Q: We rent an apartment in Abu Dhabi. This month we renewed our contract for the next year. We have signed the cheques to the real estate agency since they are the owners of this property. But a week after the other agents came to our apartment and said that the apartment is on sale and we have to let them in so that they could take pictures. Can the landlord sell this apartment without prior notice to the tenant and will this affects our tenancy contract?

Q: Dear All, I am renting an apartment in Dubai which is about to be sold to a new owner. He wants to move in himself before the end of the rental contract. According to the agent organizing the transaction, the new owner will issue me a notice soon and then ask me to vacate the apartment. What are my rights in order to: - Stay in the apartment until the end of the contract? - Obtain compensation from the new owner if I vacate months earlier than the lease end? Thank you very much in advance.

Q: Hello, I have just renewed my lease in Dubai a few weeks ago with a property management company, and have been informed today that the property has been sold and I should start interacting with the new landlord. Should I sign my lease again with the new landlord? Can I refuse to sign a new lease and pay all fees again until the lease renewal expires?

Q: I have just renewed my lease, and now the landlord informed me that she wants to sell the villa and wants her agent to arrange viewings. I am working from home, and have a baby and toddler at home. We are being very cautious during the pandemic and I am not comfortable with strangers coming in and out of the house during COVID, what are my rights? There is nothing in the contract regarding sales or viewings.

س: السلام عليكم، أود الاستفسار من سعادتكم عما يلي: بتاريخ ٢٠ ديسمبر ٢٠٢١ اشريت عقارًا وسجَّلته باسمي، وهذا العقار مُؤجَّر حتى تاريخ ٩ فبراير ٢٠٢٢ عن طريق المالك القديم (أي بتاريخ الشراء، كان متبقي ٥٠ يوم على انتهاء الفترة الإيجارية). بصفتي مالكًا جديدًا، أخطرت المستأجر أنه في حالة رغبته في تجديد عقد الإيجار الحالي يجب زيادة الأجرة حسب شروط دائرة التنظيم العقاري أو إخلاء العقار عند انتهاء عقده في ٩ فبراير ٢٠٢٢ لكنه رفض الزيادة و رفض الإخلاء. أصر المستأجر على دفع قيمة إيجار أقل من سعر السوق وأقل من السعر الاسترشادي لدائرة التنظيم العقاري؛ معللاً ذلك بأنه كان ينبغي عليّ بصفتي مالكًا جديدًا للعقار أن أخطره قبل ٩٠ يومًا من انتهاء العقد، علمًا بأنني اشتريت العقار يوم ٢٠ ديسمبر ٢٠٢١ أي قبل انتهاء عقد الإيجار الحالي بحوالي ٥٠ يوم فقط. عقد الإيجار الحالي هو باسم المالك القديم حتى تاريخ ٩ فبراير ٢٠٢٢ و ليس باسمي ولم أوقعه. رجاءً أفيدوني بموقفي القانوني مع مراعاه أنني لم أوقع عقد الإيجار الحالي والذي سينتهي في ٩ فبراير ٢٠٢٢ فهو مُوقَّع بواسطة المالك القديم. جزاكم الله خيرًا!

Q: Dear sir/madam, I renewed my tenancy contract with my landlord 2 weeks ago (this is the 1st renewal, i.e I have stayed here for 1 month, and now renewed 2 weeks ago). The landlord had decided to sell the flat and did not tell me at the time of tenancy renewal in order for me to decide whether to stay or go. If he finds a buyer, can the buyer ask me to leave before the contract ends? And can the new buyer ask for a higher rent once he makes a contract with me?

س: السلام عليكم، أرسل صاحب المنزل إنذارًا بالإخلاء لغرض الاستخدام الشخصي بعد مرور 4 أشهر من تاريخ تجديد عقد الإيجار السنوي. بعد 8 أشهر انتهى العقد الحالي ورفض التجديد بحجة وجود إنذار بالإخلاء بالرغم من عدم مرور 12 شهرًا من تاريخ الإنذار. ما التصرف القانوني الذي يجب أن أتبعه في هذه الحالة؟

I believe that there is a similarity between medicine and law, and just as there is a way to ask a question to a doctor to get the most accurate and correct answers from him, which ultimately helps you receive the correct diagnosis, and therefore the correct treatment, there is a way to ask a lawyer.

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.