Questions & Answers - Legal Advice Middle East

Termination of SPA and claiming refund for project delay

Q: Obtaining a refund from the developer: I bought an off-plan apartment a long time ago and paid around 70 % of the deposit. The apartment was supposed to be ready by 2009 but it is not still ready. Around 2016 the developer changed and then we`ve been told that the project will be finished by 2020. Now, the second developer says that the project might be ready by 2024. I want to cancel my contract and get back my money. The second developer told me the first one is responsible for the project and they don`t even answer my emails. I have a couple of questions: First of all, I wanted to know if I can terminate my contract, and if so, how can I do it and how long will it take? Thank you

Re-appealing a judgment to confirm the first instance court's judgment

Q: I filed a criminal case for physical domestic violence, defamation, and threats made towards me in December 2018. After a long process in the public prosecution and evidence collected as well as witness testimony, the first instance court gave a judgment to the accused of 3 months imprisonment, deportation and a 10K fine in November 2019. The accused appealed the case and, on ALL three charges, he got "innocent". I made the request to the public prosecution to re-appeal the appeal and send it to the cassation court. They sent me a rejection SMS 1 day after I made the request. How can this be? The public prosecution is supposed to be my defender in this case. I do not feel safe as a single woman living here anymore. It is not easy for me to leave because I have children who attend school here and he threatened them as well. I need to know if there are any steps I can take to make the cassation courts take this seriously and look at the file again.

Procedures for setting up an online platform for tutorials

Q: I want to set up my own business in Dubai which is career coaching and training, to be done mainly online (online training, sessions by skype, etc.). I will not have physical offices nor employees. What is the best structure (and most affordable) to set up such a business? Thanks! S.

Defaulting on credit cards and negotiating with banks to settle them

Q: I have 3 credit cards: Bank 1 - 18,000 Bank 2 - 18,000 Bank 3 - 20,000 I am really unable to pay my debt and they are harassing me that they will file a case against me. I was paying all of them continuously since 2018. I just had a hard time and missed my payment since Jan 2020. I want to settle them but they don`t give me a chance; they always say that they will file a case. I am not running. I told them I will pay once I find a job. What is the best way to fix them as I am planning to leave the country in a year? Until now, I am jobless since Jan 2020 and its hard to find a job now. I am willing to get charged by your service. Thank you!

Denying wrong claims by the bank after paying all dues correctly

Q: I have used a credit card for less than one year in 2013. I paid the amount correctly and the last statement was zero. I made a request to close it in the same year as there were card charges from 2nd year. Afterward, I was not getting any statements or messages. After 8 years, I received a text message on February 19th to pay 86000 before March 13th. I contacted the bank and they aren`t passing any clear details. I need help!

The possibility of reducing the notice period in unlimited contracts

Q: I’m working in a semi-government company with an unlimited contract and three-year visa in Dubai where I have finished 4 years and 8 months with the company. When I signed the first contract, the notice period mentioned 2 months, but currently, I cannot serve the notice period of 2 months, and my new employer cannot wait that long. Is there something to resign immediately with 2-3 weeks of notice? What will happen if I’ll not come to work after the notice date which I have mentioned in resignation? Thanks in advance!

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أحقية مكتب التحصيل في رفع قضية ضد مدين رغم تسوية الأمر مع البنك مباشرة

س: السلام عليكم، لدي قرض من الإمارات وتعثرت ولم أستطع سداده بالكامل كوني سُرِّحت من عملي. رجعت للأردن وبقيت مدة سنة دون تسديد، ولكن كان البنك يحاول التواصل معي. بعد ذلك، تواصل معي مكتب تحصيل في الأردن وهددني برفع قضية. اشتغلت وقررت أن أرجع أُسدد للبنك دفعات شهرية، واتفقت مع البنك على مبلغ أعطيه لهم كل شهر. ومع ذلك، ما زال مكتب التحصيل يهددني، وقد تواصلوا مع مكان عملي وأخبروهم بموضوع القرض. سؤالي: هل يحق لهم رفع قضية مع العلم أني اتفقت مع البنك على دفعات شهرية؟ وهل من حقهم التواصل مع مكان عملي ووضع شغلي بوضع حرج بسببهم؟

