The security deposit should be repaid forthwith post expiry of the tenancy contract and settlement of maintenance dues.

I had moved out of my last flat two weeks before the tenancy contract renewal in November 2017. The final bill of the amenities was settled and submitted to the office of the real estate agency on November 27, 2017. The security deposit is yet to be returned to me. What is the reasonable time for the security deposit to be returned by the landlord?

In furtherance of your queries, you may peruse the terms of your tenancy contract, as to whether any specific time is mentioned in respect of repayment of the security deposit. If no such time is mentioned, it may be noted that the security deposit should be repaid forthwith post expiry of the tenancy contract and settlement of maintenance dues. This is in accordance with the provisions of Article 20 of the Law No 26 of 2007 Regulating Relationship Between Landlords and Tenants In the Emirate of Dubai, which reads as follows: "Landlord may obtain maintenance deposit amount from tenants to guarantee maintenance of premises at the end of tenancy contract, provided that landlord shall undertake to refund this deposit, or any remaining amount, upon expiry of contract."

You may, therefore, ask your real estate agent to arrange for repayment of your security deposit at the earliest. If however, the same does not take place, you may elect to send a legal notice to the concerned agents, and also report the matter to the Real Estate Regulatory Authority, Dubai.

Ashish Mehta is the founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates. He is qualified to practise law in Dubai, the United King. Full details of his firm on: www.amalawyers.com. Readers may e-mail their questions to: news@khaleejtimes.com or send them to Legal View, Khaleej Times, PO Box 11243, Dubai.