Q: I am a landlord and gave notice (Notary Public) to the tenant to vacate the villa for personal use or to sell 14 months back. Now the tenant has vacated the villa two months before after completing one year of the notice period. There are three real estate agents working to sell the villa for the last two months but the price offered is less compared to my purchase price. Please let me know if I can rent the villa again since I am not able to get a buyer for the villa and keeping the villa vacant for more than two months is a loss for me. I have to pay monthly house loan EMI and it is becoming difficult to manage.

Q: Hello, I am a tenant in Dubai. Last year in June, I signed my first rental contract in Dubai. One bedroom 864 sqft for AED 65,000. Later this year in October, I got an eviction notice saying that I need to leave the apartment when the contract ends because the owner has the intent of selling the apartment. A few days back in March, I got a call from his agent saying that no one is interested in the apartment because the landlord wants a big price so if I want, I can renew the contract. The new price for me will be AED 76,000. I took some time to think and then called him back saying that as per RERA they cannot increase more than 5% which will be 68,250 but I am willing to pay 70,000 not to move out. A few hours after the call I got an email that they re-inform me that I have to leave in June because they want to sell the apartment. Is it legal to kick me out like that because they want a bigger price? What actions can I take if they rent it out again after I move out?

Q: Dear Lawyers, I have been a tenant for the past three years and my landlord has been arguing about the rent. I have always stated that I will pay whatever is required according to RERA. Last year, in January 2022, he gave me a court-attested notice to sell the property. Throughout the year, he has been threatening to evict me and not renew my contract if I do not agree to his demands of an 80% rent increase. He has only had one viewing in the last 12 months (and has not listed the property on any websites) just to show that he is attempting to sell it. He has openly stated that he is willing to allow me to stay if I accept the 80% increase in rent, but if not, he will ask me to leave (and refuses to put this offer in writing). He claims that he has enough evidence to show that he tried to sell the property, and after I leave, he will leave it empty for two months before renting it out again, and there is nothing I can do about it. Can I dispute this in RDC and get my contract renewed? If I leave and he rents the property out after three months, can I claim damages from him?

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.

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. 

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