Hi, I am a non-Muslim indian expatriate, residing in Dubai since 2015. The first 5 years, I was on a working visa, and after the delivery of my first baby, I left my job and became dependent on my husband. In 2018, we bought a house together where I invested AED 2 hundred thousand from my income (I have proof in the form of a cheque). I also paid AED 3300 monthly installment for 1 year, for a personal loan taken out for the house. But in spite of my resistance, my husband tactfully put the house in his name, so the title deed was in his name. In 2024, when my kids and I were in India for vacation, he cancelled our visas and residency. He also filed for a divorce in India. The divorce is not yet finalised, and we are still married. Since August 2024, he hasn't let me access my house in Dubai, so I filed a case, which eventually went in my favor in January 2025. Since I used to travel on a visit visa, I left for India and returned in March, to find out that my husband had already sold the house. The new owner is residing there. What can I do now? Help!

Hello, How can I be exempted from paying the 5% court fee, and where should I go to apply?

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?

Hello, I bought an apartment, but the previous landlord is refusing to vacate it. The contract clearly states that the landlord should hand over the apartment on the day of the transfer. Out of courtesy, I gave him three days to vacate so he could find a new place to stay, but the time has passed, and he is still refusing to vacate and hand it over. What should I do in this case?

Hello. I went to a very well-known and professional salon (or so I thought) for a normal hair dye. The guy who did my hair left the dye on my hair for over an hour when it was supposed to be on for a maximum of 30 minutes. He wasn’t paying attention to me walking around the store talking to everyone and also doing another customer's extensions. Now my hair is potentially damaged, my skull burns, and is flaky (meaning the dye wasn’t ammonia-free which is extremely unprofessional for such an expensive salon). I didn’t even get the outcome that I wanted and the dye color doesn’t even show. I talked to him about it but he shut it down so fast and gaslit me the whole time and made me feel like I was the wrong one and I was ‘complaining about something so light’. Please let me know what I can do legally about this. Thank you.

I am working in the private sector, and currently I am in the probation period. I got a government job, so I submitted a one-month resignation notice. My current company rejected my one-month notice and ordered me to serve a three-month notice (as per the contract). I enquired with One Time Centre, and as per their advice, after one month, I can stop work and register a complaint against my company. For this matter, how will the UAE law help me to solve it?

Hello, The company has a policy allowing employees to work from home once per week. Now, employees are asking if overtime is applicable for those who work from home as well. Could you please clarify? Thank you!

Hello, Is it allowed for a company to terminate an employee because the employee refused to do work not stated in the contract?

I’ve lived in my building for over 4 years, with the most recent rent being AED 50,000. Each year, the management collects cheques and extra AED 2,400–2,500 cash (no receipt) for management and Ejari fees. My contract was due for renewal on 15 Feb 2025, but management delayed, demanding a 10% rent increase even though no formal 90-day notice and the RERA index did not allow it. After a month of excuses, the manager called on 12 March, insisted increase to 55K, and threatened eviction if I refused. When I referenced RDC, he hung up. The next day, he again made unprofessional remarks, so I decided to go with RDC. I submitted my offer and deposit on 13th March, but the management didn’t respond. The case went to the judge on 14 April he ruled in my favor. On 30 April, I applied for the execution of the ruling, and RDC says I can renew Ejari only on 8th May at DLD with cheques given to them. However, on 1st May 2025, I received a notarized eviction notice for non-payment of rent and communication. My question is, what will happen at DLD now?

Hello, I have multiple cheque execution cases filed against me due to financial strains last year. My trade license and visa will expire next month, along with my Emirates ID. Is it possible for me to renew my license and visa along with EID prior to settling the execution cases? The trade license and visa were issued by the free zone authority. I look forward to your response. Thanks.

Hello, I work for a company in the field of technical works related to interior decorations, and during my work, for technical reasons, some materials that belonged to the company and that we use in our work were damaged, and which should have been secured in a certain way. My coworkers and I were punished by deducting the value of the materials from our salaries, as the company deducted 15 days per month until the full amount was paid. The first deduction was made last month, which causes us a lot of harm, as it is difficult for us to face living with the remaining amount. We know that there was a mistake on our part and we agreed to the deduction, but the amount deducted monthly is half of our salaries, which is a very difficult matter. If we arbitrate the work and workers in the ministry, can the matter be settled on easy terms with the company, or will our request be rejected? With many thanks in advance!

