My tenant has overstayed in my apartment for more than a month.
I informed him about an increase in rent 90 days before the end of the contract. A month before contract expiry, I requested that he renew the tenancy agreement.
However, despite many reminders, he kept putting off signing the contract, saying he was busy. When the current contract ended, I emailed him regularly reminding him to renew the lease, but he claimed to be overseas on a business trip and promised to sign the renewal lease on his return.
When he returned and continued to stay in my apartment two weeks after the contract ended, I contacted him.
He promised to renew the contract as soon as he received a new chequebook. However, it’s been more than a month and he continues to claim he hasn’t received the chequebook yet.
He has also not registered the chiller account in his name and the company keeps billing me. Although he eventually clears the AC bill, he is always late in making the payment. What can I do? AP, Dubai
Despite the fact that your tenant is already one month in arrears, you should immediately send him a 30-day notarised notification to pay his due rent and conclude the rental renewal contract or vacate.
You could go ahead and file a case at the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee (RDSC), but my understanding is that they will ask you to send this 30-day notice anyway.
Therefore, use this period to also make inquiries at the RDSC in case he fails to meet this 30-day deadline.
This way, as soon as the 30 days are up, you can immediately file a case and ultimately get him evicted.
I own a property in Dubai, which is currently rented out. I am based overseas.
I am seeking advice on a rental increase, which is consistent with levels prescribed by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (Rera), and using registered email to notify about the increase 90 days before contract expiry.
Although the tenant replied in the affirmative, he said he agrees with the rent increase as long as it complies with the government rules and regulations.
I am inclined to take that comment as lacking good faith.
What is the precedent of the RDSC awarding judgments on email? I am getting mixed views on the legal enforceability of emails and RDC ruling system that prefers notary and registered notices. FA
Any alteration to an existing rental contract at renewal, which includes increases or decreases in the rental amount, should fulfil certain criteria in order to be valid.
First, the changes have to be communicated to the parties (in writing) — in this case email is fine.
Second, in case of rental increases, the Rera rent calculator must state the permissible increase for the renewal. If it doesn’t, then no increase is allowed, even if you want a higher rent at renewal.
Finally, there has to be an agreement between the parties for these changes.
If you have communicated your wish to increase the rent in writing to the tenant 90 days prior to the renewal date and the Rera rent calculator confirms whatever percentage increase is allowed, this is what the new rent should be at renewal.
If the tenant doesn’t agree to the increase, they have to vacate the property.
The RDSC and the law states that when a landlord wishes to evict a tenant, a 12-month eviction notice has to be sent through notary public or registered mail only. It cannot be sent by email.
If you are currently living abroad, you can appoint a power of attorney to look after your affairs when dealing with official matters pertaining to notices or filing a case at the RDSC.
Mario Volpi is the sales and leasing manager at Engel & Volkers. He has worked in the property sector for more than 35 years, in London and Dubai. The opinions expressed do not constitute legal advice and are provided for information only. Please send any questions to mario.volpi@engelvoelkers.com
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Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
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MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
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Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
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Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh810,000
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Company: Instabug
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Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
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Chelsea 3 (Abraham 11', 17', 74')
Luton Town 1 (Clark 30')
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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The biog:
From: Wimbledon, London, UK
Education: Medical doctor
Hobbies: Travelling, meeting new people and cultures
Favourite animals: All of them
The five pillars of Islam
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
