I was meant to move out of my apartment and hand it back to the landlord on April 1, but due to the stay-at-home directives I was unable to find a new home to move into. It means I am now staying in the same place without renewing the contract. I do not have the money to pay the owner the same rental rate as before. If the owner asks me to pay extra money as a fine or has an issue with me not vacating or renewing the contract, who do I blame? I am a lower-to-middle income expatriate from India and this is a difficult challenge. AK, Abu Dhabi
It is nobody’s fault that we find ourselves in this current situation where job security is a concern and countrywide stay-at-home measures are in place. There are, however, a few things that can still be done in your case.
Firstly, with the loss of your job, I’m sure you have already put out some feelers in the job market to see what other opportunities were available. My advice would be to continue to reach out by sending an up-to-date CV to prospective employers, even in this crisis. There are still some industries looking to hire, so be patient. Do not give up hope and, more importantly, keep at it.
Next, the right thing to do is to contact the owner and explain your position as this might ensure you get some relief against the rental payment. It is not that you will never pay your rent, but going forward you do need some time to find another job. If your landlord could assist you in this regard, it would be of great help.
Another important point to note is that as an Abu Dhabi resident your landlord cannot evict you. Last month, the government ordered the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department to halt all rental property eviction cases currently in process amid the pandemic.
The government, along with the Central Bank of the UAE, has also set out a series of proposals to help individuals with personal debt such as loans. So, if the landlord has a mortgage, there is a strong possibility that a payment holiday or deferment against the mortgage payment could be arranged for him/her too. This way, no one person has to take the brunt of the hit.
If, however, you cannot come to a financial agreement with the landlord, there are still ways to look at a new rental property without leaving your house. Everything is possible online, from searching suitable units, which can be viewed via video walk-throughs and virtual tours, to signing a tenancy contract through online apps on your mobile.
Removal companies are still working and rental cheques can be given at a later date while the deposit amount can be sent via bank transfer. All that’s required is that the correct permits are applied for and issued, then you should be good to go.
While your situation is difficult, there is always a way forward to find a solution. What is really important here is not to stand still and do nothing.
Mario Volpi is the sales and leasing manager at Engel & Volkers. He has worked in the property sector in London and Dubai for more than 35 years
The opinions expressed do not constitute legal advice and are provided for information only. Please send any questions to mario.volpi@engelvoelkers.com
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
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About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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MATCH INFO
Manchester City 4 (Gundogan 8' (P), Bernardo Silva 19', Jesus 72', 75')
Fulham 0
Red cards: Tim Ream (Fulham)
Man of the Match: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
if you go
Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
