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: Hi, We are a medical clinic where a patient is not paying a very small amount of money, 5000 AED, even she has signed informed consents and promissory note that she will pay but she didn’t. The problem is that it is not the first time to happen to us. Should we file a case with the police? Should we send a legal notice? Or what can we do? We called her several times and either she refuses the calls or says that she will pay.

Q: Hello! We sold a hot tub to one of our clients but he is not making a payment as in the contract and sending fake confirmations. The contract says that the hot tub belongs to the owner's company until the final payment is made. Please advise what we can do in this case. Thank you!

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, As a small business in Dubai, I supplied a store with a consignment and have not been paid since December 2023. It's a small amount of AED 1300. What can I do?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, Can I file a payment dispute case against a company I supplied items to while my trade license is frozen but not closed?

Q: Hello, My company worked with a company in the UAE, where we developed software for them. However, they refuse to pay us any amount. We have signed contracts, but it has been around 2–3 years. Is there anything we can do to recover this amount, which is about 80,000 AED? If so, what documents do we need from our side?

Q: Hello, A client of mine used our consulting services online and is refusing to pay. Despite multiple reminders, she still has not made the payment. What legal action can I take against her?

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.

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 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.

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.