Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I evicted my tenant to move in, but my plans have changed since I am leaving Dubai soon. Can I sell the property? Their eviction will end in October.

Q: I am a landlord and gave notice (Notary Public) to the tenant to vacate the villa for personal use or to sell 14 months back. Now the tenant has vacated the villa two months before after completing one year of the notice period. There are three real estate agents working to sell the villa for the last two months but the price offered is less compared to my purchase price. Please let me know if I can rent the villa again since I am not able to get a buyer for the villa and keeping the villa vacant for more than two months is a loss for me. I have to pay monthly house loan EMI and it is becoming difficult to manage.

Q: My landlord has asked us for a 33% rent increase and I responded by informing him that according to Dubai law, the maximum rental increase he can impose on me is 20%. He then replied back and gave me 24 hours to respond and agree to the 33%, or else he will evict me (all communications have been done through email). 2 days later, I received a 12 months eviction notice through the notary. The eviction said it was for the reason of selling his property. Fast forward, I moved out at the end of the 12 months. Then less than 2 months later (48 days later), he rented the property to another tenant for a higher price (I have managed to obtain a copy of the Ejari of the new tenant). My question is: Is it worth it to go to the RDC and file a case? Or is this a gray area in the Dubai rental law, and there is a chance that the judge won't order the landlord to pay any compensation? Please let me know what is the success probability here.

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.

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 determines the maximum percentage of rent increase for real property in the Emirate of Dubai when renewing lease contracts.

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.