Abu Dhabi: A total of 279 cases of illegal and disorderly living arrangements on the outskirts of the capital have been forwarded to the courts for resolution, the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City announced in a statement sent today (Monday).
The violations were noted in residential units and farms in areas such as Al Shawamekh, Al Shakhbout City, Bani Yas, old Al Nahda, Al Muaaz, Al Adlah, Al Shamkha and Al Khatam.
Another 859 cases were resolved after residents were served with notices. According to the municipal statement, the campaign began in the first quarter of 2014, and officials are still cracking down on violations detected in the suburbs. It is being conducted in collaboration with the Bani Yas police station and, so far, about 1,650 notices have been handed out to violators in these areas.
The initiative aims to eliminate congested living arrangements, which are seen as posing a threat to public hygiene and safety. In addition, officials also keep an eye out for unlicensed partitions, additions and demolitions by residents, as well as the installation of satellite dishes on windows and rooftops.
Abu Dhabi Government regulations for housing are outlined in Law No (1) for 2011 governing the occupancy of residential units, which specifies that only one family can occupy a single rental unit like a leasable apartment, standalone villa or villa apartment. While bachelors and single individuals can stay in apartments or villas, the number of occupants in each bedroom cannot exceed three, and common areas such as kitchens and corridors cannot be used for accommodation.
The law also bans partitions, additions and demolitions without acquiring the required permits. Farm owners, on the other hand, are banned from renting buildings to tenants.
In 2011, the municipality also launched the Tawtheeq system, which aims to streamline transactions for rental properties and create a database of all units.
Mohammad Al Mansouri, Director of Al Wathba Municipal Centre, urged landlords to register their units on Tawtheeq so that rental transactions are undertaken legally and without delays for tenants and owners. He added that the system will also help protect the rights of both parties.
