Rental Laws in Ras Al Khaimah

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is populated with expats, as they find lucrative economic opportunities. Earlier, Dubai and Abu Dhabi had the most expats, but now Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) also offers amazing opportunities to expats. Several foreigners are exploring career prospects in RAK; therefore, the emirate is rapidly growing. However, the UAE is thriving in its real estate sector and so the rental laws are strengthened. The rental laws in RAK are implemented to ensure transparency and dispute resolution in the property business. It is good to hire lawyers in RAK to buy a rental property or if the landlord needs help with drafting the rental contracts.

Rental Laws in RAK that are governed by the following laws and authorities:

• Ras Al Khaimah Rental Law (Amiri Decree No. 1 of 2008)

This rental law ensures the legal compliance of the rental agreement, terms and conditions for increase in rents and as well eviction. Through this law, several rental conflicts are resolved.

• Ras Al Khaimah Municipality and Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RAK RERA)

If you are in the property business as a seller, buyer, or tenant in RAK, you should consult the municipality to ensure fair dealings in the real estate business.

• UAE Civil Transactions Law (Federal Law No. 5 of 1985)

This law ensures that all real estate agreements comply with the rental laws. However, obligations for leaseholders are also defined in this agreement.

The real estate business is critical for tenants and landlords, therefore, hiring lawyers in Ras Al Khaimah would be a good decision to make you understand the law.

• Rental Agreements and Contract Requirements

The rental agreement is an essential document in the real estate business. Without the rental contract, nothing is legal. However, the contract must include all the details of the property such as; size and location. It must have the details of the landlord and tenant, ensuring the legal binding between the two parties. Moreover, the amount of rent and method of payment along with the monthly due date shall be mentioned.  Additionally, the amount for security deposit should be defined along with its terms and conditions. Last, but not least, the responsibilities of tenants and landlords to maintain the property, shall also be listed. Most importantly, the rental contracts shall be registered with RAK REERA – the real estate monitoring authority in RAK.

• Payment and Increase in Rent

The rent shall be paid in the agreed period. It should be mentioned in the rental contract. However, the landlords need approval from RAK RERA to increase the rent as these factors are reevaluated by the economic conditions and government rules.  The tenants should be informed about the rent increase, three months before the new rent increase becomes effective.

If there is any conflict with the rent increase, the tenants can take up their case to the Rental Dispute Resolution Committee. They can get assistance from the lawyers in Ras Al Khaimah.

• Security Deposits

A security deposit is given from the tenant to the landlord to compensate for any damages to the property or those security deposits could be used to compensate unpaid rent. Usually, the amount for the security deposit is equal to two months’ rent. When the duration of the lease ends, the landlord takes a look at the damages done in the house, deducts the financial amount from the security deposit, and pays back the rest of the money to the tenant. The security deposits can be challenged in court.

The tenants have the right to occupy the accommodation that is suitable for them. They must always take a look at the physical property before signing the contract. If the rent has been increased against the timeline defined in the RAK rental laws, the tenant can seek legal support. However, the security deposit shall be refunded by the landlord to the tenant. Consequently, the landlord is responsible for providing safe accommodation in RAK. The property should be registered with RAK REERA. They must follow the eviction rules and regulations of the RAK rental laws. Nonetheless, maintaining the property is also their duty.

An eviction is a situation where the tenant is asked to leave the accommodation before the contract ends. There could be several reasons for eviction, including; non-payment of the rent on time, illegal activities conducted on those properties or maybe the landlord may need the place for their use. The eviction can take place with a prior notice (one year) to the tenant. As per the rental laws in RAK regarding eviction, the tenants must be notified timely. The eviction must be approved by the real estate authorities in RAK.
The lawyers in Ras Al Khaimah can help tenants with the wrongful eviction, ensuring justice to their case.

There could be several disputes in a rental agreement. The landlords and tenants can resolve those disputes through mediation and committee services. The rental dispute resolution committee protects tenants from unlawful evictions, disagreements over increased rents, and maintenance of the property. Nowadays, many lawyers in Ras Al Khaimah prefer mediation as it is a friendly settlement between both parties, and no intervention from the court is required.
To avoid any kind of rental dispute, it is important to hire a legal consultant for your case, especially as an expat should you be careful with the rental agreements.

Additional Reading: Rental Laws in Ajman