The Rental Dispute Resolution Center, the judicial arm of the Dubai Land Department, stated that the tenant must hand over the key of the leased property to the owner or his representative, upon the expiry of the lease contract, stressing the need to discharge his responsibility by obtaining proof of his delivery to the housing unit.

The Center indicated to «Emirates Today» that failure to hand the key to the owner or his representative, the tenant enters into the problem of renewing the contract automatically.

In addition, the Center called upon the tenants to abide by the Tenancy Law and the related regulatory and legislative regulations, to avoid a conflict with the leasing party, which may lead to accountability and the imposition of penalties and violations.

In detail, the head of the Rental Dispute Resolution Center, Judge Abdel-Qader Moussa, said that “the center receives a number of disputes that relate to not obtaining a clearance from the landlord at the end of the lease, or not to hand over the leased property key, whether it is a housing unit or a commercial store”, Pointing out that these disputes result from the lack of awareness of some tenants of their duties. He called the tenants to follow the legal procedures regarding the delivery of the leased property, with the need to take evidence that the rental relationship was properly terminated.

Moussa stressed that failure to hand over the key to the owner, or his representative, enters the tenant in the problem of renewing the contract automatically.

He pointed out that the center spared no effort in spreading rental awareness among the public, asking the tenants to abide by the rent law and the related regulatory and legislative regulations, to avoid falling into a dispute with the leasing party, which may lead to accountability and the imposition of penalties and violations.

Moussa called for increasing the level of awareness and legal culture in relation to the rental sector, by reading the contracts well before signing them, as the tenant must know simple information, such as adherence to the terms of the contract, or that he is not entitled to sub-lease the property without the prior written approval of Lessor.

He stated that the center plays an important role through the speed of litigation, in attracting more investors to the real estate sector in the emirate, especially as it establishes an atmosphere of reassurance in the market through the issuance of fast and completed rental provisions related to financial claims.

The Rental Dispute Resolution Center had received a complaint from a tenant against a real estate management company that had renewed its annual lease contract, despite informing the company of its unwillingness to renew. And because he was outside the country, he commissioned a friend to hand over the key, but he did not, so the company was not able to renew the contract automatically, because the key was not delivered, and the tenant was surprised by financial claims and a case filed by the company for a rental year.

The tenant is required to discharge his responsibility to obtain proof of delivery of the housing unit.