DIFC 265/2022
Lihant v Liqt
This case involved eviction and unpaid rent. A tenant had taken on a tenancy but their post dated rent cheques had bounced. They had asked to leave the property as they were in final difficulties because of COVID 19. This had been refused as there was unpaid utilities. The landlord was wrong not to have taken action sooner as the tenant's position was clear.
Background
The Claimant was Lihant the owner of an “Apartment” in the DIFC
The Defendant was Liqt , an individual who signed and entered into a tenancy contract with the Claimant for the Apartment.
The underlying dispute arose out of the Contract dated 18 July 2018. As per the Contract, the period of tenancy is for one year from 21 July 2018 to 20 July 2019. The Contract provided that the rent due for the Apartment for 1 year was AED 170,000 per year and was to be paid by way of four cheques.
On 1 July 2022, the Claimant filed a claim in the DIFC Courts’ Small Claims Tribunal (the “SCT”) seeking payment of AED 561,729.98, which consisted of