# Rental dispute



## rw123 (Jan 6, 2018)

Hi there 

I'm looking for some help here. I only rented a room in a flat , there was no contract , no deposit and I wasn't made aware of the length of notice I should be given before moving out. around the end of last month, I felt having enough of another person in the flat getting drunken and slashed the doors then I decided to look for somewhere else. After I found a reasonable flat to move in, I spoke to the landlord who later I found out just subletting the flat about the drunken person and if the rent can be bit less. He doesn't want to do anything with neither of it, then he whatapped me about giving him one month notice in advance if I want to move out. I decided to move quickly as I wasn't made aware of this 1month notice beforehand. I moved on that day and texted him once I moved out. He was so angry and shouted me at the phone. a couple of days later , I got a call who claims to be the policeman and said this 'landlord' raised a civil case against me for short notice of moving out. after I said there is no contract nor prior agreement, the policeman said that's why it's a civil case...I asked for his contact details, name and location of police station that I should visit and I'm happy to go explain everything. I didn't get any update so far, so Im start to wonder if I should call this policeman back? and can this landlord who I later found out sublet the flat can actually raise a civil case against me without a contract? will it be okay for me just visit the police station and explain the whole situation?will I be in any trouble for just renting a room? Many thanks for all your help !


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## Byja (Mar 3, 2013)

Are you sure you got a call from a policeman at all?! Normally they should issue you a doc, not call you on the phone. Second, no contract, no grounds for anything.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Send them a WhatsApp and ask for their Police ID number as you are at a Police station and they want to know who you are.

10:1 says you never hear from them again.

As Byja says, Police don't get involved in Civil cases.


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## Chocoholic (Oct 29, 2012)

Send them a message saying you will be going to the police station and asking them to look up the number to see if it's genuine. I'm betting the landlord has just got his 'mate' to call up. You also might want to remind them that impersonating a police officer is a criminal offence!

This is nonsense, as normally you are 'summoned' to the police station. Also how is he filing a civil case? There is no contract, no bounced payments, he literally doesn't have any evidence to prove you even ever lived there.

You have NO tenancy contract, therefore he has no grounds to do anything. Did you rent from the landlord directly? Why did he not give you a contract? Who has a tenancy contract - the other person?


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## rw123 (Jan 6, 2018)

Good morning guys! first of all thank you so much for all your help, I really appreciate it!!!

I didn't plan to stay in Dubai any longer than April this year so I didn't ask for a contract nor did he give me one. I thought this would give me more flexibility to decide when to move out of the country since there is no deposit either and I would stay there till I leave most likely if not because of that drunken person. I think he just rent the whole flat from the actual owner then sublet it to other people - maybe that's why he didn't issue any contract which won't be legal anyway. There are some text/ whatapp messages between us so he can prove I lived there but that's it. He even texted me that I want the 'hard way' to resolve this for the short notice I gave him which I didn't reply... 

It has been quiet until I got a call from someone who claimed he is from Sharjah police station (I live in Dubai but the landlord lives in Sharjah)and the 'landlord' was in front of him who showed the police all messages and raised a civil case against me. I told him there wasn't any contract nor previous agreement, there shouldn't be any case. He said that's why it's a civil case... I asked if I should have a lawyer, he replied try to find a solution with him otherwise they will proceed. I asked what's the next step, he said I would need to go to Sharjah police station or Burjuman police station. I said I'm happy to discuss this with the policeman but not the landlord himself who tried to threaten me. He said I wouldn't have to face the landlord alone myself and this is a country of law. I told him I wouldn't be able to go to the police station on that day but I'm happy to go another time if he provided me his name, contact details, and the location of police station. The policeman said he will send it to me. so far, nothing. The number is indeed a Sharjah landline number, especially he wasn't like all threatening and to some extend, I actually believe it's a call from the police and was thinking to call him back if I didn't hear anything...

Sorry for the long post, again I really appreciate all your help!!!


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## rw123 (Jan 6, 2018)

Byja said:


> Are you sure you got a call from a policeman at all?! Normally they should issue you a doc, not call you on the phone. Second, no contract, no grounds for anything.


Hi Byja, Many thanks for your reply. Indeed the person claimed he is calling from Sharjah police station. I live in Dubai but the landlord lives in Sharjah.


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## rw123 (Jan 6, 2018)

twowheelsgood said:


> Send them a WhatsApp and ask for their Police ID number as you are at a Police station and they want to know who you are.
> 
> 10:1 says you never hear from them again.
> 
> As Byja says, Police don't get involved in Civil cases.


Hi twowheelsgood, many thanks for your reply. It was a landline number so I couldn't actually WhatsApp this person. I'm thinking to actually go to the police station and explain the whole thing as what if the landlord came up with any other 'ideas' just to get some money from me..


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## rw123 (Jan 6, 2018)

Chocoholic said:


> Send them a message saying you will be going to the police station and asking them to look up the number to see if it's genuine. I'm betting the landlord has just got his 'mate' to call up. You also might want to remind them that impersonating a police officer is a criminal offence!
> 
> This is nonsense, as normally you are 'summoned' to the police station. Also how is he filing a civil case? There is no contract, no bounced payments, he literally doesn't have any evidence to prove you even ever lived there.
> 
> You have NO tenancy contract, therefore he has no grounds to do anything. Did you rent from the landlord directly? Why did he not give you a contract? Who has a tenancy contract - the other person?


Hi Chocoholic, many thanks for your reply. Indeed that's what I thought it would be a serious crime if someone just pretends to be the policeman so I didn't doubt his identity when I got the call. I asked him to send me his name, contact details and location of police station then I will go speak to them at another time. I didn't receive anything so far. 

Im not sure with how civil case works; I said there wasn't any contract nor agreement. The caller said that's why it's a civil case and he read all exchange messages between me and the landlord (Im not sure if he was referring to my msg telling the landlord that I have moved out as I don't want to pay the high rent living with the drunken person )and would like me to find a solution with him otherwise they will proceed....

He is subletting the flat. I believe he signed the tenancy contract with the actual owner then sublet it to others.


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

No contract, no civil case can be filed.

No evidence of landlord asking for a month's notice either. 

They have nothing to back them up. If anything, the landlord is at risk of getting into trouble if he rented a property and subletted rooms without the owner's approval. And especially so if it's a mixed gender flat. 

Not sure how Sharjah police can be involved. You live in Dubai, flat is in Dubai, it's Dubai police who would be involved. Sharjah can only get involved if the situation happened in Sharjah.

Landlord is just trying to scare you and it's possible he's using a mate in the Sharjah police to help him but if I were you, google the number and see if it can be traced to the Sharjah police stations. I'd be surprised if it could. 

If they contact you again, simply say you'd be happy to speak with the police, in Dubai and at the Bur Dubai station and to provide you with all references, case ID, policeman's ID, etc and you will go in person to the station to speak about the matter. 

They won't bother you afterwards.

By the way I sure hope you've already moved out! It wasn't clear to me in your posts if you'd already left.


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## rw123 (Jan 6, 2018)

TallyHo said:


> No contract, no civil case can be filed.
> 
> No evidence of landlord asking for a month's notice either.
> 
> ...


Hi TallyHo, many thanks for your reply, I really appreciate it! The landlord lives in Sharjah so maybe that's why he manage to get someone in Sharjah to call me. There wasn't any contract, but he told me 1 month notice on Whatapp on the day when I discussed with him about moving out. I was very surprised about it as it was never made aware to me before. I thought he would be fine so long he can find someone to replace me quickly and he would since the location is very good. I then decided to move out quickly as I really don't want to stay in that place for another month. I moved out the next day and texted him once I moved everything. He started shouting, threatening me ....and now let the police call me....


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

rw123 said:


> Hi TallyHo, many thanks for your reply, I really appreciate it! The landlord lives in Sharjah so maybe that's why he manage to get someone in Sharjah to call me. There wasn't any contract, but he told me 1 month notice on Whatapp on the day when I discussed with him about moving out. I was very surprised about it as it was never made aware to me before. I thought he would be fine so long he can find someone to replace me quickly and he would since the location is very good. I then decided to move out quickly as I really don't want to stay in that place for another month. I moved out the next day and texted him once I moved everything. He started shouting, threatening me ....and now let the police call me....


