New law 'keeps eviction rights with landlords'

Ras Al Khaimah: Residents complained on Thursday about the new rent law of the emirate, claiming it was not fair on the tenants as the law gave landlords the right to evict their tenants as they wished.

It has been reported that the new law is confusing to the public and the emirate's court house has been receiving several calls daily from the residents inquiring about the new law.

A senior official at the court house said since the new law was officially announced on May 26, the rental dispute authority has not accepted a rental dispute case till the necessary explanations are obtained.

Rent caps

According to the new law No. 8 for 2008, rent increases have been capped at five per cent for residential properties and seven per cent for commercial properties.

The court official said the rental dispute authority has been deactivated since the new law was issued and the cases, which had already been filed, were put on hold till new rental dispute sessions are scheduled.

The court official said soon there will be rental dispute sessions that will be adjourned should their disputes are related to points of the law that are not clear yet.

His Highness Shaikh Saqr Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, has issued the new law regulating the relationship between landlords and tenants to replace the old law which capped the rent increases at 15 per cent every two years.

Residents said the cancellation of the tenancy contract should not be left in the hand of the property owners especially with the limited supply of residential and commercial properties in the emirate.

The residents said the landlords will have the opportunity to maximise their profits without paying attention to the interests of the tenants, most of whom have families. The residents claimed it will be useless for the tenants to get a rent term of three years for residential property and two years for commercial property if the landlords have the right to evict them.

The residents stressed that many people in the emirate will soon be evicted as the landlords have been waiting for such a chance to evict their current tenants and rent the properties to new tenants at much higher rents.

The advantage of the old law, the residents added, was that it preserved the right of the tenants to stay in properties and mentioned clearly that the landlords do not have the right to vacate them unless the landlords provide acceptable reasons.

The court official said the new rent law in Ras Al Khaimah has caused an uproar since it was announced and explanation of its articles have become a must.