Q: Dear Sir/Madam, My landlord wants to evict me from the property where I reside. They have not provided a court order for eviction within the past 12 months. Additionally, they are requesting a 40% increase in rent and are insisting on a 6-month fixed-term renewal, despite the RERA index indicating no such increase. Furthermore, they have included an unreasonable clause that prohibits pets, even though I have lived on the property with a pet for over three years.  What options do I have if I do not agree to these demands?

Q: Hi, Our tenant has been violating the terms of the contract right from the beginning by: a) Not transferring one utility connection under his name causing us to continue incurring charges, b) Keeping a pet which is against community rules. We have repeatedly received complaints from neighbors and building management regarding the disturbance caused by his pet. We have issued the tenant numerous warnings but all in vain. At the end of one year contract, we negotiated and the tenant agreed to vacate after 3 months (signed 3 months contract). Now after the end of 3 months tenure, he is not vacating and we are not willing to renew the contract considering the distress he has caused us and the neighbors by going against the terms of the contract. What is the legal recourse to evict him? We understand that the first step is to send 30 days' legal notice but what beyond that? Also, how to recover the cost of over-stay as the deposit would not be sufficient to even cover the utility expenses? We are not based in Dubai.

Q: Greetings, I've been renting the property I'm living at for one year now. The contract was renewed and we agreed on an increase a bit beyond the 5% specified in the contract. 3 weeks before renewing, I was contacted by a real estate agent "coordinating the contract renewal". I found out later that this agent offered another tenant who would pay about 20k more for renting the property. But my landlord couldn't just kick me out because we already agreed on renewing and he has to give me a 1-year notice. We renewed the contract and signed it, and 2 weeks later, I received an eviction notice on my email. When I asked my landlord about it, he said "I need the property to be vacated so that I can live in it". He has about 12 properties he rents, and out of the blue now he wants to live in this specific one where this "agent" is offering tenants a higher rent. Is it even legal to give an eviction notice so that he can charge higher rent? What can I do now?

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 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.

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.