I have been facing a water leak in my apartment since December 2020. The leak is in the kitchen ceiling and I think it originated from the apartment above mine.
Despite several emails and follow-ups sent to the building maintenance team, nothing has been done to fix the problem. The people living in the apartment upstairs are not cooperating and are unwilling to pay for the repair work.
Which government department in Dubai can I file a complaint? Is it through the Real Estate Regulatory Agency? PR, Dubai
Your situation is not that uncommon but I would suggest you try the following steps.
Firstly, involve the building management since they have access to the owner of the apartment above yours. Try to understand if this owner has any kind of insurance to cover such an incident.
The responsibility lies with the owner of the unit where the problem originated. So whether there is insurance or not, this does not negate their responsibility.
I realise that taking ownership of the problem can be a challenge as nobody wants to take responsibility. Therefore, I would also recommend you to speak with Dubai Municipality to see if there is a way to amicably resolve the problem.
If all else fails, you can file a complaint at the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee located at the Dubai Land Department.
This incident has disturbed your quiet enjoyment of the property. Therefore, if a resolution cannot be found or is taking too long, going to court is your only option.
Unless form A specifically states certain criteria, it is arguable that an exclusive agreement could be open to interpretation
I had a question about an exclusive form A arrangement. What happens if a buyer contacts me directly and not through my agent? Can I sell directly to the buyer or do I have to go through my agent? NS, Dubai
Form A is a written Rera-approved contract between a property seller and a Rera-registered agency/broker. The form outlines many details regarding the sale of a property and includes information such as the sales price, commission payable and the period of time the broker has to sell the unit.
A seller can either appoint an agency on an exclusive basis or make it an open listing (non-exclusive).
Unless form A specifically states certain criteria, it is arguable that an exclusive agreement could be open to interpretation.
The industry norm is that if a property owner signs exclusive rights to an agency, in theory, even if the seller finds a buyer, the right thing to do is to inform the agent for them to take over proceedings. However, often this does not happen as the seller believes they can save money by dealing with the buyer themselves.
There is a term called “sole selling rights”. This term, if included in the agreement, means that the agent is the only entity who can sell, irrespective of where the buyer comes from.
Therefore, unless the agent has sole selling rights, exclusivity can be ambiguous. It is important to clarify from the outset whether only the agency can sell, (as in) no other agency, or if an individual can also sell.
You can see how the form can be interpreted differently. I suggest you speak to your agent and get this agreement in writing, so there will be no surprises going forward .
Mario Volpi is the sales and leasing manager at Engel & Volkers. He has worked in the property sector for more than 35 years in London and Dubai. The opinions expressed do not constitute legal advice and are provided for information only. Please send any questions to mario.volpi@engelvoelkers.com
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
