Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

If you have a standard one-year rental contract, paid half up-front and half with post-dated cheque, but then a few months into the contract, for reasons beyond your control, you find that you need to leave Dubai... what are your options for terminating the contract?

It's quite legal for a tennant to give one month's notice even if the contract is not complete. You will possibly loose a month's rental, but the landlord is obliged to refund the balance of the outstanding rent and any post-dated cheques.

If he try's to tell you that you will loose the balance of the money, say that you have phoned the rent-control board and the municipality and that's what they have told you.

Thanks dbx, that's a real weight off my mind. I've actually just checked my contract and it says that I need to give two months' notice, but that I can live with. I was more worried about losing eight months' rent.

It also depends on your landlord. My tenant wanted to leave and I let her leave on less than a month's notice. Gave back her cheques. Depends on how greedy your landlord is too.

jayzed wrote:Thanks dbx, that's a real weight off my mind. I've actually just checked my contract and it says that I need to give two months' notice, but that I can live with. I was more worried about losing eight months' rent.

Make sure you do everything in writing, also confirm any verbal agreement in writing.
Most Landlords will be fine with the 2 months notice, just make sure you get your cheque back.