مكتب شيماء الكعبي للمحاماة

Shaima Ghanim Al Kaabi Advocates & Legal Consultants
Home Services Real Estate Cases

Real Estate Cases

Your real estate rights are protected — whether you're an owner, tenant, developer, or investor. We handle every type of real estate dispute with deep expertise in UAE law.

About the Service

The UAE real estate market — big opportunities, complex disputes

Real estate in the UAE is one of the most significant investments — but it comes with a multi-layered legal system: rental laws differ from one emirate to another, off-plan disputes, building maintenance disagreements, developer delays, and registration issues at the Lands Department. A single procedural mistake can cost you the entire case.

We are skilled in dealing with every real estate authority in the country — the Dubai Land Department (DLD), the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), the Rental Disputes Settlement Centre (RDSC), and the federal and local courts. Whether you're in a dispute, preparing to buy, or facing a delayed developer, we put our expertise at your disposal to protect your investment.

30
days average dispute resolution at RDSC
7
emirates covered with their specific laws
100%
compliance with DLD and RERA regulations
What We Offer

Full Coverage of All Real Estate Matters

We work with owners and tenants, buyers and sellers, developers and investors — across all UAE emirates.

Landlord–Tenant Disputes

Eviction, rent increases, contract renewal, overdue rent, and complaints at RDSC.

Real Estate Sale & Purchase Cases

Unperformed sale contracts, hidden defects, payment disputes, and contract rescission.

Off-Plan Disputes

Developer delays, unit non-conformity, plan changes, and recovering payments from the escrow account.

Maintenance & Service Disputes

Objections to service charges, building defects, and neglect by management companies.

Jointly Owned Property (Strata)

Owners' association disputes, general assembly decisions, and amending association bylaws.

Real Estate Registration

Transfer of ownership, mortgage registration, title deeds, and follow-up before DLD.

Enforcement Eviction Cases

Eviction by court order, enforcement, and procedures for repossessing units from non-cooperative tenants.

Real Estate Arbitration

Representing you in real estate disputes through arbitration instead of courts — for faster, more confidential resolution.

How We Work

A Methodology That Accelerates Your Case Outcome

Four steps that ensure we're on the right legal track from the very first moment.

1

File Assessment

Reviewing contracts, title deeds, receipts, and correspondence to determine the strength of your legal position.

2

Identifying Jurisdiction

Directing the case to the right venue: RDSC, the courts, RERA, or arbitration centers.

3

Filing & Managing the Suit

Preparing pleadings, submitting evidence, attending hearings, and responding to the other side's defenses.

4

On-the-Ground Enforcement

Enforcing the judgment — eviction, amount recovery, ownership transfer — until you actually receive your right.

FAQ

Your Questions on Real Estate Cases

The Rental Disputes Settlement Centre (RDSC) in Dubai has exclusive jurisdiction over rental disputes between landlords and tenants within Dubai. Its scope includes:

Unlawful rent increases (RERA Rent Index)
Evictions for non-payment or other legal grounds
Security deposit recovery from the landlord after lease termination
Repairs that the landlord refuses to perform

In Abu Dhabi and other emirates, these matters go to locally competent authorities.
Developer delay doesn't mean you have to wait without rights. The law gives you options:

Claim compensation for the delay under the contract and RERA regulations
Rescind the contract and recover the full amount from the escrow account if the delay is material and unjustified
File a complaint with RERA to trigger administrative action against the developer
Demand forced delivery of the unit with delay penalties

We assess your project's status and choose the appropriate path to recover your right.
Evicting a tenant has strict legal procedures that cannot be bypassed:

Formal notice through a notary public (30 days to pay)
• If unpaid, file a case before RDSC or the competent authority
• Eviction judgment is issued along with claim for back rent
Eviction enforcement through the competent authorities — not by self-help

Warning: Entering the property by force or cutting off utilities is a crime that can flip the landlord from claimant to defendant. Leave it to us.
Yes. Service charges in Dubai are regulated by RERA, and management companies are not allowed to impose arbitrary or unjustified increases. You have the right to:

• Review the annual budget and its allocations
• Object to unjustified items at the owners' association meeting
• File a formal complaint with RERA / Mollak if you're not heard
• Request an independent audit of the accounts

We represent you before management companies and RERA to recover excess fees and ensure account transparency.
Yes, we cover real estate cases in all seven emirates. Each emirate has its own real estate system:

Dubai: DLD, RERA, RDSC, Mollak
Abu Dhabi: Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT)
Sharjah: Real Estate Registration Department
Other Emirates: The competent local authorities

We are well-versed in each of these systems and their legal nuances.
Timing and cost depend on the forum and case type:

RDSC: 30–90 days for simple judgments
Court cases: 3–12 months depending on appeal levels
Developer / Off-plan cases: 6–18 months
Arbitration cases: depend on the institution under the contract

Fees are set as fixed amounts or a percentage of the disputed value, agreed transparently from the first meeting after file assessment.

Your Property Deserves Strong Legal Defense

Whatever type of real estate dispute you face — rental, sale, off-plan, or services — we have the expertise to manage it from start to full recovery of your right. Contact us today.