Questions & Answers - Legal Advice Middle East

A tenant usually defaults on rent payments. How can I evict him?

Q: Hi, I have a tenant who defaulted on rent payment. His cheque bounced due to account closure. He promised cash payment but hasn`t delivered. I want to evict him. The property is in Dubai. How do I proceed legally? Appreciate step-by-step guidance according to the law. Thank you!

Privacy breach by former maid. How can she be held accountable for her dishonest actions?

Q: Hello, I`m seeking legal assistance for a concerning situation involving my former maid. She took private photos inside my home and is now sharing them with my ex-partner, while also fabricating dates and being untruthful multiple times. I aim to take legal action to address her breach of privacy and hold her accountable for her dishonest actions. Can you assist me in navigating this matter and ensuring she acknowledges her wrongdoing? Thank you for your support!

How can I renew my trade license for a Sharjah free zone company online by myself?

Q: Hello, I’ve been quoted 15,000 to renew my trade license for the free zone in Sharjah. The visa and business setup last year cost 15,000. Shouldn`t it be cheaper, and how can I do this online myself?

Visa application is rejected for security reasons. How to resolve this?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I have recently been rejected for a UAE visa due to "security reasons". I have been working for a company for 5 years. I canceled my visa in November and reapplied a few days ago. I am from India, and the application category is technician, with Sharjah handling the application process.

If I wait until the MoU expires, will the apartment purchase auto-cancel?

Q: Hello, Legal Advice Middle East I am writing to seek your advice on my ongoing process of buying an apartment in Dubai Marina. I have signed an MoU with the seller, it is valid until 21 May 2024. I have done the valuation process but the result was not reaching the selling price at all so I couldn`t proceed with the mortgage. In good faith, I was seeking another way and was willing to conduct a 2nd valuation and pay for it again, and still, the result came out unfavorably again for the 2nd valuation. This means I cannot get the mortgage from the bank at 80% of what I am hoping for. Therefore, I would like to ask the seller to either sell the apartment to me at the valued rate or cancel the MoU altogether and not proceed with the sale. My questions: Can I just wait for the MoU to expire on 21 May without doing anything? Would this cancel the MoU automatically if it`s reached expiration? Can the seller sue me and get the 10% deposit cheque amount? What would you suggest I do in this case?

Hair salon dye application resulted in scalp injury. What are my options?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I got my hair dyed at a salon. I told them not to put the dye on my scalp because I have had very bad reactions before. I even showed them pictures of how bad the reaction was. They said they use organic dye, assured me I wouldn`t get a reaction, and proceeded to put it on my scalp. That evening, my scalp began to redden, and the back of my neck and ears were sore. The next day, blisters had formed on my ears, and my neck was hot and throbbing. I went back to the salon to ask what dye they used. It said on the pack it shouldn`t be used if you`ve had previous reactions to dying hair and they should do a patch test. They called the owner but she was out for dinner so she said she would call me back which still hasn`t. Is there anything I can do? I feel the salon hasn`t taken my reaction seriously at all.

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Despite paying for ILOE insurance, the insurance company denies my claim. Is that legal?

Q: Good day, I received a notice of termination two weeks ago. I paid for annual ILOE insurance in Dubai in July 2023, but the insurance company informed me that I am not eligible to claim. Is that true? My feeling is that they do not want to cover it. Please let me know if you think I am qualified to submit the claim. Thanks a lot!

After the labor case judgment is issued via the Smart Justice system, what is next?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I received a labor case judgment via the Smart Justice system in Ajman. It stipulates that the employer must pay a certain settlement amount and legal expenses and cancel my residency. What happens after the judgment? Does the court give time to the company, or do we need to file for execution?

Bank rejects my dispute for unauthorized transactions. What next?

