According to a new law issued by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah and Member of the Supreme Council, all landlords are obliged to ratify rental contracts within 15 days of issuance. However, agricultural land, residential properties granted by the Sharjah government, and company housing provided by an employer are among the few types of properties that are exempt from this new regulation.
Other exemptions include “properties belonging to hotel or tourist facilities rented to their guests only, properties located within the free zones in the emirate, which have special committees or judicial bodies specialized in resolving rental disputes that arise within their borders, and properties and contracts specified by a decision issued by the Executive Council of the Emirate of Sharjah.”
حاكم الشارقة يصدر قانوناً بشأن تأجير العقارات في إمارة الشارقةhttps://t.co/jykpkr5keq pic.twitter.com/cQhpf4ms9M
— sharjahmedia (@sharjahmedia) September 23, 2024
The law states that if the landlord does not ratify the lease contract within the specified timeframe, the tenant can petition the judge of urgent matters to compel the landlord to follow through. Should the lease contract remain unverified by the municipality or its authorized entities, the landlord will incur an administrative fine as outlined in the law’s executive regulations, along with any applicable certification fees.
The municipality has the authority to ask the judge to require the landlord to certify the lease contract and pay the necessary fees and fines at any time.
