Question: I rented out my new apartment two years ago. However, my tenant recently moved out of the property.
An inspection company that assessed the property after the tenant moved out suggested that I repaint the unit.
However, the tenant has refused to pay for minor damages in the property or repaint it.
He has also asked me not to deduct any money from his security deposit. Is he right? MO, Dubai
Answer: Landlords hold on to a security deposit in case repairs are needed at the property after the tenant has vacated, or in case of any outstanding invoices such as utility charges.
The property should be returned to the landlord in the same condition that it was offered to the tenant at the start of the lease agreement.
If your apartment was new, I presume all the paint work was in excellent condition on handover.
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You would be within your rights to claim the cost of repainting and cleaning, and/or repairing anything to return the unit to the same condition at handover.
The tenant can either pay for the work and you return the security deposit in full, or you use the deposit to do the work and return the remaining funds to him.
Q: My landlord served me with a 12-month eviction notice on March 31 last year and I need to vacate the property by April 1.
However, the owner is set to sell the property well before the expiry of his eviction notice.
If the transfer of ownership happens before the eviction date, does the new owner have to serve me a separate 12-month eviction notice?
If so, will the old lease terms (such as rent) be valid until the end of this new eviction notice?
If I agree to vacate the property many months before the eviction date, can I claim compensation from the new owner? JS, Dubai
A: In the past, some judges at the Rent Dispute Settlement Committee have requested the new owner of a rented property to issue their own 12-month notice to vacate, if they or their next of kin to the first degree need to use the property.
This is irrespective of the old owner having already served a 12-month eviction notice.
However, it is not guaranteed that this judgment will be carried out all the time as it is up to the judge at the RDSC to decide.
The old contract or lease has to be adhered to in its entirety and only changes communicated in writing 90 days before the renewal date will be allowed. So, your contract terms should remain the same as before.
In case you decide to vacate the unit earlier, it is up to you to negotiate and agree with the new owner regarding any compensation owed.
Q: My tenant recently vacated the apartment I own but left an outstanding air-conditioning bill of about Dh4,000.
He handed over a cheque to the building's management but when I deposited it in the bank, it bounced.
I sent him a message but he wants me to release his security deposit of about Dh4,300 before he can pay the outstanding bill.
However, the tenant caused damage to the property, which now has leakages, defective lights and holes drilled in the walls. I can assess the cost of damage only after consulting with my contractor.
Meanwhile, the building's management is asking me to pay the air conditioning bill as soon as possible because I need to move into the apartment. What can I do? SM, Dubai
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A: If you trust your tenant, then go ahead and refund the deposit to allow him to pay the air conditioning bill.
However, I am sure you do not have faith in him. Returning the deposit will weaken your position to retrieve any money.
The only solution I can propose is if the tenant can leave something of value for you to hold as security — but only if they are happy to do so as a gesture of goodwill.
Once you are in possession of this, you can perhaps return the deposit money for him to then pay the outstanding bill.
When he would like his item returned, he can pay you what is owed to retrieve it.
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
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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The%20Little%20Mermaid%20
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THE%20SPECS
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Results
Stage 5:
1. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Team Jumbo-Visma 04:19:08
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 00:00:03
3. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers
4. Sergio Higuita (COL) EF Education-Nippo 00:00:05
5. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:06
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 17:09:26
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers 00:00:45
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:01:12
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Team Jumbo-Visma 00:01:54
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo 00:01:56
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
