Q: Hi, I was evicted by my landlord through a proper eviction notice of 12 months that was issued by a notary public. The notice stated that he intended to use the property for personal use. A few days before I left the apartment, the landlord passed away. I left the apartment and some months ago I saw there was someone else living at the property. I checked online and saw that the unit was never sold but rented at a much higher price. As the house is rented (not sold/ nor used for personal use), will this case have a chance in RDC? In a normal situation, I am 100% sure it would, but the fact that he died is my question. Is the person who inherited the apartment allowed to rent it to someone else? Or should have they stuck to the eviction notice intention and lived on the property? Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks F.

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I would like to send an eviction notice to my tenant due to my wish to sell my property after 12 months. What are the steps to be followed? Thanks!

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, In terms of sending notice to tenants to vacate an apartment, as a landlord, we need to send a 12-month notice with the reason being either: - Wanting to move in ourselves (or our family members). - Selling the unit But what if, as landlords, after evacuation and a few days of evaluating the market or finding no customers to buy our property, we change our minds and want to rent the apartment again to someone else? Is this against the law? What if, for any reason, the landlord changes his/her mind to sell the apartment after evacuation? What do the regulations say?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, My landlord served me a notice to sell the apartment on the 3rd of April 2023 and extended my contract until the end of this date. However, there have been no viewings since then, and I don't think they are interested in selling the property. What action can I take? Do I have to vacate the property at the end of the notice period, as no one has approached me to indicate they've bought the property?

Q: My landlord evicted me after sending me a court notice that he intends to sell the property. I even told him that if this is just about increasing the rent, I would be happy to do that since my wife is undergoing cancer treatment and moving is difficult for us. Nonetheless, he asked us to vacate and is now renting the apartment out (but there does not seem to be any Ejari registered). Is there anything I can do to seek compensation if he has not registered the Ejari?

Q: I was given a legal notice to evict my apartment by the landlord because he wants to sell the apartment but no one has come to see the apartment once in 10 months. I found out that the landlord has multiple units in the same building and gave a similar notice to all. In some cases, he renewed the lease for another year after increasing the 35 to 40 percent rent and in some cases, he rented out after 3 months. My question is if a tenant got evicted and then offered first refusal to move back in then what is the point? The tenant has already moved to a new apartment and can't accept the offer to move back. This will allow the landlord to rent out again at a higher price. Please advise

Q: I am reposting the question as maybe I was not clear the first time. I am a tenant in an apartment in Dubai. I stayed in the apartment for a long time. I received a valid 12-month notice from the landlord to vacate the property because they want to sell it. However, 9 months have passed since and the landlord has shown no intention of selling. I asked them about it and they said they intend to renovate it first before selling it. As I do not want to move out, can I dispute this at the RDC in any way? Meaning, do I have any basis for dispute?

Q: Hello, My landlord vacated the property with 12 months' notice, stating he would live there himself. However, he started renting the property through the holiday homes system. Is a permit issued by the DTC for a holiday home valid proof to prove that he is renting and to claim compensation?

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.

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.

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 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.