مستحقات العامل عند إقالته في العقود غير محددة المدة

س: عقدي غير محدد المدة وتم توقيعه بتاريخ 12 فبراير 2018 وقد استلمت خطاب إقالة بتاريخ 16 مارس 2020 يخطروني فيه بأن أداوم شهر طبقًا للعقد المُبرَم وأنهم سيعطوني مستحقاتي المالية بعد قضاء هذا الشهر وبعد إنهاء مسؤوليتي بالعمل وتسليمها للبديل. مع العلم أن إقامتي ستنتهي في 19 مارس 2020. ما مستحقاتي وما فترة السماح لي بالبلد بعد إلغاء عقد العمل؟ وهل هذا يعتبر فصلاً تعسفيًا؟

مطالبة البنك لعميل بسداد قرض رغم مغادرته البلاد قبل موعد استلامه

س: أرجو إفادتي في مسألة تهمني! كنت منذ أكثر من 5 سنوات في الإمارات. طلبت حينها قرض من شركة للتمويل بقيمة 19 ألف درهم، لكن قبل استلام المبلغ بمدة، غادرت البلاد لأسباب خاصة ولم أستطع العودة. الشركة إلى الآن تطالبني بدفع المبلغ الذي بلغ مع رسوم أخرى 68 ألف درهم، مع أنني بعثت لهم مراسلة تُبين أنني غادرت البلاد قبل أن أتسلم المبلغ أصلاً. الشركة تدعي أنني استلمت المبلغ يوم 30/09/2014 وأنا غادرت الدولة بتاريخ 25/09/2014، فكيف يُعقل أن أكون خارج البلاد وفي نفس الوقت استلم المبلغ! وكما أخبرتكم، الشركة إلى الآن تطالبني وراسلتني بالأمس وأخبرتني أنهم تقدموا بشكاية للشرطة. لا أفكر في العودة إلى الإمارات وأعمل حاليًا في دولة خليجية أخرى. هل يمكن أن ترفع الشركة قضية ضدي في البلد الذي أعمل فيه اليوم؟ وهل يمكن أن يصدر ضدي أي حكم؟ وشكرًا!

Precautions to be considered when buying a house in the UAE

Q: I want to buy a house in the UAE. What are the aspects that I should consider? and what are the documents that I should cross-check and verify?

Requesting employees to work without salary and canceling their visas

Q: My boss told us that he will not give us salaries for the month of March and asks us to work until the end of the month. What should I do? He also said that there are no more company funds.

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Consequences of causing an accident under the influence of alcohol

Q: What should be the punishment for someone if he did an accident under the influence of alcohol (nationality: Emirati) and the result is a permanent disability of the other person; like if the toes have been cut off?

Reducing rent or terminating the contract without penalty because of force majeure

Q: Dear lawyers, We need your help. I and my home mate are working in the same airline company as air hostesses and we are renting an apartment together. We are not flying as it used to be before, because of the coronavirus crisis which means that we are not paid for flying hours and in addition to that, our basic salary is officially deducted by 40%, effective from 1st April. We are now in a critical situation. We are not able to afford our rent due to force majeure and an unexpected situation. We shared this situation with our landlord, however, he is not showing any goodwill; either for reducing the rental fee or letting us check out from the apartment without penalty (he is basically asking for 1-month notice + 2 months early check out penalty). I can prove that the latest salary that I will get will be evidence of our situation. Can you help us with legal advice if we can check out without paying any penalty? Your support will be appreciated. Our kind regards,

The procedures of the court in the UAE after meeting the public prosecutor

Q: Hi, I would like to know the procedures of the court in the UAE. I met the public prosecutor and have given my statements. I would like to know what will happen next? 1. Will he be giving the judgment or there is another person I have to give my statements to? 2. How long does it take before they contact me again? 3. Will the prosecutor try to fix things between me and the accused? 4. Basically, what happens next after the public prosecutor meeting? Thank you very much!

Requesting staff to take unpaid leave as a result of Coronavirus outbreak

Q: Dubai companies are reassessing their staffing levels during the Covid 19 outbreak. Is it legal to be asked to take unpaid leave?

Terminating a tenancy contract by a tenant because of job loss

Q: Hi, I have lost my job and my next cheque is due next month, April. My tenancy ends on June 9. Can I terminate my contract now? And if so, how can I proceed?