There are times when some of us need to end our contract mid-term. So, will your landlord accept your notice for early termination, and what is the law?
The law (Article 7 of the Original Law) states that "If the tenancy contract is due and valid, it cannot be unilaterally terminated by the landlord or the tenant, unless both parties agree on such termination or in accordance with the provisions of this law." This means that nobody can change the terms of the lease and end the tenancy unless there is provision for this in the contract. In the event that no such provision exists, your landlord may be entitled to receive the rent amount for the entire term of the tenancy contract. This could be a nightmare financially, so the best advice here is to carefully check the termination provisions in your lease before signing.
When you first sign a tenancy agreement it is also wise to check is whether you need to give notice to terminate the tenancy at the end of the term. If you don't give sufficient notice there's always the danger that the tenancy could automatically renew, leaving you liable to pay the rent for the entire period of the renewed term.
Ultimately whether you're a tenant or a landlord, it's important to have a good idea of the laws of the UAE.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
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