Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I recently purchased a studio flat in Dubai that was previously tenanted under a Tenancy Contract from November 2022 to November 2023. However, there is no registered Ejari to establish a tenant-landlord relationship in the Dubai Government record. The previous landlord had given the tenant a year's notice to vacate the flat, which was given six months ago. Now that I have purchased the flat, I have asked the tenant to replace the cheques, but she has refused to cooperate. Can you please advise me on whether I am obligated to continue the Tenancy Agreement signed by the previous owner, given the absence of an Ejari? Alternatively, when can I tell her to vacate the flat, or do I have to wait until November 2023? Secondly, I would like to know if I need to serve the tenant with an eviction notice again to vacate the flat. If so, for how long is the remaining period valid, or do I need to issue a new eviction notice of one year? I would appreciate your prompt response. Many thanks! Kind Regards,

Q: Hi, I'm a new landlord of the property which is already rented. Kindly advise, do we have to sign a new tenancy contract with the tenant for the remaining period? And who will pay the cost of Ejari?

Q: Hi, I bought a flat in April in Dubai with my husband. The flat has a tenant with a rental contract from the previous owner. The tenancy contract expires in June. The tenant has previously committed to leave and now wants to stay. 1. Can we force the tenant to leave as per previous confirmations? 2. If we can't make the tenant leave, can we modify the contract (rent, number of cheques, etc) because we did not sign the original contract?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I recently purchased a rented property, however, the tenant is not paying rent or responding. There is no registered Ejari with the previous owner.

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I have just purchased a property with a tenant inside. It turns out that the rental agreement and Ejari expired in March 2024 (2 months ago). Is the tenant, therefore, occupying illegally? What are my options to get the tenant out? Obviously, I don’t want to put anyone out on the street, but ideally, I would like the tenant out in the next 5 months so I can move in myself.

Q: Hi We are in the process of buying a residential villa in Dubai which is currently tenanted. The seller did not issue an eviction notice to the current tenant. However, the following sentence was added to the contract: “As agreed, this will be the last renewal period for the tenant. The tenancy contract will not be renewed or extended. At the end of this contract, the tenant will vacate the property on 11/01/2025.” On the above basis, is the tenant obligated to vacate on the above-mentioned date even after the property is transferred to me? If so, do I need to send them an eviction notice for 11/01/2025? Or a 12-month notice would need to be sent? Thanks In advance

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.

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 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.