Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I was cheated by a real estate agent in Abu Dhabi. I paid him 12,500 AED in advance to book a 1BKH. After the payment, the agent asked me to come back after 2 days for the Tawtheeq process, but he kept postponing. As a result, I went to the flat, and to my surprise, someone was already living there. After that, when I tried to contact the agent, he did not respond. Can you please advise me on whom to contact and what the procedure is for filing a complaint?

Q: Hi, We are quite new in this country; only a few months. We thought that it is a good opportunity to buy a property without seeking legal advice. Unfortunately, we have attempted to buy a property, but we have ended up having more problems. Currently, we have a dispute with the seller since we have asked our deposit back as the bank valuation came a lot less than the mutually agreed property value. We have also experienced some other issues that have broken our trust in the real estate agent so we simply want to call off and cancel our contract. In the contract, there is a section which sets a condition that if the valuation comes lower than a certain amount, this contract shall be cancelled and the deposit should be returned to us, but unfortunately, the amount is missing there. I was wondering if I still have a valid case to ask my deposit while there isn't a defined amount, but the condition itself is there?

Q: Hi I was looking at a property in Dubai and decided to go ahead with it. They asked for a refundable deposit of AED 14k which they charged on my card and then after checking the place out, I decided not to go ahead with the purchase. Within 3 days of the 7 day period within which I could cancel and get a refund. I had sent a formal refund application and they replied back saying its acknowledged and they would process it. They said banks are closed for the national day and hence would do it a few days later in the first week of December 2018. We are now midway in January 2019 and they still have not paid me back. Can you please help me out here? Thanks

Q: Hello, We recently moved into a new apartment on the first of this month. Upon arrival, we discovered that maintenance had not been completed, and the Tawtheeq had not been changed to our name. When we inquired with the agent, they explained that the previous tenant's contract did not end until the 8th of this month, and they had not terminated the contract. As a result, we are currently without power, water, and unable to register for AC. We are concerned about potential liability, as it seems we may have moved in illegally before the previous tenant's contract ended. What should we do in this situation, and are we liable for anything regarding our move-in? Our contract states it begins on the 31st of May, and we have paid all fees to the agent and owner.

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.

This Bylaw regulates the Real Estate Brokers Register in the Emirate of Dubai. No person may engage in real estate brokerage activities in Dubai unless he is licensed by the competent entities and entered in the register, which is maintained by Dubai Land Department.

The provisions of this Law supersede articles (2) and (11) of Law No. (13) of 2008 Regulating the Interim Property Register 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.