UAE | General
Soaring rents spawn marital discord in RAK
Soaring rents here have claimed an unlikely victim - family life. Many husbands are unable to provide decent accommodation for families.
- By Nasouh Nazzal, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:36 May 3, 2009
Ras Al Khaimah: Rent increases have proved to be one of major reasons for divorce, mainly among newly married couples because the husbands are unable to provide a decent accommodation for the family.
The Family Guidance Committee here has received 386 divorce cases this year. The committee managed to reconcile 100 couples who withdrew their cases from the court.
A recent field study conducted by the committee showed that at least 10 per cent of the divorce cases were caused by the sharp rent hikes and the increasing cost of living.
Ras Al Khaimah recently introduced a law capping rent rises at 15 per cent.
Jasem Mekki, who heads the committee, said the study revealed the effect rent hikes have on marriages and the resulting number of divorce cases filed in the court.
He stressed that rent hikes and the increasing prices of other commodities have caused domestic issues in families. Many of these problems escalated, and have ended up in court. Many families were unable to cope with the rent hikes which increased by 100 per cent in many areas.
More complaints
Mekki said in many cases reviewed by the committee it was proved that the husband had not been able to provide his wife and family with a suitable residence because of the huge rents. The problem affected the newly married couples more.
He said rent increase was a serious problem facing both the UAE nationals and the expatriates. Mekki said the income of young people does not give them the chance to get a house and start a family.
He said the number of complaints lodged by landlords against young tenants (newly married couples) are on the rise.
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