It is common courtesy to give advance notice before moving out and at least a month is usually accepted as a standard. The main issue, however, is that there's nothing legally binding. The landlord took the risk. And he also did not make clear when you first moved in what his expectations were. So he's the one who's at fault. 

No contract, nothing in writing, no laws violated, police will not get involved.


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## rw123 (Jan 6, 2018)

TallyHo said:


> It is common courtesy to give advance notice before moving out and at least a month is usually accepted as a standard. The main issue, however, is that there's nothing legally binding. The landlord took the risk. And he also did not make clear when you first moved in what his expectations were. So he's the one who's at fault.
> 
> No contract, nothing in writing, no laws violated, police will not get involved.


Indeed, as courtesy I should give much longer notice and I felt bad that time to do this so I left 100 when I moved out and I did complain to him about the drunken person and the rent being so expensive. He doesn't want to make any changes for now.I was thinking to give 500 if this caused him genuinely financial hardship. However, he started shouting right away and texted me about the 'hard way' to resolve this and now let someone call me trying to scare me...To some extend, I feel it's right choice to move out that time. Many thanks for your help!


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

rw123 said:


> Indeed, as courtesy I should give much longer notice and I felt bad that time to do this so I left 100 when I moved out and I did complain to him about the drunken person and the rent being so expensive. He doesn't want to make any changes for now.I was thinking to give 500 if this caused him genuinely financial hardship. However, he started shouting right away and texted me about the 'hard way' to resolve this and now let someone call me trying to scare me...To some extend, I feel it's right choice to move out that time. Many thanks for your help!


Just ignore him and walk away. Don't give him any money. He tried to play games with you and scare you.


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## rw123 (Jan 6, 2018)

TallyHo said:


> Just ignore him and walk away. Don't give him any money. He tried to play games with you and scare you.


Yes, I think he is just trying all kinds of ways to get some money from me, ideally one month rent even I don't live there anymore. I wish this is end of it but what if he came up with any other 'ideas'? I hope he won't let his friend call me again about this ....


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

rw123 said:


> Yes, I think he is just trying all kinds of ways to get some money from me, ideally one month rent even I don't live there anymore. I wish this is end of it but what if he came up with any other 'ideas'? I hope he won't let his friend call me again about this ....


Hi,
Just block him and his friends phone numbers and ignore any calls from them.
You have not broken any laws - so zero chance of any real police involvement.
If you get a call from an unknown number - either ignore it or put phone down if it is the landlord calling on a different number (then block this number).
If you don't respond or reply in any way - he will soon get bored of trying it on with you.
Ignore any Whatsapp messages - but keep them as evidence, in case you need to report him for harassment, in the future.
Cheers
Steve


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## Chocoholic (Oct 29, 2012)

I'm still confused as to who you're actually renting from. Is the landlord the owner of the apartment? Or is it someone else that has rented the entire apartment and is then subletting rooms - if it's the latter, then likely it's being done illegally. Also With cases like this, the police wouldn't get involved, they'd refer to the rental dispute committee as it's a Dubai issue. I'd actually give RERA a call and explain the situation.


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## rw123 (Jan 6, 2018)

Stevesolar said:


> Hi,
> Just block him and his friends phone numbers and ignore any calls from them.
> You have not broken any laws - so zero chance of any real police involvement.
> If you get a call from an unknown number - either ignore it or put phone down if it is the landlord calling on a different number (then block this number).
> ...


Perfect, I will do that and hopefully he will stop. Thanks Steve !


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## rw123 (Jan 6, 2018)

Chocoholic said:


> I'm still confused as to who you're actually renting from. Is the landlord the owner of the apartment? Or is it someone else that has rented the entire apartment and is then subletting rooms - if it's the latter, then likely it's being done illegally. Also With cases like this, the police wouldn't get involved, they'd refer to the rental dispute committee as it's a Dubai issue. I'd actually give RERA a call and explain the situation.


Hi Chocoholic, sorry I think it's my use of the word 'landlord' that might cause the confusion. I rent it from him who I thought was the owner that time but he isn't. He signed the tenancy with the owner then sublet the rooms. I discovered later that almost nothing he has done is legal.....anyway, it's been quiet since the police call so I hope nothing else will come up before my final move out of the country! Thanks again.


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