are my options in this case? Thanks!

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.

This Decree determines the maximum percentage of rent increase for real property in the Emirate of Dubai when renewing lease contracts.

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.