Q: I have rented a hotel apartment from an agency who has a contract with a hotel apartment in the UAE. I hold an annual contract with the agency and I have paid the annual rent in advance. The hotel apartment has issued a check-in form by confirming my stay with this particular hotel apartment for 1 year. The hotel apartment also gave me a letter (family visa purpose) stating that I am one of their guests who is going to stay for 1 year. Now, there is some dispute with the agency and the hotel apartment and the agency are not reachable at all, and the hotel apartment tries to evacuate me. 1) Will the hotel apartment be able to evacuate me by law? 2) The agency still holds one cheque from me, can I stop it?

Q: Hi Madam, An agency has taken my money for providing me with 6 months of accommodation in a hotel apartment. They did not provide me with the accommodation and after a lot of efforts, I am able to get my partial money back. But the agency is not refunding my remaining amount and they are not opening their office nor responding to my call (they have blocked my number and don't respond to any new number). Can I file a case in the rental dispute centre and also claim compensation for all the trouble me and my family went through and the expenses incurred? They took AED 2000 cash, a cheque of AED 12500 dated 2nd may (which they used) and another cheque of AED 12500. After police called them, they returned my 2nd unused cheque and AED 7000 in cash. I have AED 7500 refund pending. Kindly suggest. Thanks, S.

Q: Greetings! I rented a serviced hotel apartment in Abu Dhabi on a long-term lease (6 months) paying 6 months lease amount (AED 23000) in advance. After occupying the apartment on 11/04/2022, I found lots of insects and bedbugs in the room. Notified the management. However, every time I was told it is fixed. Later one night, the bedbug bite was intolerable and I was forced to vacate the serviced apartment in the middle of the night (on 28/04/2022). While vacating, I was told by email that the advance amount deducting the period of stay will be refunded within 7 working days. Now as of today (30/06/2022), I am not refunded. No one answers my calls and physical visits, I am told they are not available. The amount agreed for refund after deduction is AED 20,070. Please suggest what I should do to get the refund for the failure to provide the service. I have the receipt of payment and email from the management regarding the refund. Pictures of the bedbug bites are also available. Thank you. B.

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, The tenant in my hotel apartment property did not pay rent, and the access card was deactivated. The tenant reported it to the police. What can the police do if they take it up?

An interview-format article covering the topic of filing an employment court case in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

The UAE has adopted a major reform in its legislative system that brought about 40 new laws and amendments to the company law, criminal law, personal status, among others. The amendments aim to develop the legislative structure in various sectors, the labor law being one of these, was the most recent. We try in this article to shed light on the changes introduced with the new labor law and their significance on both, the employer and employee.

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. 

The provisions of this law, promulgating UAE Civil Code, govern the civil transactions in the United Arab Emirates. The commercial transactions remain subject to the laws and regulations applicable in their regard.