Hi Sir, My husband had a judgment where he was found not guilty, as the misdemeanor court stated that it doubts the charges against the accused and found no conclusive evidence except the statements in the report files. The court considered this invalid because there was no translator. After this, if the Public Prosecution appeals, will the verdict remain unchanged and be upheld if there is nothing more than this  Can you shed some light from your experience on this issue and say if the result will remain the same?

Hello, I want to apply for 15 days' leave to visit my family immediately after my probation period ends. Is this legal as per UAE labor law? Thanks in advance for educating me!

Hello, My rental here in Dubai comes with a fridge and cooker. I believe these to be at least 10 years old. The fridge has now stopped working and requires a part to be replaced. This comes at a cost of 540 AED, which is over the agreed amount that I am responsible for. My Ejari comes with an extra addendum provided by the landlord, which states: 1. The landlord is responsible for major maintenance of the apartment (namely structural, electrical, and plumbing) exceeding 500 AED + 5% VAT. The tenant is responsible for any minor maintenance as needed as a result of wear and tear. 2. The property is leased with the following assets (fridge and cooker) owned by the landlord in working condition and should be returned in the same condition. Any maintenance required is the tenant’s responsibility. My question is: If I'm unable to fix this fridge, do I have to provide a new one? The company looking to repair the fridge is having an issue finding the part needed, as it is old.

My brother had a personal loan of 300k. He lost his job, and the company terminated him, and his visa was cancelled, so he moved back home in 2015. He is trying to find a job back in the UAE. Is there any way to get him cleaned, paying the court fine? The bank he had a loan with has been merged with other groups, and he doesn't know who to contact. Repayment is impossible without a job, and finding a job at the age of 50 is not an easy task. Appreciate your advice. Thanks

Hello, Please, I need help. I had a case where someone sent money to my account. I was selling USDT, but another person used me, scammed the person, and sent money to my account. I sent the USDT. I didn't know the person who sent the money to my account, so I gave him the USDT. Later, I was arrested for scam and using cryptocurrency without a license. The judgment came out: to pay 900 AED, 1 month imprisonment, and deportation. Please, can I appeal not to be deported?

Hello, Sir, how many days will it take for an Indian to be deported from the UAE?

Hello, I work for a company in the field of technical works related to interior decorations, and during my work, for technical reasons, some materials that belonged to the company and that we use in our work were damaged, and which should have been secured in a certain way. My coworkers and I were punished by deducting the value of the materials from our salaries, as the company deducted 15 days per month until the full amount was paid. The first deduction was made last month, which causes us a lot of harm, as it is difficult for us to face living with the remaining amount. We know that there was a mistake on our part and we agreed to the deduction, but the amount deducted monthly is half of our salaries, which is a very difficult matter. If we arbitrate the work and workers in the ministry, can the matter be settled on easy terms with the company, or will our request be rejected? With many thanks in advance!

Hello, Seizure of MOHRE Labour Card by Dubai Execution Court I am an execution requester. My execution debtor has not paid me for the last 12 years after starting the execution file. Can I request the execution court to write a letter to MOHRE, obliging them to seize the labour card of the debtor? If yes, from when was this procedure permitted?

Hi Sir, My husband had a judgment where he was found not guilty, as the misdemeanor court stated that it doubts the charges against the accused and found no conclusive evidence except the statements in the report files. The court considered this invalid because there was no translator. After this, if the Public Prosecution appeals, will the verdict remain unchanged and be upheld if there is nothing more than this  Can you shed some light from your experience on this issue and say if the result will remain the same?

Once someone has been acquitted in the misdemeanor court, then why is it showing in CID headquarters that he is wanted in the police station once again?

Hello. I went to a very well-known and professional salon (or so I thought) for a normal hair dye. The guy who did my hair left the dye on my hair for over an hour when it was supposed to be on for a maximum of 30 minutes. He wasn’t paying attention to me walking around the store talking to everyone and also doing another customer's extensions. Now my hair is potentially damaged, my skull burns, and is flaky (meaning the dye wasn’t ammonia-free which is extremely unprofessional for such an expensive salon). I didn’t even get the outcome that I wanted and the dye color doesn’t even show. I talked to him about it but he shut it down so fast and gaslit me the whole time and made me feel like I was the wrong one and I was ‘complaining about something so light’. Please let me know what I can do legally about this. Thank you.

