I recently moved out of my apartment. I was given the all-clear for the checkout report by the landlord's son, who undertook the inspection on his father's behalf (the landlord is based overseas). It has now been almost a month and the landlord refuses to respond to my emails or calls and I am yet to receive my deposit. The landlord claims that he needs to check the Dewa connection for lights and leaks, even though this was already conducted during the checkout inspection. Since there is no other tenant in the apartment, he wants me to wait until a new tenant occupies the apartment and turns on the Dewa before taking action. I have explained that it is not my responsibility to lease out the apartment and that I would even be prepared to turn on (and pay) the Dewa to get this resolved, but he refuses to reply. Is there anything I can do to secure my deposit? And are there any laws to protect the tenant in such situations? RM, Dubai
The first question that came to mind when I read your email was: did the son have authority to actually check you out of the apartment?
I know he is the son, but it could prove to be a problem later if the landlord makes an issue of things, especially if the son did not have a power of attorney to act on behalf of the landlord and therefore the authority to release you from your responsibilities regarding the tenancy. Having said that, I also assume that you received a final bill from Dewa that discharged you from your liability.
If this is the case, the landlord’s excuse not to release your deposit is not a valid one.
The return of a deposit is probably the most problematic issue facing tenants renting and causes the most litigation among parties.
Trying to negotiate your case with the landlord would be my initial recommendation, which you are trying to do. But if he is not responding you need to escalate the issue by filing a case at the rental committee.
You obviously have to weigh up the costs involved (3.5 per cent of the annual rent) with the amount of your deposit to see if it is worth your time, money and effort in getting it back.
What your landlord is doing is not right and I realise that if tenants do nothing, landlords could also use this and other excuses as a way of keeping deposits, but obviously everything has to be carefully considered.
The only way this problem can be addressed is if the government passes a new law that states rental deposits cannot be held by the landlord personally but in a third-party escrow account with access to it only under certain strict criteria, exactly the way it is now done in the United Kingdom, for example.
I own a shop in Motor City that I have rented out for the past three years for Dh140 per square foot. The commercial rent in the area is now around Dh300 per sq ft. So is there any way for me to increase the rent? AS, Dubai
The legal way to increase rent on your commercial unit would be to make sure that certain criteria is met. Firstly, check the Rera rental calculator online, remembering to change the default residential setting to commercial. Input in all the necessary details and then click on to the "calculate rental increase" button. This will tell you if you are entitled to increase the rent or not. If the calculator does allow for an increase, you would need to communicate this in writing at least 90 days before the expiry of the tenancy agreement. If you miss this window of notice you will not be allowed to raise the rent irrespective of what the calculator states.
Mario Volpi is a real estate professional who has worked within the industry for the past 31 years in London and Dubai. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and they do not reflect in any way those of the institutions to which he is affiliated. It does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Please send any questions to mariovolpi64@gmail.com.
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Background: Chemical Weapons
if you go
The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.
The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.
'The Lost Daughter'
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Rating: 4/5
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
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Start times
5.55am: Wheelchair Marathon Elites
6am: Marathon Elites
7am: Marathon Masses
9am: 10Km Road Race
11am: 4Km Fun Run
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Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
Three stars
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The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
FIGHT%20CARD
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Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
