Latest news with #rentaldispute
Independent Singapore
21 hours ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Nanyang Old Coffee in dispute with Chinatown Business Association over S$77K in alleged back rent
SINGAPORE: The decades-old Nanyang Old Coffee is being sued by the Chinatown Business Association for more than S$77,000 due to unpaid rental fees for its outside dining area along Smith Street. According to a report from Lianhe Zaobao earlier this week, Nanyang Old Coffee had occupied a sheltered walkway on the street by placing tables and chairs for its customers. The 'cafetaurant' is allegedly supposed to have paid a rental fee of S$8,636.02 per month beginning from Oct 1, 2024, for a total of S$77,724.18, according to a legal letter sent by the Chinatown Business Association, which is a nonprofit entity made up by representatives from businesses and the community and which won a tender to manage the 13 shophouses in Smith Street last year. Nanyang Old Coffee, which has been located at the intersection of South Bridge Road and Smith Street for 15 years, is not among the shophouses managed by the Singapore Business Association. However, the outdoor area in dispute is, based on the tender documents of the Singapore Land Authority at the time, Lianhe Zaobao reported. The association is also seeking S$5,000 in legal fees. Proceeds from the lawsuit would be donated to help the community, it said. It attempted to reach out to Nanyang Old Coffee last October but stated that the establishment did not give its efforts any attention. 'Despite multiple attempts to resolve the matter amicably, including a formal letter requesting the removal of furniture and potted plants from the outdoor dining area, the unauthorised use of the space has continued, even so, as of Jun 22. 'As such, the Chinatown Business Association has had to take the necessary steps to address this issue,' it said. The Chinatown Business Association also claimed it offered on multiple occasions to sublet the area to Lim Eng Lam, the founder and manager of Nanyang Old Coffee. The other establishments using the outdoor areas are required to pay a rental fee. Mr Lim has since spoken to CNA, saying that he does not agree with the demand from the Chinatown Business Association regarding the rental issue and is hoping for clarification from the authorities on the matter. CNA added that on Thursday (Jun 26), the two parties met concerning the matter at the State Courts. /TISG Read also: Smith Street revamp: Chinatown businesses strive to preserve culture amidst concerns of gentrification
Khaleej Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Landlord ordered to pay Dh125,000 after failing to deliver rental property
A homeowner has been ordered to pay a tenant Dh125,000 after failing to deliver a residential property despite receiving the full rent amount. The payment had been transferred, at the landlord's request, to his minor son's account, but the property was never handed over as agreed. The ruling was issued by the Al Ain Court for Civil, Commercial, and Administrative Claims. The plaintiff filed a lawsuit seeking to recover the amount he had transferred to the homeowner's son's bank account, based on the father's instructions, according to local media Emarat Al Youm. The plaintiff claimed he had entered into an agreement to rent a home owned by the defendant for an annual fee of Dh125,000. However, after receiving the money, the defendant failed to fulfill the agreement and later denied the existence of any deal, prompting the plaintiff to request the court administer a decisive oath. The court prepared to administer the oath in the following form: 'I swear by Almighty God that I do not owe the plaintiff the amount of Dh125,000, and God is my witness to what I say.' But the defendant failed to attend the hearing, which the court interpreted as an unwillingness to take the oath. As the case resumed, the court decided to summon both parties for further questioning. During the session, the plaintiff clarified that the arrangement was a promise, not a formal rental contract. The defendant said there was no rental relationship and that the money never entered his account. Still, he acknowledged the plaintiff's claim and asked to pay the amount in installments due to financial hardship. The court found that the defendant had not explicitly denied the plaintiff's claims or the submitted evidence and had even requested to repay the money, which the court viewed as an acknowledgment of debt. Moreover, his absence during the oath session was considered a refusal to swear under oath, further supporting the plaintiff's position. In its final ruling, the court ordered the defendant both personally and as the legal guardian of his minor son to pay Dh125,000 to the plaintiff, in addition to covering all court fees and legal expenses