Dear Lawyers, I need your advice regarding a non-compete clause in my contract. I left my former employer last September, and they were a free zone company. I have since started a similar business online with a Tajer license. However, my ex-employer is sending me emails daily, threatening to take legal action if I don’t close my business. Can you advise on my rights and the best course of action? Best regards,

Hello, I am writing to clarify the situation regarding my resignation. I officially resigned on December 31st, 2024, and according to my understanding and the initial agreement, my notice period was to end on January 31st, 2025. However, my contract was amended a few months ago to reflect a two-month notice period. I would like to emphasize that I have not signed this amendment, and the employer is blaming me for not signing the amended contract and will take action against me. Please let me know how you would like to proceed, as I am eager to ensure a smooth transition and complete all required handover tasks within the original notice period. I have already completed my notice period, but the employer is still forcing me to serve one more month, which I cannot do as I have another company to join on February 14th. I can't afford to lose this opportunity. I am currently working in the aviation industry in Sharjah, and my visa is a freezone visa. Your prompt response will be highly appreciated.

We served our tenant 1-year eviction notice. All done correctly and I don’t think he will leave when he should leave in a week. He tried to raise a petition to the DLD to say we own other properties that make the eviction illegal which the DLD rejected as we don’t own other property. I want to be prepared, so does anyone know what documents I’ll need to submit to raise a case if he doesn’t leave and what I need to translate before?

Hello, Will a non-compete clause be included in a third-party employment contract in the oilfield? In what kinds of fields are employers required to enforce this clause? If there is a clause in the contract, what are the solutions to overcome it? If the employer demands a huge penalty to avoid any legal mess regarding this, do I need to pay the amount?

Hello, I paid a contractor (via bank transfers) to deliver a project (1BHK renovation – full), and they did not. What action can I take against them in Dubai?

Hello, I want to apply for 15 days' leave to visit my family immediately after my probation period ends. Is this legal as per UAE labor law? Thanks in advance for educating me!

Hello, My boss transferred a car to my name. Unknown to me, the car was not fully paid before the transfer. Eight months later, the seller called me because my boss was unreachable. The seller threatened to take me to court because my boss didn’t pay the full amount. How do I get out of this?

I was notified by the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department that a civil claim had been filed against me. I’m ignoring it. Can I just run away and exit the country easily? I guess no travel ban has been imposed against me yet. Thank you.

Hello, Can my landlord evict me if he is selling the property to someone else? I am currently running a restaurant from the location.

Hello, Sir, how many days will it take for an Indian to be deported from the UAE?

Hello, My sister passed away and left her son. Her husband has given me power of attorney and a legal heir certificate. How can I transfer the son's visa to my name in the UAE?

Hello, Is there a way out or a possibility that the authorities don't deport me and instead give me a time period to leave the UAE on my own after I have completed my imprisonment and paid the fine?

Hello, I was driving my car when the police stopped me at one point on the road and told me that I was driving under the influence of alcohol. I tried hard to deny that because I had not actually consumed any alcoholic beverages that day or in the previous three days. However, a report was filed and a case was opened, but the alcohol test report came back negative. Will I be convicted despite that? Please answer me. It is urgent.

Hello, Seizure of MOHRE Labour Card by Dubai Execution Court I am an execution requester. My execution debtor has not paid me for the last 12 years after starting the execution file. Can I request the execution court to write a letter to MOHRE, obliging them to seize the labour card of the debtor? If yes, from when was this procedure permitted?

Hi Sir, My husband had a judgment where he was found not guilty, as the misdemeanor court stated that it doubts the charges against the accused and found no conclusive evidence except the statements in the report files. The court considered this invalid because there was no translator. After this, if the Public Prosecution appeals, will the verdict remain unchanged and be upheld if there is nothing more than this  Can you shed some light from your experience on this issue and say if the result will remain the same?

Hello, My ID will expire on 14th May. The company is blocked. I want to change my status. How can I do this?

Hello, What is the Stop/Suspend EXT transaction in the Labour Court?

Sir, As per my contract period, they mentioned that if I leave the company before 1 year, I have to pay 5000 dirhams. But I have already completed more than 1 year and 3 months. The company has given me a warning letter saying my work performance is low, and if I continue like this, they will terminate me. They didn't mention any charges, but they mentioned in the letter a top penalty procedure. So I need to know whether I have to pay them any charges or not.