"Landlords in the UAE: the right to disconnect air conditioners?"?"

Here is the revised text:

Question:

I have been renting an apartment for the past three years, and my lease has expired. My landlord notified me three months before the lease renewal and increased the rent by 15 percent. I replied by email and rejected the rent increase, as the rental index from the Real Estate Regulatory Agency shows that my current rent is in line with this year. The landlord did not accept this and insisted on the rent increase. He also verbally suggested that I find another place if I did not agree. I did not agree and contacted the Rental Dispute Resolution Center of the Dubai Land Department. The judge ruled in my favor and approved my request for no rent increase. However, the decision was made one day before my lease expired. I sent the judge's decision to my landlord via email and attached copies of my checks based on last year's rent. There was no response to my email, but when I spoke with the manager, he said that my offer and deposit were rejected. Five days later, the landlord turned off the air conditioning. I asked the building maintenance team to fix this, but they said that since my lease had expired, they could not provide support. I informed the maintenance team that I was going to contact the police to file a complaint and called 999. The police came to my apartment, and I received an SMS confirming the case number, but I cannot find out more information. I went to the police station and asked what they could do to make my landlord turn on the air conditioning, but the police said they could not help, as this is a matter against the landlord, and only the court can resolve it. I still do not have air conditioning, and it is becoming unbearable in the summer. What should my next course of action be? A.K., Dubai

Response:

Indeed, while the police may be able to pressure a person to agree, the fact that you are in a dispute with the same person means that you can only obtain a resolution from the court. I advise you to contact the Rental Dispute Resolution Center to enforce the terms of the lease, especially if the judge has ruled in your favor.

The landlord cannot arbitrarily turn off the air conditioning, as this is not permitted. Therefore, I am absolutely confident that the judge will be able to uphold the original decision and compel the landlord to accept the situation. Another option is to try to negotiate with the landlord. Even though the rental calculator from Rera indicates what is allowed or not for the next renewal, you can also propose a rent increase, albeit less than the 15 percent the landlord wanted. I say this because, despite the law being on your side, this process is clearly stressful, time-consuming, and very inconvenient for you and your family. It is important to maintain friendly business relations with your landlord, and sometimes that means agreeing to terms that may not be covered by the law.

Question:

My husband and I are currently considering purchasing property in Dubai for living. The property is suitable in terms of location, it meets our space needs, and we think we should proceed with the deal. During the inspection, we asked the real estate agent when the property would be vacated and received some information that is not 100% clear. The current tenant has a lease until February 2024. The landlord sent an eviction notice to the current tenant in June 2023. As new landlords, do we need to send a new eviction notice to the tenant? There is conflicting information, and RERA does not always provide the same answer. Some say a new eviction notice is required, while others say it is enough to inform that there has been a change of ownership and that the eviction notice is still valid. We would be willing to wait 12 months, but we just want to make sure we are making the right decision. F.L., Dubai

Response:

Despite the fact that the law does not set precedents, it has been shown in the past that if a tenant takes the case to the Rental Dispute Resolution Center (RDSC), the judge at the hearing is likely to require you to send your own notice 12 months in advance for the purpose of evicting the tenant. I believe the reason for this is that when the current landlord sent their own eviction notice, it was probably due to a sale, whereas your reason for eviction is different, as it relates to your own use. However, you will need to try to negotiate with the current tenant to see if they would agree to vacate the property in June 2024, according to the original notice from the previous landlord. I mean, you could offer some form of compensation to make the tenant's decision to move by that date easier. Another option is that you become an unwanted landlord and send a new eviction notice 12 months after you officially become the owner.