Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I am in the process of selling an apartment that is tenanted until February 2024. In April 2023, I served the tenant with an eviction notice due to my plan to sell, which means he has until April 2024 to leave the apartment. The contract stipulates that he is liable for two months' rent for early termination. The tenant has informed me that he wishes to leave immediately and is demanding a refund of rent paid for the entire remaining period of the contract. He claims that, according to the DLD, he can leave with no notice and without any penalty due to the eviction notice. Is he correct?

Q: Hi, I am the landlord, my tenant wants to terminate the contract but he has already paid the rental amount in advance as per the contract. Now that he wants to terminate the contract do I have to reimburse him his money or I am not obliged to legally?

Q: Hi. I am a tenant and gave notice to my landlord on 3rd July 2017. The contract was for 12 months starting March 2017 but had the following provisions: "The Parties agree that there may be instances where the Tenant shall need to terminate the lease early, and in accordance with current guidelines the Tenant will give a two-month notice and two-month rent penalty in the case of immediate vacation." The landlord did not come to the pre-agreed date of vacating the premises on the 7th of September because I refused to pay him the two-month penalty, although I had already given him over 2 months notice. He is saying I have to pay him the additional 2 months even though I read it as only payable if I vacated immediately.

Q: My landlord served us an eviction notice with the rental contract in Aug 2024 and we want to move out in May 2024. Do we need to pay any penalty in this case?

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.