Q: Dear Sir, I need an advice on my three rental cheques of AED 4800 each, which bounced in Sharjah and the landlord has filed a complaint in Sharjah Police Station. Alongside, the court has ordered to vacate the place. I have been jobless for the last 15 months and I have told the judge about my condition. What do I have to do now? As per the new rule on cheque bounce, can I hire a lawyer and pay a fine for my bounced cheque and be released from the police station so that I can apply for a new job? Please guide me.

Q: Dear Sir, We have a tenancy contract from January this year for a villa in Springs. The rent was to be paid in 2 cheques, out of which we have paid one and the 2nd cheque was dishonoured due to financial trouble. My husband is currently in custody for some bank related case and my son is on his own at the house. The landlord sent us 30 days' notice through notary that expired yesterday. Can the landlord evict us from the property because we are not in a situation to pay till my husband is out of the legal trouble? We have applied for his bail but the landlord is not ready to cooperate. What is the process for them to get the house evicted because our intention is to pay them but we need some time? Can you guide us, please? The problem is every other day the landlord comes and harasses my son by knocking on the door and calling every day.

Q: Due to job loss, all my CHKs (cheques) bounced & the real estate wing of a local bank in Abu Dhabi sent all the 3 CHKs to police for filing case. Q.1- The Police processed only 2 CHKs, It was good for me but the question is why the 3rd one was not processed? Is it due to SABQA FASAL? I have a feeling now that (as per question 2 below) since one of my cases is closed, they will start the 3rd one now. Q.2-  Yesterday in Sharia Court, the Judge gave the judgment and gave me a fine of AED 3000/= and police case finished. Now 2 questions. a) Will the company file a civil case on me? b) If yes, then for how many months will they have to wait before they do it? Q.3- Now, my lease has also expired in July & the grace period of 1 month also ended by Aug 20, 2018. I received a letter from that company to renew the lease or they will file a case for eviction. What should I do here? Q.4- My other 2 CHKs hearing is due next week in Rahba Court, is it safe to ask the Judge to give a judgment? (I heard now on personal CHKs there is no Jail).

س: السلام عليكم، لدي استشارة قانونية بخصوص إيجار شقة. استأجرت شقة من مالك بناية بعقد لمدة سنة ولم أستطع الوفاء بآخر دفعة وارتد الشيك الخاص بها. طلبت من الشركة المسؤولة عن إيجار الشقة تقسيط الشيك وأبقى في الشقة، رفضت وطلبت مني إخلاء الشقة بدون أخذ أي أغراض منها. أخذت الملابس والأشياء الضرورية وبقيت جميع الأغراض في الشقة. أخبروني أني أستطيع أخذ الأغراض في حال سداد قيمة الشيك. حصلت ظروف واستمر الحال لأكثر من سنة ولم يتصل بي أي شخص من قبل الشركة إلا بعد سنتين تقريبًا بحجة عدم مقدرتهم على التواصل معي. الآن يطالبونني بسداد قيمة الإيجار عن سنتين! علمًا بأنني لم أسكن في الشقة طيلة هذه الفترة. ما الحل؟ لدي ما يثبت أنني لم أشغل الشقة؛ مثل فاتورة الكهرباء التي لا يوجد فيها أي مبلغ لأنها لم تستخدم منذ ذلك الوقت. طلب مني المكتب إخلاء الشقة من الأغراض، ولكني أخشى حين أخلي الشقة الآن أن يكون ذلك بمثابة إثبات أني كنت أستخدمها! أفيدوني باستشارتكم. لكم مني جزيل الشكر!

Q: Hi, Our house rental contract has already expired 3 days ago. We intend to renew but the real estate company said that we need to first settle the 1 cheque we failed to pay AED15,200 (4 months ago). All other cheques before and after this "dishonored cheque" were good. Our house contract is in my name but the cheques given are in my mother's. The real estate owner said they had filed a case in the police station and municipality. Questions: What does he mean by Municipality? Is it the RDC? Will both the cases be in my name or my mother's? I'm just worried that if we won't be able to renew the contract, we will be kicked out soon. Thank you so much for your kind help and assistance!

س: عندما يحكم القاضي بأنه على المستأجر سداد كافة المترتبات الإيجارية حتى "تاريخ الإخلاء الفعلي"، هل يأخذ قسم التنفيذ تاريخ إصدار براءة الذمة على أنه تاريخ الإخلاء؟ مع العلم أن المستأجر قام بإخلاء المنزل قبل براءة الذمة بحوالي أسبوع ولكن المالك لم يكن على علم بذلك. وهل يحق للمالك احتساب أي مبالغ إيجارية بعد تاريخ براءة الذمة؟ أم أنه يتوقف تلقائيًا احتساب مبالغ إيجارية بعد تاريخ براءة الذمة؟ وجزاكم الله خيرًا!

Q: The rent is 3300 and he said the cheque return is 1050, and the open case file is 1000 while the closed case file is 2100. I told him to allow me to split the payment; first I would pay the rent and pay the legal fees with one cheque, but he said no that I needed to pay the full amount at once. So I told him I don’t have that amount now that is my fate. He told me to wait for the next hearing and that I would receive another notification from the municipality office after a month that after then they would tell me what to do. I believed him and I was waiting for the second hearing until I received another letter yesterday from the municipality giving me seven days to pay up and vacate the flat. Please, what can I do?

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.