Q: Good day, I`m using a credit card with one of the banks in the UAE. I received an SMS stating that my card was added to Apple Pay, followed by a debit transaction of AED 15,000, then two OTPs, and finally seven debit transactions. By the time I blocked the card, a total of eight transactions had occurred, amounting to more than AED 90,000. I immediately called the bank after blocking the card and reported all the fraudulent transactions. I also sent Dispute Forms the same day. The next week, the bank sent me an email rejecting all dispute transactions, stating that they were done in a secure environment with Apple Wallet, etc., and were tokenized transactions. Now they are asking me to pay all outstanding amounts. I did not authorize these transactions, never entered any OTP anywhere, and informed the bank within less than one hour of these fraudulent transactions. How can I resolve this situation? Do I have a chance of winning if I file a civil case?

Buyer's agency proposes paying us less than agreed in the contract. What to do?

Q: Hello! As a real estate agency, we recently closed a deal on a plot. The buyer`s agency signed an Agreement to Agreement (A2A) with us (agreement with printouts and signatures on the bottom side). There was a fixed percentage that they should pay us. However, they are now suggesting they will pay us a lower percentage than specified in the contract. What can we do in this situation? Can we pursue legal action?

How long will it take to cancel my visa after resigning to join a new employer?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I worked in a company for the past 22 months. Now, I`ve received an offer letter from another company, so I gave a one-month notice period and resigned. My questions are: How long will it take to cancel my visa? How much gratuity will I receive? Can I claim money for a return ticket? Additionally, I worked full 10-hour shifts during Ramadan and public holidays, so how much should they pay me for that?

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Can I get a UAE visa if I've had syphilis but received treatment?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, Can I get a UAE visa if I have tested positive for syphilis but have already received treatment?

Applied for freelance visa after overstaying, still awaiting approval. Will I get deported?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, Last year, after serving my first company for 2 years, I received my cancellation letter and gratuity. Another company offered me work and promised to arrange my visa, but they failed to do so until I overstayed. I did some work that helped me apply for fines reduction and pay off fines. I paid some money for a Freelance Visa, but until now, I have only received an offer letter and a labor card from them. What should I do? I`m afraid of being deported.

As a tourist visiting the UAE, am I allowed to carry my HIV medication?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, As a tourist visiting the UAE for travel and tourism purposes for only 4 days, am I allowed to carry my HIV medication? After the UAE, I will be traveling to India for 20 days, so I will have medication for a total of 26 days with me when I enter the UAE. How can I travel and enter?

How to respond to a legal notice from the ex-wife of my brother claiming money from us?

Q: I am from outside the UAE and would like to ask some questions about a possible adversarial proceeding against a legal consultant and a private party in the UAE. A legal counsel from Dubai sent us a legal notice for payment in the amount of 944,586 USD and a 3-day limit of payment for alleged moral damages to her client. They notified me and another party, my brother who’s in the US. The client of this counsel is my brother’s ex-partner. I would like to know the following points based on the tenor of legal notice: 1. Can legal counsels who are not involved in civil litigation give such notices? 2. Are legal counsels permitted to estimate the amount of moral damages without a valid court order? 3. What are the possible sanctions on malicious imputation of a crime and baseless accusation? I have contacted a lawyer in the US but I am yet to be familiarized with UAE law so thank you so much!

How to claim compensation if the landlord seeks eviction after purchasing a business?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I bought a business in Dubai with a rent contract for 5 years, with 1 year remaining. The previous owner failed to inform the landlord during the transfer from DED. The landlord was informed by the previous owner after 3 months. Upon being informed, the landlord claimed it was a sublease. I explained that the contract was between him and the company, not the individual. He insisted it was a sublease, but I disagreed. The next day, he sent an eviction notice, citing an intention to sell. This occurred shortly after being informed by the previous owner. I believe he plans to increase rent and sell the shop at a higher price, using the inflated rental income to justify a higher ROI. How can I remain on the premises, or if he rents it out again, what compensation can I pursue? What documents should I collect to support a compensation claim later on?