Q: I have a small consulting firm. I did some work for a UAE based firm for which the total invoice value is around AED 33k. Invoices are pending for 6 months or more and the other party is not responding well. However, they continue their activities and pay other contractors. Can something be done to recover my due payment asap? I have a signed agreement and work correspondence in writing.

Q: Can we add a special clause for charging some additional amount to the clients after the delivery of our product/service for delayed payment, which exceeds the time specifically mentioned in service contracts?

Q: Hello, I have a question, few customers are not paying my invoices. We have followed up several times with them. They are not responding to anything after almost 2 years of waiting. How can we get our payment from those companies? Can you guide us? Regards F.

Q: Our company (Ajman Freezone) has delivered goods to a company in Mainland Dubai. The payment terms agreed on 30% on order confirmation and 70% on delivery of goods to the warehouse in Dubai. The customer paid 30% on the order confirmation and failed to settle the 70% on delivery of the goods to their warehouse. Upon confronting the customer that he failed to comply with the payment terms, he asked to pay in installments. We agreed on five monthly installments and the customer confirmed the date and amount of the payments via email. Oct 2020, November 2020, December 2020, January 2021 and February 2021. He failed to pay December 2020, January 2021 and February 2021. Since then he has been avoiding us, and only when we keep pressuring him, he pays small amounts, which are not equal to the monthly installments agreed upon. The installments were confirmed, but not handed over as PDC. Kindly advise what can be done in this case and if it is feasible to go to court.

Q: Our company is located in India. A Dubai-based company purchased goods from us and they have to pay an amount around 150000 dirhams. What we can do?  What is the next action and how can we enforce payment?

Q: Dear sir/madam, I am from Kenya. We supplied flowers to a customer and since February 2021, he has not paid except for some little minimum amount. How do I recover my money? He keeps giving empty promises.

Q: A company owes my company around AED 80,000. We filed a case and got a favorable judgment. We have filed for execution of judgment. However, it has been almost 2 years and we have not yet received the payment. The other company has stopped its operations but the Owner and Manager who is Emirati are still in Dubai. - Will I get my money if the other company has stopped operations? They have closed their office but they have not closed their license. - Unfortunately, I have to shut down my company. If I close the company, can I still encash a cheque received in the company's name? Is there any way to inform the court that if money is received, I can receive it in my account instead of my company?

Q: Hello, Our customer has gone into liquidation, and we are shipping goods to Saudi Arabia. We have stopped the shipment and requested payment of their outstanding balance. How can we request to take ownership of their goods to sell in order to recover our outstanding invoices? Is this possible in Dubai Courts?

An interview-format article covering the topic of getting paid for small businesses in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

An interview-format article covering the topic of how to increase chances of getting your invoices paid in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

An interview-format article covering the topic of payment orders in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

تبرز الحاجة عند وجود تعاملات بين الشركات التجارية والأفراد لإيجاد طريقة ناجعة وسريعة لتحصيل الحقوق للدائنين، ومنها أوامر الأداء. الأصل حق الدائن في الالتجاء إلى المحكمة للمطالبة بحقه قبل خصمه، و الاستثناء الالتجاء إلى طريق استصدار أمر الأداء. وقد أجاز المشرع الإماراتي لكل من لدية سند دين مستحق الأداء ومعلوم المقدار وغير معلق على شرط أن يسلك طريق أمر الأداء لإقتضاء حقه.

The provisions of this law, promulgating UAE Civil Code, govern the civil transactions in the United Arab Emirates. The commercial transactions remain subject to the laws and regulations applicable in their regard.

The law promulgates UAE Civil Procedures Code (Civil Procedure Law) which governs civil procedures in the United Arab Emirates, including the prosecution before the courts, litigation and execution.

This Law applies to merchants, as well as to all acts of commerce carried out in the UAE by any person even though he be not a trader. Commercial matters regarding which specific Federal laws are issued shall be subject to the provisions of such laws, and to the provisions hereof which do not contradict with said laws.

The provisions of this law On Evidence in Civil and Commercial Transactions (Law of Evidence) govern evidence in civil and commercial disputes in the UAE.