Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I asked a veterinary clinic to tell me what the names of the last medications I paid for were. The vet had handed them to me in a rush and never billed me, and I had come in on my own to pay. The receipt for which I thought the payment was turned out to be for something completely different. The vet has no notes on the matter. Same with the manager who took the payment. I have asked them to check the CCTV as I remember the date and time, but no answer. I don’t know if this is illegal! If I mention this incident in a review, could there be legal repercussions for me?

س: السلام عليكم، أريد التقدم بشكوى ضد صالة أفراح اتفقنا معهم على نوعية وكمية أكل معينة ولم يتم الالتزام بها نهائيًا؛ إضافة إلى عدم وجود خدمات نهائيًا من ماء أو تبريد أو نظافة، رغم إيداع المبلغ كاملاً سلفًا في حسابهم قبل موعد الفرح بيوم. سؤالي: ما عنوان الشكوى؟ وما العقوبة المترتبة عليهم؟ وما التوابع والمتعلقات؟ إضافة إلى أنهم تسببوا في ضرر نفسي لنا بسبب الخجل من المدعوين لما قدموه من طعام سيء وخدمة سيئة فيها.

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I sublet my apartment to a couple. When the building management said that it is not allowed, we asked them to vacate and gave the money back. They didn't vacate and were troubling us so badly for 14 days. I caught the man red-handed while using my things. I asked him to return them to me. He assaulted me and I have video recorded the same. Though I was assaulted, my injury was very small and the doctor mentioned it as a small injury in the government hospital report. I have filed a criminal assault case against him and gave the video as proof and my husband is the witness. The police opened the case and asked us to come after 3 days. 1. I want to know what will happen next in these 3 days. 2. Will they leave him just with a warning since my injury was small? 3. Will he be punished or put in jail? 4. How soon will they catch him since I know only his mobile number, name, and no other details and that's what I gave to the police as well? 5. Does the UAE have any website to see updates on police cases?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I recently wrote a bad review on Google about my former employer (a clinic). I wrote about its micromanagement and toxic work environment. Everything I wrote was 100% true, and I did not violate any confidentiality or publish any false information. Now, my former employer has threatened to sue me for defamation. They say I will be sentenced to jail or fined. Is this legally true? Am I really in trouble?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I am running a clinic in Dubai. I hired a doctor a few months ago. She failed to perform the work for which she was hired, so I fired her. Now she is giving fake reviews on Google. She is also doing this with her friends. I have contacted her, but she has left the country. Please advise what we can do! Thank you!

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, Can a clinic and a doctor sue me for defamation if I mention the doctor's name in a negative review of the clinic on Google Maps? Also if they were to proceed with legal action, as they are threatening to do so if I don’t take the review down, how would that affect me as I am not a resident in Dubai and only visit once every 6 months?

Q: Dear Lawyers, A cleaning company is threatening to sue me if I don’t take down my Google review. All I did was share my experience without using any curse words, insults, or specific names. In my review, I wrote, "I saw the cleaner use the mop to clean the toilet; I’m not sure if it was the same one used on the floor. I was surprised and disgusted—that’s why I stopped using their services." The company claims it’s baseless, clearly defamatory, and intended to harm their excellent corporate reputation. They’re now intimidating me to take it down.

Q: Hello, A customer wrote a negative review about my business, saying they don't recommend my services to anyone. What legal actions can I take to have them remove it?

An interview-format article covering the topic of influencer licensing and VAT in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

The Law sets up the legal framework for the protection of consumer rights in the UAE. The Law establishes the Higher Committee for Consumer Protection and the Consumer Protection Department, and sets up the fines for breach of its provisions.

The provisions of this Federal Law, known as the "New Consumer Protection Law", govern Consumer Protection regulations in the United Arab Emirates. The New Consumer Protection Law repeals the previous UAE Consumer Protection Law (Federal Law No. (24) of 2006 on Consumer Protection).

The provisions of this Cabinet Resolution No (12) of 2007 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law No (24) of 2006 on Consumer Protection.