Sub-letting scams: 2009 case hints tenants will have to 'pay to stay'

A 2009 victim of a rent scam in Dubai, duped in a similar modus operandi adopted by Shamyana Entertainment and other companies, told Emirates 24|7 that the Dubai Municipality Rent Committee had passed a decision in favour of the landlord and had asked tenants to vacate their apartments, in that case.

However, the victim, who asked not to be named, but still stays in the same building to date, recalls that 32 families had agreed to pay half their remaining rent to the landlord, who then allowed them to stay.

Emirates 24|7 reported the scam in October 2009.

The victim paid Dh45,000 for a one-bed apartment to a company, which claimed it had the authority from the owner to sub-lease their apartments and collect rent on their behalf.

However, the broker vanished after taking the money, leaving the tenants in the lurch in less than two months after they moved into the apartments.

The landlord, a Dubai company, filed a case against the tenants in the municipality.

“They (landlord’s lawyer) argued they had leased the building to a company, who wanted the building for their own office staff.