Questions & Answers
How to exit from a binding lease contract
I am currently renting a 3-bedroom apartment in Dubai Marina, with the rent of AED 200,000 per year paid in 4 cheques. The lease is a 2-year lease, which, as of 1st September 2017, has 1 year remaining.
When I originally signed the lease, we were told by the landlord's son (who has POA), that sharers were ok. We were originally 3 friends.
I lost my job at the beginning of this year, and therefore had some issues paying the rent cheque. This is now paid in full, and I will settle any penalties as per the contract.
However, I would like to end the lease early. My landlord has now taken over negotiation, and his son (who has POA) is out of the picture. The landlord is saying that I am not allowed to share the apartment, however, to end the lease, I must pay termination fees of 2 months, which amounts to almost AED 35,000.
I simply cannot stay in the apartment alone, and will end up in a situation where I cannot pay the rent again.
Could you please provide some advice on this issue.
Richard
Dear Sir,
Pursuant to your query, please be informed that every lease contract includes a clause for termination, what will be the notice period for such termination and penalty for non-compliance to the notice requirement. The contract may include that whether the apartment can be shared or not.
Hence, the parties to the Contract are governed exclusively by these clauses. Therefore, you should look deep into the contract and thereafter must calculate the notice requirement along with penalty, if any, and must follow it
Secondly, the oral submissions made by the landlord's son are of no value until they are in writing. Therefore, I would like to further suggest that it is better to negotiate with the Landlord for sharing the apartment.
Further to your query, you can even email us at info@awsuwaidi-advocates.com with the contract copy so as to suggest you with any possible exit from the Lease Contract.
Regards,
Aws M. Younis
