Q: Hi, I just bought a villa in Dubai, wherein the previous owner had served an eviction notice in Aug. to the tenant with the reason that he intends to sell the property. Based on this eviction notice, I bought the property, and now I was told that I need to serve a new eviction notice to the tenant again as a new owner. If I do this, then the tenant will get 12 months to vacate from the new notice date. Then what is the use of the old eviction notice? As I understand the new owner will need to honor all obligations of the old landlord and in which case the new landlord should also be entitled to the right of eviction notice served by the old landlord, right? Kindly clarify

Q: Good morning I would like to know if one buys a tenanted house with an already served notice of eviction to the tenant, does the new owner have to re-serve a new 12 months notice, or does the first notice remain in force? I read that if the sales contract mentioned that a notice has already been served, the new owner does not have to serve a new notice. Could you please advise? What should the sales contract say exactly? Also, since the current owner already served notice, can he also ask for a rent increase if he does so before 90 days of the contract renewal? Thanks in advance

Q: In my landlord-tenant dispute scenario I have received conflicting answers from lawyers, so I want to know if you have any real judicial judgments from the RDC on this: The property was tenanted and the tenant received a court-stamped 12-month eviction notice due to the landlord wanting to sell the property. The property was sold to a new owner prior to the end of the 12-month period. The tenant claimed that the previous eviction notice was invalidated due to a change of ownership and refused to vacate. The new landlord sent a subsequent court-stamped notice, referencing the date of the previous eviction notice and instructing the tenant to leave as the landlord desires to move in himself. The tenant claims that the subsequent notice has no legal basis, neither in reinforcing the original notice nor as a new 12-month eviction notice. The original 12-month eviction period will expire on June 8 and the new landlord will raise an RDC case on June 9 to evict the tenant.

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.