Q: I have the following legal situation with which I would like to seek an advice and potential representation. The facts are as following: myself, my sister and our mother own 75% of shares in an apartment in Dubai. The remaining 25% owns our father, ex-­husband of our mother. They recently got divorced in Russia. We are all citizens of Russian Federation. Now we want to sell the apartment, but our father refuses to sell his share of ownership so that to make it impossible for us to receive any income from this apartment. Russian court decided that after divorce each party (mother and father) keeps his/her 25% of ownership. What possible legal options we have in order to be able to sell this apartment? Or what can we do in order to sell our 75% ownership in this apartment?

Q: My wife and I are purchasing a property in Dubai which we will own jointly as per our wish. Our bank -- which provides the 75% financing -- requests that the loan should be in the name of myself and my wife jointly. Is it a regulatory requirement or could I go with a loan in my name only? (as monthly revenues comes from me and I would like to protect my wife) Also, the bank wants us to have a joint bank account. Is it a regulatory requirement or can we continue to use our existing separate bank accounts, one for me, one for her (both with the same bank)? Thanks.

Q: I bought a property from a developer. We signed a sale and purchase agreement. The developer informed me that the title deed will be available by the end of the year. Now the developer is not issuing me a title deed and as per research, the title deed is submitted to the bank and the loan is taken on that by the developer. So I have two questions: 1. Is it legal to sell the property in Dubai even if this property is already mortgaged by the developer? 2. What case should I submit against the developer as they are not issuing my title deed? I have a SPA agreement and a written contract mentioned that the title deed would be delivered by the end of the year?

Q: Hello, I paid a deposit for a completed apartment presented by an agent. After I paid the deposit, the agent told me that it must be paid only with a bank loan. Somehow, I was forced to take a loan. But in this reservation form, there is nothing about how it will be paid. I refused and asked for a return, the agent tells me that it is not possible. I sent an email to the company and I filled out a form request for a refund. Since then, I am waiting. I need help.

UAE Personal Status Law (also known as Personal Affairs Law) governs marriage, divorce, inheritance and other personal affairs in the United Arab Emirates. The law equally applies to citizens of the UAE and non-citizens unless one of them asks for the application of his home country law.

The provisions of this Law apply to the mortgage of real roperty as security for debt. It makes no difference whether the debt is secured by a charge over the whole of the property or over an undivided interest therein or by right in rem or personal right over a property marked as sold off-plan.