Dubai Laws
1. Law on Bounced Cheques (Real Estate)
What changed:
- Bounced cheques are no longer automatically a criminal case.
- They are now handled mainly through the civil court.
How it works now:
- Landlord sends the tenant a 5-day payment notice.
- If unpaid, landlord files a Payment Order in civil court.
- Judge decides within 2–5 days.
- The judgment allows enforcement against:
- bank accounts
- cars
- properties
- company shares
If tenant has no assets:
- Court can issue a travel ban.
- Jail is still possible, but only after multiple steps and as a last resort.
Recommended protection for landlords:
- Option 1: Ask for 1 cheque (full yearly rent upfront).
- Option 2: Take bank statements for proof of solvency.
- Option 3: Do proper due diligence (trade license, financials).
2. Eviction Notice Rules (12-Month Notice Issue)
The confusion:
- Previously, if a landlord issued a 12-month notice, it remained valid even if the property was sold.
- Recently, some courts required the new owner to issue the notice again.
Clarification from Andres:
- Dubai uses a civil law system, meaning:
- Court decisions are not binding like in common-law countries.
- Each judge can rule differently based on the case.
- Some recent decisions do recognize the original notice, but others still ask for a new notice from the buyer.
Takeaway:
Expect inconsistency; always prepare to re-issue a 12-month notice when buying a rented property.
3. Civil vs Criminal Law in UAE (Simple Explanation)
Criminal cases:
- Theft
- Forgery
- Assault
- Serious fraud
- Previously: bounced cheques
Civil cases:
- Rental disputes
- Contract disputes
- Employment issues
- Commercial disagreements
- Corporate/shareholder cases
Amount of money does NOT define whether a case is criminal.
A 1 dirham fraud can be criminal; a 10-million-dirham rent dispute can be civil.
4. Hate Speech, Insults & Offensive Messages (Very Strict Laws)
Dubai has one of the world’s strongest anti-hate and anti-insult laws to protect its multicultural population.
What is punishable:
- Insults
- Swearing
- Voice-notes with offensive language
- Attacks on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, origin
Punishments:
- Fines starting from AED 100,000 up to millions
- 6 months to 5 years imprisonment
- Deportation is possible
Important:
- Verbal insults are hard to prove.
- Text messages, screenshots, or saved chats make the case strong.
- Disappearing messages should be screenshot immediately.
- Only the Public Prosecutor can request telecom records.
5. Choosing Jurisdiction: Dubai Courts vs DIFC vs ADGM
- Dubai Courts / UAE Courts:
- Follow civil law
- Best when assets are inside UAE mainland
- DIFC & ADGM Courts:
- Follow English common law
- You can choose them even if you are not located there
- Best when assets are international (UK, EU, etc.)
6. Career Advice for Future Lawyers
Growing legal fields due to AI and new industries:
- Tech & AI law
- Space law (UAE investing heavily)
- Entertainment law
- E-gaming law
- Cybercrime law
- Data protection
Traditional law (corporate, divorce, criminal) will always exist but is more competitive.
7. Why Lawyers Give Different Answers
- UAE courts operate on civil law, meaning:
- No binding precedent.
- Each judge interprets the law independently.
- Laws also change frequently.
- Many decisions depend on directives issued by authorities—not always published immediately.
8. Where to Find Official Laws (Not News Articles)
For accurate legal information:
1. UAE Official Laws Portal
Launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed, contains the latest laws.
(This is the number-one source.)
2. Ministry Websites
- Ministry of Justice
- Ministry of Interior
- Ministry of Economy
3. Dubai Land Department (RERA) Portal
For property-related laws.
Avoid:
- Social media legal pages
- News summaries
- WhatsApp forwards
(Because they often simplify or misinterpret the law.)
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