Dubai Commercial Tenant Evicted Over Dh2.4m Rent After Missing Legal Deadline

The First Instance Committee at Dubai's Rental Disputes Settlement Centre has ordered a commercial tenant to vacate a property in Business Bay and hand it over free of occupants and belongings, Gulf News reported. The dispute stemmed from a commercial tenancy contract worth Dh2,415,000.

According to case details, the tenant failed to pay rent from the inception of the contract, allowing the entire sum to accumulate as debt. The landlord issued a formal legal notice demanding payment or eviction within the statutory 30-day period, but the tenant failed to clear the balance within the deadline.

During court proceedings, the tenant submitted a certificate of offer and deposit to demonstrate a willingness to pay the outstanding balance. However, the committee rejected the submission as grounds to stop eviction, determining that the deposit procedure was initiated only after the 30-day legal window had lapsed.

In its decision, the committee cited Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, which governs tenancy relationships in the emirate. The tribunal emphasized that once the statutory deadline passes without settlement, the landlord is legally entitled to eviction, and subsequent payment arrangements by the tenant do not extinguish that right.

The tenant was also ordered to pay applicable court fees, legal costs, and any additional rent accruing on an annual basis until the commercial unit is officially vacated.