UAE Legal Resources - Legal Advice Middle East

Can my landlord evict me if I refuse a rent increase?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, The landlord sent me a 90-day notice for a rent increase in his personal email. The email address he used was not the one listed on the tenancy contract. Is this notice legally binding? His rent increase exceeds the RERA index by a lot. If I refuse the increase, can he evict me?

How to cancel an off-plan property contract and get the paid money back?

Q: Hi, I bought an off-plan property from a developer in November 2022 and signed a sale and purchase agreement (SPA). The handover is scheduled for 2026, and I have paid 20% of the total amount. However, my financial situation has changed and I can no longer afford to make the payments. The developer has informed me that if I cancel the contract, I will forfeit my deposit and be liable for cancellation fees. I would like to know if there is any legal way to cancel the contract and get my money back from them.

How to increase rent to match market prices?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, My tenants would like to renew their tenancy contract for another year. However, property rental prices in the area of my property have increased by 30-35% in the last 12 months. As I am not a wealthy landlord (the property was purchased from my pension funds in order to provide me with an income), is it acceptable for me to increase the rent to align with current market prices when preparing the new contract? Please note that the RERA index calculator does not appear to reflect current market prices, so I am unsure of the best course of action or what my options are. For example, if the tenant does not accept the increase, am I entitled to ask them to leave at the end of their contract?

How to avoid legal trouble for bouncing a check for an apartment?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, The apartment contract is under my cousin`s name, but the cheques I issued are under my name. Due to losing my job, there is an overdue rent. The landlord called me and said he will file a case against me because of a bounced cheque. I just want to know if I will be in trouble for a bounced cheque.

How to transfer the shares of a company from his heirs to the partners?

Q: A company is registered in a free zone (Dubai South) and had 4 shareholders. But now one of them passed away and the successor is a very old lady, who is not cooperative and will not be able to sign any document at all (and she lives in another country). We have no idea who will be a successor after this old lady and these people will in fact never be interested to do anything with this company. The company is financed and managed by only one shareholder, who is willing to continue. What can be done in this scenario to keep this company and continue operations? How to transfer the shares of the deceased shareholder (buyout, shares transfer)? Is there any court procedure where if no one claims their rights after some time, the shares will automatically be transferred to the company itself or the third parties? Thank you. A.

How to resolve an absconding case filed by an employer in the UAE?

Q: Hello, Good day! I have a query regarding a legal matter. My work permit expired recently, and my company filed an absconding case against me a year ago. My visa with them will expire in June of this year. What should I do?

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How to check if there is a travel ban and lift it if I have an absconding case and fines?

Q: Hello, I have a question. I have an absconding case and fines but I took an outpass to go back to the Philippines. Can I come back to the UAE?

Can I apply for a visit visa after settling credit card debt?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I had a credit card debt of AED 18,000 in Dubai. I left the UAE in 2019 with an outstanding balance due to my financial situation. I have since negotiated a settlement and made payment. I have received a settlement letter and a letter from the bank requesting the police to release the case. My question is, can I now apply for a visit visa? Has my travel ban been lifted? Thank you!

Can I claim my labor rights if my employer did not renew my contract?

Q: I am a doctor by profession, and my contract with my company was valid till June 2023. Last year in September 2022, I canceled my company visa to apply for Golden Visa. After stamping my Golden Visa, my company didn`t provide me with a new contract. My question is can I continue working without a new contract? Do I have any rights or claim of my unpaid salaries from the court in such a scenario?

Can a civil case lead to jail time and deportation?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, Is a civil case punishable by jail and will send me back to your home county? Initially, I got a criminal case due to non-payment of my loan, after which, I just paid the fine at the police station. I am just worried that the bank can file a criminal case as I have not settled the amount. How will I know if they file a criminal case against me? Please advise. Thank you!

Do I need to serve the three months notice mentioned in contract if I resign during probation?

Q: Hi, I just wanna ask if I can resign in 14 days even if the notice period in my contract is 3 months. I am still under probation period on a limited contract and I have decided to go back to my home country. With termination, will I still have to pay my employer if they would terminate me? Can employers refuse to accept these terms with MOHRE that I don`t have to pay anything? Do they have the right to file a case and claim all their rights through the court? How about the terms and conditions imposed and made in the contract?

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Can we vacate the tenant after purchasing a new flat in Dubai?

Q: Hi, I bought a flat in April in Dubai with my husband. The flat has a tenant with a rental contract from the previous owner. The tenancy contract expires in June. The tenant has previously committed to leave and now wants to stay. 1. Can we force the tenant to leave as per previous confirmations? 2. If we can`t make the tenant leave, can we modify the contract (rent, number of cheques, etc) because we did not sign the original contract?

Landlord never sent a rent agreement, now threatening to evict me if I go to RERA

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I have rented an industrial property and moved in 2017. All these years, I have been paying rent to the landlord`s office, and they have never sent me a rent agreement in advance. Last year, 2022-2023, they increased the rent by 40%, and I agreed. However, this year, they want to increase the rent by 15% to 20%. They never sent me any notice; just a day before the contract expired, they sent an email. I had sent them an email two weeks before the expiry date, requesting them to prepare a renewal contract, but they never sent it. Today, when I spoke to their representative, he informed me that if I go through RERA, the landlord will send an eviction notice and not renew the contract next time. He asked me to negotiate and accept the increase in rent. Whereas I have occupied the property for the last 6 years. Kindly advise my rights!

My employer is not allowing me to go to my home country for treatment. What to do?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, My company is not allowing me to go to India for treatment. I do not have insurance coverage from the company, so I want to go to India for treatment. They are telling me that they will cancel my visa and I will have to pay because I am still on probation. Is this possible?

My flatmate took a video of my visitor in the toilet half naked without permission

Q: My flatmate took a video of my visitor in the toilet half-naked without permission and shared it with another person, and accusing me of taking another nationality which is untrue. What will be the cases to file a case?

What are the options for appealing a forgery verdict?

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, My friend is the third accused in a criminal case of forgery of documents. He was sentenced to imprisonment and deportation. Can he appeal from inside the jail, or will his family need to do it from outside?

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