Seller to repay Dh100,000 after failed car sale in UAE

Dubai: The Kalba Federal Court of First Instance has ordered a man to repay Dh 100,000 to a woman after admitting he owed her the amount for a car that was never delivered. The ruling brings to an end a civil dispute that began after the buyer’s repeated attempts to recover her money failed.

The court’s decision followed a hearing on October 21, 2025, during which the first defendant, the seller, admitted his liability to the plaintiff. He agreed to repay the full amount under a court-approved installment plan, which was granted the force of an enforceable court order.

Under the approved repayment schedule, the defendant will pay:

•            Dh 2,000 on November 1, 2025

•            Dh2,000 on December 1, 2025

•            Dh 2,000 on January 1, 2026

•            Dh 94,000 on February 1, 2026

The plaintiff agreed to the proposed plan, ending months of proceedings over the failed car transaction.

Background of the dispute

According to court documents, the plaintiff transferred Dh 100,000 to an account provided by the first defendant on June 8, 2024, as payment for a car he had offered to sell her. However, the account belonged to a second person, a Syrian national, who was later added as the second defendant.

Despite receiving the money, the first defendant allegedly failed to transfer ownership of the vehicle or return the funds. The plaintiff said she repeatedly demanded repayment, but her requests were ignored. When attempts at amicable settlement through the Conciliation and Amicable Settlement Committee proved unsuccessful, she filed a lawsuit before the Kalba Federal Court.

Second defendant cleared of any legal responsibility

During the hearings, the second defendant, represented by Hanan Salem Advocates and Legal Consultants, sought to have the case against her dismissed, maintaining that she had no involvement in the disputed car sale and no dealings with the plaintiff.

Her legal representative argued that the lawsuit lacked both legal standing and evidence, citing Article 93 of the Civil Procedures Law and Article 37 of the Civil Transactions Law, which affirm that liability cannot be presumed without proof. The defense further noted that the first defendant had already admitted to receiving the full amount, confirming that the transaction was solely between him and the plaintiff.

After reviewing the defense arguments and the case file, the Kalba Federal Court of First Instance ruled in favor of the second defendant, dismissing the claim against her and confirming that she bore no legal responsibility in the matter.