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Laboni v Lahit [2021] DIFC SCT 168 — Employment entitlement disputes and the enforceability of conditional salary agreements (04 July 2021)
The dispute centered on an employment relationship governed by a contract dated 1 June 2020, which deteriorated due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Claimant’s inability to relocate to Dubai.
NAPOLEON v NORRIS [2024] DIFC SCT 167 — Enforceability of contractual penalty clauses and evidentiary standards for equipment hire invoices (08 July 2024)
The dispute centered on a series of unpaid invoices arising from a hire contract dated 2 October 2023, under which the Claimant, Napoleon, provided equipment including fuel tanks, diesel, cables, and fire extinguishers.
NAPOLEON v NORRIS [2024] DIFC SCT 167 — Enforceability of jurisdiction clauses via conduct (30 May 2024)
This Small Claims Tribunal ruling confirms that the DIFC Courts may assert jurisdiction over non-DIFC entities where standard terms and conditions are incorporated by conduct, even in the absence of a signed contract for every specific transaction.
Laela v Lapronda [2022] DIFC SCT 167 — Enforceability of post-expiry overstay penalties (14 July 2022)
The dispute arose from a residential lease agreement for a unit located within the DIFC. The Claimant, Laela, sought recovery of outstanding rent, contractual overstay penalties, and utility charges after the Defendant, Lapronda, a holiday home company, continued to occupy the premises following…
Gisselle v Gordon DIFC [2016] DIFC SCT 167 and 169 — Employment wage arrears and the prohibition of recruitment cost recovery (07 November 2016)
The dispute arose following the resignation of the Claimant, Gisselle, from her position as a hostess at Gordon DIFC. The Claimant initiated proceedings to recover unpaid wages for nine days of work and the return of her passport.
Lendro v Mr. Lutis [2020] DIFC SCT 166 — Contractual termination following Covid-19 travel restrictions (23 July 2020)
The dispute centered on a failed real estate transaction for a residential apartment in the DIFC. The Claimant, having entered into a second purchase agreement on 27 February 2020, sought the return of her deposit after the transaction failed to close by the agreed transfer date.
LAELA v LADESSA LUFAK [2022] DIFC SCT 165 — Liability of a head tenant for subtenant overstay (12 July 2022)
The dispute arose from the expiration of a tenancy agreement between the Claimant, Laela, and the First Defendant, Ladessa Lufak, a holiday home company. The Claimant alleged that the First Lease Agreement expired on 16 February 2022, yet the property remained occupied.
HEELA PARTNERS FZE v HYRUM [2017] DIFC SCT 165 — Contractual liability for legal consultancy fees (17 October 2017)
The dispute centered on a claim for unpaid legal consultancy fees arising from a retainer agreement dated 6 October 2016. Heela Partners FZE, a Fujairah-incorporated consultancy, sought to recover funds for services rendered over several months, which the Defendant, Hyrum, refused to pay, citing…
FLOSSIE v FLEETWOOD [2015] DIFC SCT 165 — Enforceability of strata by-law penalties (12 October 2015)
The dispute centered on a claim brought by the Claimant, a tenant, seeking the recovery of various financial penalties levied against him during his occupancy of a unit managed by the Defendant.
MUFIK v MOHANI [2023] DIFC SCT 164 — Procedural correction of party identity (11 May 2023)
The Small Claims Tribunal exercises its inherent case management powers to rectify a misidentification of the Defendant in an employment dispute to ensure procedural accuracy.
Landry v Larg Beauty Centre [2020] DIFC SCT 164 — Forensic scrutiny of employment documentation (28 July 2020)
The dispute centered on a claim for AED 205,866, which the Claimant, Landry, asserted was owed by her former employer, Larg Beauty Centre LLC. The core of the conflict involved unpaid salary arrears from December 2019 through May 2020, alongside claims for the refund of alleged unauthorised…
MOASA v MURIT [2023] DIFC SCT 163 — Fixed-term lease expiry and the limits of judicial intervention (24 May 2023)
The DIFC Small Claims Tribunal confirms that in the absence of a contractual or statutory renewal right, a landlord is entitled to regain possession of a property upon the expiration of a fixed-term lease, even where a tenant has occupied the premises for a decade.
