Man in UAE to pay Dh19,500 in damages for traffic fines committed before car registration

Abu Dhabi - He had taken possession of the vehicle after a down payment of Dh2,500.

A man, who bought a car from an Abu Dhabi resident in installments and racked traffic fines of Dh4,100 while it was still registered in the seller's name, has been told to pay Dh19,500 in damages and the remaining balance of the purchase price. The court also ordered him to pay the traffic fines he incurred on the seller's car.

Official court documents stated that the complainant had agreed to sell his car to the defendant for Dh17,000, but it was to be paid in installments.

After giving him a down payment of Dh2,500, the man trusted the defendant and gave him the car so he could use it as he waited for the remaining balance.

But a few weeks later, the owner realised that the man had committed Dh4,100 in traffic fines.

The seller said he spoke to the buyer about the fines and told him to clear them and also pay him the remaining balance.

But the man refused to pay the traffic fines and the balance amount. He instead took the car to a garage in Abu Dhabi and abandoned the vehicle there.

The seller then filed a lawsuit against him, requesting the court to force him to pay him the balance of Dh14,500 in addition to the traffic fines. He also demanded Dh10,000 for the damages.

The Abu Dhabi court of first instance had earlier ordered the buyer to pay the seller the remaining purchase balance and transfer the violations he committed during the period he drove the car to his traffic file. The man was also told to pay Dh5,000 in compensation to the seller.

The buyer challenged the ruling at the appellate court, which has upheld the first ruling.

• Abu Dhabi