Questions & Answers - Legal Advice Middle East

The project is under cancellation. How to claim the paid money back?

Q: Dear sir/madam, My father (an Indian resident) bought a property from a developer in 2018 via resale from a Dubai resident. The project has been under construction all these years but now is showing under cancellation on the Dubai Rest app. All payments have been made from our side. What legal recourse can we take? And who do we approach in such a condition?

The contracts do not define where disputes could be handled. What to do?

Q: Dear sir/madam, We are a U.K-based company. We signed a contract with a U.K-based company and a Dubai-based company. Both of the latter companies are owned by the same owner - who moved to Dubai for tax reasons. We handled sales for his company. At some point, he breached the contract by making sales behind our back and so we terminated the contract citing breaches, and sent a pre-sue letter. Stupidly, our contract didn’t have a country clause for where disputes could be handled even though all contracted work happened in the U.K. In an attempt to beat us to the punch, the owner of the Dubai (and U.K.) company filed a lawsuit against us in Dubai. Here is my question: Would I not attend my first instance hearing and sue them from the U.K? Or do I risk it and defend in Dubai and counter sue there? I’m absolutely petrified to make the wrong move. Also what would happen to me personally if there is a judgment against me given I may ignore their proceedings?

التوقيع على أوراق إنهاء الخدمة رغم عدم استلام كافة المستحقات

س: السلام عليكم، لم أتقاضى الراتب منذ ستة أشهر وأستلم بشكلٍ متقطع. سؤالي: في حالة إنهاء خدماتي، هل عليّ التوقيع على استلام الرسالة؟ أم عليّ الحصول على مستحقاتي قبل التوقيع؟ وبماذا تنصحني؟ وكيف أحصل على حقوقي؟ ومتى عليّ توكيل محامي ورفع الدعوى؟ الشكر والتقدير لكم!

Working for 20hrs a day without vacations. What to do?

Q: Dear sir/madam, Is It possible to complain about my working hours? I am 3 years and a half worker; working as a domestic helper with the same employer and my working hours are still not changed. I work almost 20hrs a day. There are no weekly off days. For almost 4 years, my passport is with them.

Will the contracts drafted in English be admissible in the courts of the UAE?

Q: Hello, Will the contracts drafted in English be admissible in the courts of the UAE? Or one must only draft a contract in Arabic?

How to let the tenant vacate the property after purchasing it?

Q: Hi! I have recently purchased an apartment in Dubai and was planning to move to it. The tenant verbally said that he was leaving, but now refuses to vacate. The contract with the previous landlord expires in 3 days. His rent is below the market rate. Can I increase the rate? How can I evict him?

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Can I take a sick leave certificate to be absent during the notice period?

Q: Good morning. Please, I would like to ask. Can I take a sick leave certificate to be absent during the notice period? I am not feeling well and planning on taking a sick leave for two days. Will these two days be deducted from my gratuity? Also is the notice period month salary paid by the employer? Or I do work for free for the whole month? Thanks in advance

Will I be eligible to my gratuity if I resigned while on a long unpaid leave?

Q: Greetings Sir, I have been working in a company in Dubai for 6.5 years starting in 2015. I came for annual leave to my home country in Feb `22 for 1 month. Later my company asked me to extend my leave (unpaid) for 2 months. Thereafter, due to poor financial conditions and ill health, I resigned from my job while staying outside the UAE and directly resigned over email without serving any notice period. Since I was already sent for unpaid long leave, and I resigned due to the above circumstances, will I be eligible for the end-of-service gratuity? Thanks in advance A.

What is the process to release someone from a cheque bounce case?

Q: Dear sir/madam, What is the process to release someone from a court case, especially in a cheque bounce case? I want to settle with him.

تجديد عقد الإيجار بنفس شروط السنة السابقة

س: السلام عليكم، يرفض المؤجِّر تجديد عقد الإيجار بنفس الشروط السابقة بالرغم من عدم إخطاري بتغيير أي بند من العقد قبل 3 أشهر، بل قبلها بشهر، ويريد مني الإمضاء على ورقة تجديد بتاريخ قديم على السعر الجديد. رفضت استلام الورقة لأنها غير قانونية والتاريخ غير صحيح. أريد الآن تجديد عقد الإيجار ورفعت دعوى عرض وإيداع ولكن لم يتم الرد من المؤجِّر ووافق القاضي على طلب العرض والإيداع وتم إغلاق الدعوى. ماذا أفعل الآن لتجديد العقد؟

My wife put a travel ban on our kid during a divorce. How to renew his passport?

Q: My wife put a travel ban on the kids while we work through a divorce. It`s 3 years of ongoing battle in court. The child`s passport has to be renewed in the home country. Can the travel ban be removed to renew the passport as the child had to be physically there?

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Terminating an employee if he doesn't return to work for 1 month

Q: Dear sir/madam, Can we terminate an employee without notice or end of service payment if he doesn`t come for 1 month after vacation? Should we register an absconding also?

حساب مستحقات العامل عند فصله بسبب إعادة الهيكلة

س: السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته، بعد إذنكم أريد توضيحًا جيدًا لأنني لا أعرف ماذا أفعل وما الإجراء الصحيح الذي ينبغي اتخاذه. أنهت الشركة خدماتي، المكان أبو ظبي، وهي شركة تجارية والسبب الانتقال إلى الأمام بالقسم وإعادة هيكلته. العقد غير محدد المدة. في هذه الحالة، هل يُعد هذا سببًا لإنهاء خدماتي؟ لقد أعطوني شهر الإنذار وكان لنهاية شهر ٢/٢٠٢٢ وقد بدأ دوامي بشهر ١٢/٢٠٢٠. لم آخذ إجازة سنوية وقد بعثوا لي الشيك بمكافأة الخدمة والإجازة السنوية على أساس الراتب الأساسي فقط. أرجوكم أفيدوني قانونيًا! هل هذا هو الصحيح أم هناك خطأ في هذه الحالة؟ يريدون أن أوقّع وأستلم الشيك. ماذا أفعل؟

تنفيذ حكم صدر في السعودية ضد شخص هرب إلى الكويت

س: السلام عليكم، إذا صدر حكم من محكمة سعودية على مصري رُفعَت دعوى عليه بعد نزوله إلى مصر وصدر حكم نهائي، فهل يُنفَّذ هذا الحكم عليه وهو في الكويت الآن وقد غادر مصر؟ وهل يُقبَض عليه عن طريق الإنتربول علمًا بأن المبلغ المطلوب ٢٠٠ ألف ريال؟

The cancelation of visa while a labor case is before the court

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I worked for a company in Abu Dhabi for 3 years and my contract is an unlimited contract. I put my official resignation 3 months before and the company is not giving cancellation. So I made a labor complaint for the salary due (less than 13000) and cancellation of my visa. My case is now before the respected court and the first hearing is this month. So if the hearing is postponed, could I get a cancellation? Or when can I get a cancellation?

A developer demands an amount not contained in the contract. What to do?

Q: Dear sir/madam, A developer sent me a demand note with an amount not contained in the contract agreement and when asked as to why this amount is demanded they replied that it is as per real estate legislation. When again asked to quote that legislation, the amount was then removed from the statement, so is it an attempt of cheating and a financial crime by misguiding a foreign investor or a business as usual? And how can it be dealt with? And where to lodge a complaint? Thanks!