The Rental Dispute Resolution Center, the judicial arm of the Dubai Land Department, affirmed that it is prohibited for the landlord (owner) or his representative from real estate management companies or rental offices to claim any fees when renewing the contract with the tenant.
The center told Emirates Today that the imposition of these fees is a violation, stressing that it is not permissible to write a clause in the fees in the rental contract.
This came in response to inquiries from tenants, in which they confirmed that some landlords (or landlords), or their representatives, impose fees in exchange for renewing the contract.
Tenants
In detail, tenants in Dubai reported that there are landlords and property rental agencies who charge certain fees to them upon renewing the lease.
The tenant, Maher Jawhar, told «Emirates Today» that the rental office responsible for managing the property in which he resided, asked him to pay 500 dirhams fees to renew the lease, indicating that when he refused to pay, the office suspended his treatment.
For his part, the tenant, Mohamed Al-Shariti, confirmed that the real estate management office that he deals with imposes fees of 700 dirhams annually upon renewing the contract, pointing out that the office includes it in the rental contract under the contract renewal fees.
In the same context, the tenant, Ziyad Ayyash, mentioned that an amount of 1000 dirhams of it is charged each year when renewing the lease contract for the property in which he resides, indicating that the responsible real estate management company exploits his desire not to change his place of residence and imposes that amount.
Excesses
In addition, the head of the Dubai Rental Dispute Resolution Center, Judge Abdul-Qader Mousa, said that there are violations by some owners, or their representatives in rental offices and real estate management companies, that take place during the writing of the lease, especially when renewing the contract.
Moussa added, in exclusive statements to «Emirates Today», that some impose fees on the tenant after they are included in the contract, under the item renewal fees or other items, indicating that this item is not supposed to be present in the contract, because this fee or Commissions are charged once, when writing the lease for the first time.
Infraction
Moussa stressed that this matter is a violation, and if there is no clear text in the current law, pointing out that the ban on such violations will be fully explained in the new rent law, which is currently being considered by the Supreme Committee for Legislations.
He also affirmed that the landlord may not demand the eviction of the tenant also in the event of non-payment of renewal fees that are in violation of the law, in addition to the fact that these fees imposed by the landlord sometimes are not considered (the rental allowance), as it is not permissible to file a lawsuit to evict the tenant.
Tenants affirmed that some owners charge fees upon renewing the contract, after including it in a special clause.