UAE | General

Illegal apartment partitions to be demolished

The municipality made this announcement through local media and set a deadline of February 14, 2010 as the last date for tenants and landlords to fall in line with the building regulation.

  • By Sunita Menon, Senior Reporter
  • Published: 00:00 February 8, 2010
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit: Kishore Kumar/Gulf News
  • Authorities are working to improve the safety and security of the public and environment.

Dubai: Illegal partitions and constructions in residences and buildings will be demolished and they will face a cut in utility services said Dubai Municipality on Sunday.

The municipality made this announcement through local media and set a deadline of February 14, 2010 as the last date for tenants and landlords to fall in line with the building regulation.

The municipality called upon landlords and tenants who are violating building rules such as overcrowding apartments with families and bachelors to show active participation in community partnership in its effort to keep Dubai free of building violations and unplanned growth.

Once the February 14 deadline expires, the municipality will cut utility services to these buildings and the residences and demolish or remove any irregularities.

The other main objective for the enforcement of the rule is the safety and security of the public and environment.

The campaign on illegal constructions was first initiated in 2004 by the municipality and it has been since running in phases. In 2008 the municipality had notified the building owners and real estate companies not to rent out these premises to bachelors and had warned that failing to comply would see disconnection of all utility services.

Fines were not restricted to landlords but were extended to tenants who fail to comply with the regulations.

Gulf News in an earlier report had revealed how illegal real estate agents have also been instrumental in overcrowding buildings and villas. They divide the rooms with wooden partitions and then sublet to families and bachelors in order to make a lucrative business. Tenants were provided with handwritten rent receipts instead of a proper contract.

Meanwhile, tenants who live in sharing accommodation in buildings and villas said that they will turn to their landlords who have taken money for them for the accommodation.

The majority of those living in sharing flats and villas are bachelors and families who belong to the low income group.

Mazhar Khan, a Pakistani, said that he was forced to share a one-bedroom flat after he lost his job a couple of months back. He used to earn Dh8,500 per month but now earns Dh5,500 at a new clerical job.

"I too do not like to live in sharing but what can I do? We live in a two-bedroom flat, each bedroom and the living room are sublet to a family while the kitchen is common. I pay Dh1,200 per month for that single room. I myself do not like to live in such cramped space but there is no way out for me, not until I secure another job that will give me the income to rent a single bedroom flat for my family," he said.

Comments (10)

  1. Added 17:42 February 8, 2010

    actually it is very simple.how can we stay in a studio if our salary is just 1,500.we dont have any options but to stay in sharing accomodation.i am staying in a sharing room and my rent is 500.there is no choice for us coz the rent also of the flats that the tenant owns is high.if we dont share how can they pay the rent of the flats to the landlords. too.if there will be no sharing where will the people like me stay?in the streets?

    Anonymous, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  2. Added 17:30 February 8, 2010

    I feel for the people who do not have enough income to rent out a decent place but I am sorry to say that the UAE Government is right in taking strict actions against these practices. Having illegal partitions and overcrowding is causing all sort of problems in the society. There is also overflowing drainages, privacy and hygenic issues, overstaying issues and crimes. There is no excuse for such practices. It is infact these practices that the rents are so high and the people are unable to find any suitable places because by illegally sharing the placess, they are satisfying the need to pay huge amount of rents set by the landloards/agents. Also, if anyone has a lower income, then they are wrong in keeping their families here which often includes wife, children and grandparents of children. The minimum wage limit was set even then everybody seems to be violating the rules. The situation will not improve if these things continue. The only way authorities will be able to set the right rent limit hopefully once these practices stop. I would like to draw your attention to one readers comments that in Singapore the accommodation and the place are better, but keep in mind that Singapore is the strictest and the cleanest in the world. There is no spitting, throwing rubbish on the road and doing anything illegal but here people keep spitting wherever they like, spreading diseases, violating the laws leaving behind the red stains of beetle leaf everywhere. You go to Satwa,Bur Dubai, Deira, Rolla, Ajman everywhere you see people spitting. If authority wants to take an action then there are absolutely right. There should be fine on the spot. UAE Government has been very kind to everyone but people seem to be taking advantage of this, and ruining the name of UAE. I think its time that UAE takes action against all this unruly behavior.