LENNOX v LARYN ENGINEERING [2020] DIFC SCT 162 — Jurisdiction of the Small Claims Tribunal over onshore entities (04 June 2020)
The Small Claims Tribunal affirms that written opt-in clauses in commercial contracts effectively confer jurisdiction upon the DIFC Courts, even when both parties are registered and operate exclusively in onshore Dubai.
Igaliko Financial Services v Ifeta [2018] DIFC SCT 162 — Strategic waiver of claims to secure SCT jurisdiction (13 June 2018)
The dispute concerned a long-term commercial lease agreement for four units (C143, C144, C145, and C146) located within the DIFC. The Claimant, Igaliko Financial Services, asserted that the Defendant, Ifeta, had failed to meet its payment obligations under a contract spanning a ten-year term from…
GERONIMA v GERTIE RESTAURANT [2016] DIFC SCT 162 — Breach of Share Sale and Purchase Agreement and employment claims (13 December 2016)
The Small Claims Tribunal clarifies the evidentiary threshold for proving employment relationships and the enforcement of contractual debts in the absence of payment records.
NICHOLAS v NOLAN [2024] DIFC SCT 161 — Contractual refund disputes in immigration services (19 June 2024)
The dispute arose from a service agreement entered into on 8 December 2022, under which the Claimant, Nicholas, engaged the Defendant, Nolan, to facilitate a UK start-up business visa application. The Claimant paid a total of AED 28,350 for these services.
ONORIA v ORVIL [2025] DIFC SCT 160 — SCT Permission to Appeal Refusal (09 September 2025)
The DIFC Small Claims Tribunal affirms the high threshold for appellate intervention, underscoring that modern terms and conditions cannot be retroactively applied to legacy commercial agreements without explicit incorporation.
Nathaniel v Nico [2024] DIFC SCT 160 — Employment entitlement recovery and Article 19 penalties (05 July 2024)
The Small Claims Tribunal clarifies the application of Article 19 penalties in the context of protracted criminal proceedings and confirms employer obligations regarding end-of-service benefits and visa cancellation.
LIJANI v LUANG RESTAURANT/LANSUR HOUSE HOSPITALITY [2020] DIFC SCT 160 — Jurisdiction over employment disputes involving DIFC-registered entities (10 June 2020)
The dispute originated from an employment relationship between the Claimant, Lijani, and the Defendant, Luang Restaurant/Lansur House Hospitality, a restaurant operating within the DIFC.
Laredo v Luca [2021] DIFC SCT 159 — jurisdictional limits on non-signatories in legal services contracts (12 September 2021)
The Claimant, a law firm, initiated proceedings in the Small Claims Tribunal (SCT) to recover unpaid fees for legal services rendered. The dispute centered on an Engagement Letter dated 16 September 2020.
NEVON v NADER [2024] DIFC SCT 158 — Employment termination for cause following resignation (17 July 2024)
The dispute centered on the Claimant’s attempt to recover payment in lieu of an eight-week notice period following his summary dismissal. The Claimant, formerly a Premium Client Manager, sought a total of AED 72,000, arguing that his prior resignation—which the Defendant had already…
LATUF v LUFITI [2022] DIFC SCT 158 — Transfer of proceedings due to jurisdictional threshold (28 June 2022)
The litigation centers on a contractual disagreement stemming from a formal separation arrangement. The parties are at odds over the execution and fulfillment of obligations tied to a document signed several years prior to the commencement of the claim.
NADER v NILES [2024] DIFC SCT 156 — Procedural extensions and the prejudice test (11 September 2024)
The dispute centers on the Defendant’s attempt to secure an extension of time to file an application for permission to appeal a prior ruling. Following a jurisdictional hearing, the Court had previously denied the Defendant’s challenge to the Tribunal’s authority to hear the claim.
Nader v Niles [2024] DIFC SCT 156 — jurisdictional challenge and limitation period dispute (06 August 2024)
The Small Claims Tribunal clarifies the application of Article 5(A)(1)(b) of the Judicial Authority Law regarding the geographical nexus required for DIFC Court jurisdiction in investment disputes.