Q: Hi, my tenant is a company and has not paid the rent for past two months. I have filed a police complaint and eviction notice from the court. He keeps on saying he will pay every week but does not honour his deadlines. I do not wish to keep him as a tenant as this will always be a problem with him given his attitude and do not wish to waste my time. I want him to vacate even if he pays now. Please help.

Q: I'm a foreigner landlord and my tenant is paying rent. His cheque has bounced and he's not in Dubai, but his friend is living in the apartment.

Q: I have a property in Dubai which I rented out to a holiday home company to operate on short/long term rentals. I have been provided quarterly cheques for 1 year and executed PoA in their favour to manage the property. The cheque bounced, and despite my repeated requests, they're not clearing the dues or replying to communications. They have also not executed Ejari nor providing me documents to do so. The utility connections are being operated in my name with outstanding dues there also. Subsequently, I served a legal notice to pay the outstanding and vacate and for the cancellation of the PoA via Notary Public on 5th Dec, but they refused to take delivery of the notices and the Aramex courier was returned to me. I also sent a copy of legal notices by email. In parallel, I filed a cheque bounce case with Dubai Police and awaiting action from them. Now, I am not sure what are my further legal options. How will I be ensured that the property is vacated and payment of rent and utilities will be made?

Q: I'm the owner of one apartment in Dubai and it's rented. The tenant is not paying the rent for one year. I want to know how to evict the tenant and recover my rent debt (AED 40000).

Q: Hi, I have a property in Dubai. The lease expired end of February 2020, however, the tenant has not renewed the lease and is not paying me any rent. Also, the Dubai Government said I cannot give an eviction notice to tenants in March and April due to COVID-19. It's almost 3 months and now she says she is not getting paid by her job and she is making excuses for payment or renewal. Can I approach Dubai court now and send her a notice for nonpayment and eviction? Please advise. Thank you so much

Q: Greetings. I have a query. If a tenant is not able to pay rent and is kicked out of the apartment after evacuating the apartment, does he still have to pay the balance amount from old rent? Or the balance rent can be forgiven?

Q: Eviction of a tenant for overstay beyond contract end and nonpayment of previous rent The property is in Dubai. My tenant has not been paying for over 3 months, now the tenancy contract is finished since 9.07.21 and though I offered him the chance to renew upon settling the old debt and giving the cheques for the new contract, he is avoiding me, not replying, and still staying in the apartment. What is the fastest and least costly way to evict him? In case of public notary notice, where is the least costly? What are the timeframes for eviction?

س: السلام عليكم، هل يعتبر البريد المُسجَّل حسب المادة 25 كافِ للإنذار بالإخلاء؟ وهل يكفي تسليم الرسالة إلى أي شخص في مكان عمل المستأجِر؛ مثلاً الاستقبال؟ أم أن المستأجر يجب أن يوقع بنفسه على الاستلام؟

Q: Our tenant has been repeatedly defaulting on his payments in the current and previous tenancy contracts. On the previous default of payment, a notice was sent. Accordingly, on default this time, we sent him a 30-day email saying that you are in default of payment and please make the payment. And now the 30 days have expired. Will this email be considered a valid notification or do we still have to give a notice through a notary public, and if so, how many days the notice has to be given?

Q: My tenant was supposed to pay me his second installment last month which he didn't. Then I sent him a legal notice through Enjaz to pay within 21 days. Now after 21 days, he mailed me saying he will pay next month. What is the procedure to proceed with eviction and get the payment for the time he lived in?

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.

This Decree establishes a specialised judicial system to hear rent disputes and develops the procedure for determination of such disputes through an expeditious and simple process for the purpose of realising social and economic stability for all persons involved with the real property rental and other related sectors.

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. 

The provisions of this Decree by Law amend the Federal Law No. (18) of 1993 by replacing Clause (4) of Article (379) as well as Articles (600), (617), (641), (642), (643), (644), and adding new articles numbered (635) Bis, (641) Bis (1), (641) Bis (2), (641) Bis (3), (641) Bis (4), (643) Bis (1), (643) Bis (2), (644) Bis (1) and (644) Bis (2). The Decree-Law also repeals Articles (401), (402) and (403) of the Federal Law No. (3) of 1987.