Q: Hello, My landlord disconnected the water and electricity for the 4th time this week because my signature didn't match the cheque. What I can I do? And he is threatening me now if I will not pay until tomorrow by cash he will change the locks and he will deport me.

Q: I am living in a hotel apartment in Abu Dhabi. For the last 3 days, my flat does not have electricity and water. I have already paid them 6 months' rent on contract. Hotel management is saying that they have to deposit AED 300K to ADDC, then only electricity will resume. It's been three days since the electricity is there. Can someone point me in the right direction, where to complain and so that my flat electricity is back?

Q: When can a landlord disconnect electricity and water supply?

Q: Good morning, I am writing to inquire about whether my landlord has the right to shut off my power line, which is under my name. They have done this to me several times, and I would like to know if this is legal. Thank you for your help!

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I had a commercial rental issue in Dubai, and the final judgment was an arrest warrant. The real estate company received an evacuation notice and proceeded to throw out all our papers and sell our assets, as per the court decision. They threw all our papers and books onto the road, and Dubai Municipality issued a fine to us. However, we did not throw anything onto the road, and the real estate company did this purposefully. What can be done in this case?

Q: Dear Lawyers, My tenant is making monthly payments when Ejari is for four cheques. Moreover, he has not registered Empower or the DEWA bill in his name. Sometimes, I make payments as a default, which would fine my account for 2500 AED—feeling helpless, as the tenant doesn't pick up the phone when payment is due. Can I cut DEWA now so that he registers DEWA in his name?

Q: Hello, During the pandemic, I was unemployed and living in a one-bedroom apartment with my wife, who was also unemployed, and my five-year-old daughter. Since we were not working for roughly two years, from the beginning of 2020 until the start of 2022, I was unable to pay rent. The landlord's office could not evict me as all such procedures were on hold by RDC, so they resorted to disconnecting electricity and water since the DEWA account was under their name. This resulted in my family and me living in the house without electricity or water from March 2021 until February 2022, which was the eviction date. Due to these harsh living conditions, my young family and I suffered immense moral and financial losses. During this period, I made several attempts in person and by email to restore the DEWA service upon payment of a partial amount, but to no avail. I want to know if I have legal grounds to sue the landlord for this action and demand compensation.

In the UAE, cheque bounce is a very frequent problem faced by people during their span in the country. It is covered under the purview of Commercial Transactions Law, and legal implications/penalties can be financially severe and daunting for more “serious” offenses. Bounced cheque issues may arise in a variety of commercial transactions, including but not limited to, companies’ exchanges, bank loans, property rents or purchases, and individual transactions.

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 establishes a specialised judicial system to hear rent disputes and develops the procedure for determination of such disputes through an expeditious and simple process for the purpose of realising social and economic stability for all persons involved with the real property rental and other related sectors.