Emirates: Question: I have been residing in an apartment in Abu Dhabi for the past eight years. My real estate agent has just informed me that the landlord does not wish to renew my contract which expires in a couple of weeks. Is this legal? Does the landlord not need to give me a notice? Please explain the laws around this. Also, if the landlord is in the wrong but still insists that I vacate the apartment, what legal recourse do I have?

Answer: In Abu Dhabi, if a landlord or a tenant does not wish to renew a rent contract or intends to amend any of its terms, such party shall provide a written notice to the other party not less than two months prior to the expiration of a contract term for residential premises.

Therefore, your landlord is obligated to provide you with a two-month notice before requiring you to vacate the rented premises. This is in accordance with Article 20 of Law No.(4) of 2010 Amending Some Provisions of Law No. (20) of 2006 Concerning the Lease of Premises and Regulation of the Landlord-Tenant Relationship in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which states: “Where one of the parties does not wish to renew the lease contract or wants to modify its terms, he shall notify the other party in writing two months before the expiry date of the lease contract in case of premises leased for residential purposes, and three months before the expiry date of the lease contract in case of premises leased for commercial, industrial, liberal profession, and artisanal purposes.”

Furthermore, the “Rent Dispute Settlement Committee" is set up to resolve disputes which reports to the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, which is chaired by a judge. This is in accordance with Article 24 of the Amended Abu Dhabi Rent Law.

“A local committee (s) named "Rent Dispute Settlement Committee" shall be formed, shall report to the Abu Dhabi judicial department, and shall be chaired by a judge. Its formation, headquarters, and remuneration of its members shall be determined by a decision of the chairman of the Judicial Department.”

The committee has the authority to resolve disputes between a landlord and a tenant under the rent contract, the applicable law, and its amendments, for matters not covered herein. It can also issue provisional measures requested by either party.

Additionally, the committee is responsible for ensuring compliance with the rent contract. This is under Article 25 of Law No. (20) of 2006 Concerning the Lease of Premises and Regulation of the Landlord-Tenant Relationship in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

“The committee shall have the power to expeditiously determine the disputes arising out of the Lessor-Tenant relation pursuant to the provisions hereof, the civil transactions law of the United Arab Emirates and the amendments thereto in respect of any matter not stipulated herein, call for taking provisional measures applied for by either party to the contract. The committee shall also have the power to supervise the implementation of the provisions hereof and prosecute any party of the rental relation if they contravene the provisions hereof at the request of any party or the secretariat general of the Executive Council.”

In accordance with the aforementioned provision of the law, your landlord is obligated to serve you with a written notice two months before the expiration of the term of the contract. You may discuss this with the real estate agent and inform him of the two months’ notice and discuss the same with your landlord. In case there is no amicable settlement and if your landlord still insists that you vacate the rented premises/apartment, you may seek assistance from the Rent Dispute Settlement Committee, which can resolve disputes between landlords and tenants.