Dubai: Can I get my rent deposit back if I cancelled the contract before moving in?

Dubai: Can I get my rent deposit back if I cancelled the contract before moving in?

Dubai: If you agree to lease an apartment and even sign a rental contract, what are your options in case you decide to not take up residence in the unit? Can you get your rent deposit back? Or is it forfeited if you have signed the contract? A Gulf News reader wrote in, asking the question. He said: "Last year, we were looking to move to Dubai from Sharjah and agreed to take a three-bedroom apartment in Al Qusais, back in August 2020. The real estate agent collected six cheques from us, as well as Dh250 in cash, to register the . However, he did not issue any receipt for it. He told us that he would get the receipts issued from the landlord, as well as from his office, for the commission. The rent agreed upon was Dh78,000 and the contract was to come into effect from October 2020. We met at the end of August and he issued the receipts, except for the Dh250 cash payment. Also, he asked me to provide cheques for his commission, the rent deposit of Dh3,900 and the first quarter rent. All of these three were encashed. "I also signed a contract at