    Anonymous, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  3. Added 17:28 February 8, 2010

    As the news item says: this campaign has been initiated since 2004, now is 2010 and why is it that until now it is still a common problem? My personal opinion is that: demolitions of those illegal partitions does not resolve the existing problem. I hope the government authorities would look into the root-cause of the problem & find a BETTER/FAIR solutions for all parties.

    Anonymous, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

  4. Added 17:28 February 8, 2010

    This problem must be addressed to the urban planners who will come up with a nice idea to create a community where low income residents of the city can still live decently and enjoy in as much as those who can afford the comfort and luxury of life living in expensive and uncrowded accommodations. The government must act now or else those landlords continue to flourish while the less fortunate tennants with no other choice but to cling will suffer more. So justice must be served.

    Jerry Penullar, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

  5. Added 17:20 February 8, 2010

    It is indeed a good intention! I do agree with you! But the question is how we will survive? With the meager salary we are receiving and high cost of living? Room sharing is the only solution! We have our families back home and they need our financial support! I myself don't want a crowded and (excuse me for saying) a miserable situation, who wants this!?Maybe its high time for the they look into this problem! Cheap but decent accommodation please!

    Anonymous, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  6. Added 15:57 February 8, 2010

    were renting room only for 2,200 dhs (2.5 X 2.5 sq.m) monthly . we are filipino but we are mixed with other people coz our landlord he mixed us with bachelors, i hate our situation but what we can do?they say rentals reduce...where?we tried to look for other flat but rent is so high and we cant afford it,we plan to bring our kids for vacation but we cancelled coz we dont want our kids to live in that kind of situation..sorry but its real..

    Raquel, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

  7. Added 13:57 February 8, 2010

    Thanks and congratulations, it's a good initiative from the government. But the question is there low income residents/expats with cheap rent (i.e. 1,000AED/ 1 studio flat)? My self, for example, I'm just earning AED2,500/month how can i afford to rent a studio flat? Do you think i want to live in a crowded room, of course not, but I do not have any options, I need to budget my salary so I can have a small amount which I can send back home to my family. Actually it's a simple reason we don't have enough salary that's why we're forced to live in a place we don't want to.

    Marvin Morante, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  8. Added 13:54 February 8, 2010

    Dubai should come up with a fair and better paln for the accomodation problem. Cost in Dubai is too high than in other countries when it compares to the salaries that many are getting. I have been studying Singapore and I just paid 1200 AED for better room, but in Dubai I am paying 2500 AED for a room which is not at all good as in Singapore.

    Buddhika, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  9. Added 13:39 February 8, 2010

    No body wants to live in buildings or villas as described above, the thing is ones who are earning a very low income. Rents in Dubai is just too expensive about AED 4500 and above per month while many expats are only earning less than AED 3000. if you can find a lesser rent it will be on a far away places like International city... think about the travel expense and traffic plus if the rent is a bit cheaper it is being contracted for a year rent, expats with low income cannot afford such deal. hope the government can address this issue as well. hope that we have a minimum wage bracket so that it wont be unfair for people that only hope's to earn a bit. In Dubai 80-82 percent are expats probably 40 percent of this are low income earner. Just Imagine how many people are struggling if this rules are imposed strictly. I am sure Dubai would need this 40 percent population to help the economy on its feet.

    Anonymous, Cebu, Philippines

  10. Added 11:26 February 8, 2010

    i do want to rent one BHK flat but aside from rent there are so many extra charges from the owner for eg: annual maintenance ,security amount ,sewa deposit,commision,parking charges etc ,which is not affordable for a middle class family ,cant deny rent have came down but it is still out of reach for middle income family..and for illlegal partition fine should be restricted to landlord only coz they are getting profit and making money ,we still pay high rent and dewa to them.

    Shaheena, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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