Q: Hi, I am a landlord. The tenant and I agreed verbally to renew the contract for one extra year after three years of tenancy. But the current contract is expired and the tenant did not sign the renewal contract. Do I have to write to ask him to evict the apartment? Thank you!

Q: Hello, I will certainly need to leave my flat one month before the end of the lease contract. The lease contract that I will have is already paid entirely. In that case, if I inform my landlord in advance that I will vacate the flat one month earlier, he cannot ask me to pay a penalty, right? Will he reimburse the last month in that case? How long should I inform him in advance of this? Thank you.

Q: Where does the law stand on a tenant giving a non-renewal notice and retracting it at a later stage? Does the owner of the leasehold have the right to refuse and ask for vacating the apartment? Can the owner ask for additional compensation and legal compensation for lack of compliance until such time that the apartment is vacated and cleared?

Q: Hello, I'm a landlord looking to evict my tenant by the end of the contract. I've already sent him a 68-day lease non-renewal notice via email, which he acknowledged. However, he's now claiming the notice is too short and he doesn't want to vacate (Abu Dhabi). Do I have a case for court, and if it goes to the Rental Dispute Office, how long does the eviction process typically take and when can I file a case? The tenant has been in the property for the past 5 years, but I failed to complete the Tawtheeq for 2022/2023 and 2023/2024. I initiated the Tawtheeq request in 2022, but the tenant never completed acceptance from his side, so now it's pending in TAMM and blocking any new requests. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Location: Abu Dhabi. Thank you

Q: Dear Lawyers, I have an eviction notice for 2025, but I want to leave the flat earlier. There is a clause in my contract requiring one month's notice, so I can inform my landlord that I will be leaving the flat in September without penalty. Question: What happens if I inform the landlord but he doesn't reply and we cannot arrange the handover of the keys? Also, I have a payment to be made that will fall after the date I have given for leaving the flat. Should I therefore cancel my cheques with the bank?

Q: Dear Lawyers, My rental contract expires in mid-August. I don't owe any money to my landlord; all rent is paid. They contacted me 110 days before expiration and mentioned a rent increase if I choose to renew. I responded that I do not intend to renew. I plan to move out next week and requested a move-out permit 10 days ago. The Community Management has already sent four requests to the landlord's company to sign the permit and has called them several times. Each time, the landlord's company claims someone else is responsible. I have also contacted the landlord's company, encountering the same issue; they cite different responsibilities. Responses to my WhatsApp messages are evasive. Today, the CM informed me that if the landlord does not sign, I will not be allowed to move out, and the community management cannot intervene. What options do I have? It seems like I may lose all my furniture to the landlord if I cannot move out.

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I am a tenant in Dubai, and my lease is expiring in one month. I do not wish to renew the lease; however, I forgot to give my landlord notice. My contract states that I need to give 90 days' notice if I wish to renew or vacate at the end of the lease. My landlord does not wish to increase the rent. He says that he will auto-renew my Ejari because I didn’t give notice, and requests new cheques for the new year. What can I do? I do not want to renew.

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.

الإخطار أو الإنذار القانوني هو إجراء قانوني يتم اتخاذه من قبل شخص أو منشأة أو كيان يدعى (المنذر- المخطر) بناء على نص قانوني أو اتفاق عقدي موجه إلى شخص آخر يدعى (المنذر إليه - المخطر اليه) لإبلاغه او إخطاره أو تحذيره باتخاذ إجراء قانوني معين أو تقديم شكوى قضائية ضده في حال لم يتم تنفيذ ما تضمنه الإنذار القانوني خلال المدة الزمنية المحددة به.

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.