The lease agreement is a must-have for renting an apartment in Dubai. Without an Ejari, the protection offered by a legitimate lease is not valid. Moreover, an Ejari requires you to have an additional visa for your family. It's okay, but you still have to pay all year round. The landlord has no right to withhold your security deposit check without a valid reason.
If your lease has expired, it is advisable to cancel the Ejari. This should not affect your rights to have your landlord return your security deposit. However, for a clear understanding and clarification, it is recommended to consult with the RERA rental dispute committee. Although it is the tenant's responsibility to submit the Ejari documents according to RERA, it is understandable that you are a busy person and that taking time to go to Ejari's office is something that will be very difficult for you. Residents of hotel apartments must submit their lease documents to the GDRFA, since the Dubai Land Department no longer issues lease registration certificates or ejari letters in such cases.
You can do this online through the Ejari portal and the Dubai Rest app or by visiting any of the centers approved by EJARI. In a recent case of one of the apartments I rented in Dubai Sports City, the landlord didn't cancel the Ejari under the name of the former tenant. In addition, while you may now have the DEWA connection, as long as you don't renew your Ejari, it will probably disconnect. You don't have to pay anything for the late cancellation of the ejari and regardless of when the ejari is canceled, the charges will remain the same. According to RERA, it is the owner's responsibility to submit the Ejari cancellation request by visiting any Ejari office with certain documents. Since the Ejari is associated with the lease agreement, it would not be possible to obtain one based on just an offer letter.
If your ejari has expired and you have left the apartment and handed over all final invoices to the agent, you will need a NOC from your landlord to cancel the Ejari. The law isn't very clear about who should cancel the Ejari, however, it is evident that it is primarily up to the landlord. But if you explain your situation properly, they may agree to exempt rent for a month. It is important to renew or cancel your Ejari as soon as possible in order to avoid any legal complications that may arise in future.
Leave a Comment