Abu Dhabi tenant gets Dh10,000 in compensation over ceiling collapse

A landlord in Abu Dhabi has been ordered to pay Dh10,000 in compensation to a female tenant who was injured after a portion of the ceiling of an apartment fell on her. The ceiling had collapsed due to the lack of maintenance/repair by the landlord, the court has ruled.

Official court documents stated that the Arab woman had filed a lawsuit against the landlord demanding Dh155,000 compensation in damages she suffered after parts of the ceiling fell and hit her.

In her lawsuit, the woman stated that she was badly hit and also hospitalised after sustaining injuries. She had presented a medical report showing treatment for injuries to her pelvis, knees and other parts of her body that resulted from the incident.

She said the landlord had neglected his obligation to repair the building which led to the ceiling collapse.

The landlord denied of any wrongdoing, stressing that to was a minor incident and the woman sustained minor bruises. His lawyer argued that a report issued by a second hospital showed that the woman suffered from these injuries before the said incident, and there was no way to link it to the collapse of the ceiling.

The Abu Dhabi court of first instance had earlier dismissed the case due to lack of merit and sufficient proof.

The woman, however, challenged the ruling to the appeals court which has cancelled the first verdict and convicted the landlord.

He was told to pay the woman Dh10,000 in compensation for the moral and material damages she suffered due to the collapse of the incident. The landlord was also ordered to pay for the woman’s legal expenses.

The court said in its ruling that there was enough sufficient proof that the landlord had ignored his role of repairing or doing maintenance on the building which caused the ceiling to collapse.

ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi