Q: I want to file a case against my previous landlord as I found out after a while (7 months) after I moved out that they evicted me to rent the apartment with a higher rent. I was checking the type of cases that I can open in RDC (Mediation, first instance, appeal, enforcement) and couldn't know which one to use, any advice? Also, is a screenshot from Bayut and the title deed enough as evidence? I verified the title deed on Dubai Land and the owner is still the same and just found out that the apartment was rented on Bayut with higher rent after I left.

Q: Dear Questioner, Abusing tenant trust for fake eviction! We are based in Dubai and have had a good three-year relationship with our landlord, who is in Abu Dhabi. The building had a lot of maintenance issues, and I always kept him informed about the increasing problems. Six months before the contract expiry date, the landlord visited us and said: "I have decided to return to Dubai with my family. Thanks to our relationship since 2020 and the problems you're facing in the building, I assume this is okay for you. I don't want to send a legal notice. Can you please send me an email for eviction?" As we knew the family and trusted them, we accepted their request. However, after moving out, I saw that he was renting the house for a higher rent! Is it worth initiating a legal case, as he lied to us? By chance, in my email to him, I mentioned that "we are leaving as you told us that you're moving into your house," and he responded positively. The emails were through the registered mail addresses. Thanks in advance for your guidance!

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I am a landlord and gave notice (through a Notary Public) to the tenant to vacate the villa for personal use or to sell it one year ago. The tenant vacated the villa after one year as per the notice. I failed to sell the villa after trying to sell it through multiple agents for the past two months. I re-offered my previous tenant the villa for rent for one more year as I failed to sell it, through email (7 days ago). However, I have not received any response to this email. Please advise whether I can proceed with renting the villa to another tenant as I am incurring losses by paying EMI, maintenance, etc. Please also advise if the previous tenant can still ask for compensation. Thank you in advance!

Q: I have been renting an apartment in Dubai for 5 years. The landlord was not happy last 3 years as they were not able to raise rent more than the RERA calculator. In 2023, they sent me an email, non-notarized, asking me to evict the property for the reason of personal use. I refused this as it did not go through court and the contract was renewed for another year. This time, in 2024, they sent a court eviction notice with a reason for sale. It was sent 12 months before the end of the contract. In the period since the notice was sent, they did not try to sell the property or list it anywhere for sale. My question is, can I dispute the notice based on the reason they do not show any intent to sell, and that I suspect they only want me out so they can re-rent it higher?

Q: Dear Lawyers, I served an eviction notice to the tenant at his own request for repossession of my property. Unfortunately, due to my medical condition, I had to rent my property to a new tenant. My former tenant is claiming compensation, which I am ready to settle, but I feel his claim is unfair. He is claiming the difference between the old rental amount he was paying and the new rental amount contracted by me with the new tenant for my property, in addition to the moving expenses. I believe it is only fair to pay the difference between the old rental amount and the new rental amount the former tenant is paying for the new property he has leased with his new landlord, plus the expenses he incurred for moving into his new property. Please advise which of the above amounts I need to settle!

Q: I was evicted from my apartment after living there for five years. My landlord informed me a year in advance that the lease would not be renewed because he intended to sell the property. Prior to this, he attempted to impose a rent increase that was not compliant with RERA regulations, which I refused to accept. He then served me with an official Dubai Court eviction notice, citing the need to take back the property for sale. Five months after I moved out, I discovered the property was rented out at a much higher price. Upon further investigation, I found that the ownership was transferred as a "Gift" rather than a sale. This makes it seem like the eviction was only to raise the rent rather than a genuine need to sell. Do I have a valid case for wrongful eviction against my landlord? Also, under Dubai law, does transferring ownership as a "Gift" hold the same legal grounds as selling in justifying eviction?

Q: Hello I got evicted from a property and the eviction notice said due to the sale. After eviction, I found out that the landlord gifted the property to the daughter and now wants to rent it out at a higher price. Is that legal? Can I file a complaint?

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.

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.

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. 

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