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At the start of the month I moved into a 5 bed share villa - payed two months in advance plus a 1/2 month deposit.

The lady said there would be a maximum of 7 people i.e. one person to a room except for two couples.

Now it turns out there's like 10 people and I just have to get out!

If I give notice or ask to leave based on a verbal contract will that hold in the UAE? And the chance of getting some of the rent back - what if I threaten to alert the authorities or the owners?

Is there a tenancy association here?

Hmmm. No written agreement?

Does the lady you rented the room from have permission to sublet? Or is she the owner?

No tenancy association AFAIK except for in the Springs or Meadows or one of those places.

Dubai Municipality has a tenancy office of some sort where people can go and complain about rent increases.

Alert the authorities about what?

These shared villa situations are common enough, especially with the accommodation shortage in Dubai. But I guess they're a legal grey area with issues to do with subletting and opposite genders sharing the same building, and single people living in areas of Dubai designated for families.

Asking a lawyer where you stand might be a good idea.

Alert the authorities about what?

But I guess they're a legal grey area with issues to do with subletting and opposite genders sharing the same building, and single people living in areas of Dubai designated for families.

Thanks Sharewadi you've half answered my question

i agree with sharewadi,

you don't have any legal recourse unfortunately, you could try the "threaten card", but she may call your bluff - would you then call the police and admit to breaking the law?

at best if i were you i'd try to at least get the security deposit back.

if it's a legal contract you can, under the law tender 1 months notice (irrespective of the contract period) and they are obliged to refund the portion of your unused rent (as well as any pdc's that you may have provided) - with a verbal agreement doubtful.

dbxsoul wrote:i agree with sharewadi,

you don't have any legal recourse unfortunately, you could try the "threaten card", but she may call your bluff - would you then call the police and admit to breaking the law?

I might, depending on what law/s have been broken. But I'd ask a lawyer or someone with a good knowledge of local law first.

Does the Al Ameen service cover something like this?

Really Scarlet, the best way to deal with this is to try and talk to the lady who gave you the room. It may sound too simplistic, but try it, it may just be your best bet, given legal situation is a little dicey.

She may just give you your refund, as rooms move quickly she may not have a problem with you leaving.

Does the Al Ameen service cover something like this?

actually it does, but only an option if things don't work out after a friendly chat with the landlady - and really all will happen is the local cops will turn up and evict everyone and slap the landlady (possibly also the exisiting tennants) with a fine.

you can't got to the police station and lay charge as they have a funny interpretation of these type of issues, and more than likily will turn the situation around and scarlet will be the one in trouble. don't laugh, but i know a few people who this has happened to (not in the same context though).

a lawyer is not realy an option - and even if it were, they normally sell thier services at about 800 AED per hour - negating the issue of getting your money back.

take afg's advice, ask nicely - the worst she can do is say no!

Scarlet

good advice has been given here, if she says no after asking nicely, you may just have to put this down to experiance.

I would see the worst case scenareo is rent down the pan, deposit returned.

I just read the OP again.

For some reason I had thought the landlady had asked the OP to leave. My error .

I suspect that the grounds for wanting to leave (ie building has more people than you were originally told) would not get you very far in a tenancy association or tribunal, or in court in any country. Unless your own room was housing the increased population or the increase was a lot more than 3 people.

Certainly here, I don't think you'll get very far and ignore my previous suggestion about talking to a lawyer. As the others said, talk to the landlady and try and negotiate something.