Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, in his Capacity as Ruler of Dubai, has issued Law No (5) of 2015 on lost and abandoned property in the emirate of Dubai.
Article (2) of the law defines lost properties as the monies and properties that are acquired by law, has a value, lost by its lawful owner without deliberate intention and found within the emirate of Dubai. Abandoned monies are the monies and properties that are acquired by law and their lawful owner deliberately abandons them.
As per the law, the finder of any lost and/or abandoned property is obliged to submit such properties or monies to the police within 48 hours and may not claim ownership of them; violation of the law is subject to criminal liability. The police issues a report including a detailed description and any other relevant information.
The law also prescribes the responsibilities of Dubai Police in implementing and activating the rules and regulations attached to the law, and Dubai Police is the entity responsible for receiving, preserving and investigating any lost and/or abandoned property.
According to the law, the finder of any lost and/or abandoned property is entitled to receive a reward of 10 per cent of the total value of the lost and/or abandoned property, limited to Dh50,000. The reward is payable whether the original owner claims the property or not. The finder may claim the entire property if it is not claimed within one year from the date of it being received by the police.
The new law aims to regulate the procedures applied to lost and/or abandoned property and also encourage the public to submit such properties to their lawful owners.
Law No (5) of 2015 overwrites any other legislation that contradicts its articles. The law is considered active from the date of issuance and to be published in the Official Gazette.
