Q: Dear all, Do you have a model of eviction letter for non-payment of rent? How to notify the tenant?

Q: I have rented an apartment to a Saudi national in Dubai with 4 cheques. My tenant's third cheque has bounced which was due on 20th November, and after repeated phone calls/messages and emails, he is unable to pay. He always asks for a few more days and then disappears. Currently, he is residing in Saudi and claims he cannot travel because of sickness. At the moment, his brother is using the apartment occasionally (it's a luxury furnished apartment attached to a hotel). Please advise what is the course of action and how long it will take?

Q: Hello, I'm an owner of an apartment in Dubai and my tenant is not paying rent. I have submitted the legal notice with the notary public and it's already due, until now, the tenant is saying that he will pay. I have one problem, the tenant is a male and I think he is out of the country, but all negotiations are with his wife and the cheque is given by his company. How can I evict them from my property? Please help.

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I am a European resident and have owned an apartment in Dubai since November 8, 2023. The contract with the previous owner ended in September 2023, and the tenant was served an eviction notice until July 2024. I find the tenant's behavior very problematic and am considering legal action. He has not paid any rent to me since I took ownership. I invited him for a new 1-year contract without a rent increase, but he insists on forcefully signing the contract at the Dubai Land Department without my or my POA's signature and is compelling me to visit Dubai to collect the cheques. Can you help with the following: 1) How can I get my rent? 2) Can the Dubai Land Department enforce the lease contract without my approval? 3) Given his behavior, I do not want to continue the lease agreement with him. How can I evict him as early as possible? Please help!

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I received an overdue eviction notice and have applied for an offer and deposit notice. The landlord wants to file an eviction case. What consequences will I face? Will there be a travel ban when the case is filed or at the decision time? What are my options?

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 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.