Question: I've rented the same apartment for almost four years and have built up a really good relationship with my landlord. Last week, he told me he's thinking of selling because he feels the market has performed well over the past few years. I'm now worried that if somebody buys the apartment, they'll immediately ask me to move out, even though I'd really like to stay. I've heard so many different opinions from friends that I don't know what's actually true. Could you explain what normally happens when a rented property is sold? RW, Downtown DubaiAnswer: This is a question I'm hearing much more often lately, and fortunately, the answer is usually far less worrying than many tenants imagine.The first thing to remember is that selling a property doesn't automatically end the tenancy. When somebody buys a tenanted property, they also take over the existing tenancy agreement. In other words, the lease continues under exactly the same terms until it expires.Where people become confused is around vacant possession. If the new owner genuinely intends to move into the property themselves, or in some cases wishes to have a close family member occupy it, there are legal procedures that must be followed. It isn't simply a case of completing the purchase and asking the tenant to leave the following week. The reality is that if the new owner needs you to vacate, they have to give you 12...
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