Bachelors say they have no place to call home

Abu Dhabi: Bachelors in Abu Dhabi say they are left in the lurch due to severe shortage of accommodation and soaring rents.

A new draft law is proposing hefty fines on sharing accommodation and partitioning villas and homes, and bachelors complain that they are hardly left with other options.

Authorities plan to come up with dedicated buildings for bachelors in specially allocated areas.

According to existing rules, only two bachelors are allowed to share a room in bachelor accommodations, but the new draft law proposes to increase this to three bachelors per room.

Terming his hunt for an accommodation "a harrowing experience", an Indian executive bachelor who did not wish to be named, said, "Not only that it is extremely difficult to find a suitable accommodation within your budget, but also you are constantly blackmailed into paying higher rents.

"I rented out a room for Dh1,700 four months back and now the house owner tells me that I have to pay Dh3,000 from February 1 or move out," he said.

"Considering the hurdles to be faced before finding a suitable room, I would continue in the same accommodation after paying the hiked rent," he added.

"Owners exploit bachelors because they know it is not easy to find even a bed space," says Syed Shanavas Ahmad, who hails from Pakistan and works in the Finance Department of a private company.

"I used to live in a small room for Dh600 earlier and now I stay along with four others for the same rent. Owners keep demanding higher rents and we have been told to pay up or vacate."

"Authorities talk about building dedicated spaces ... so fines should not be implemented until these facilities are ready. They should understand that there simply are no other options for bachelors than sharing accommodations," said Syed Omar Yahiya, a Pakistani Systems Analyst at a private firm.

If the authorities strictly enforce the fines for partitioning villas and flats then the result would be even higher rents for bachelors, he noted.

Though the current rules limit the number of bachelors in a room to two, this is constantly violated with 8 to 10 people crammed in one room.

Resident at a "bachelor accommodation" behind Hamdan Street, Mohammad Yasser, who hails from Bangladesh, says, "2-3 people in one room would be good for us also but what about the rent. Most of us earn very low income and with the increasing expense for food we cannot even think of other options but to live with eight people in a room".

Yasser is married and has two children to support back in his country.

"In our building even the terrace has been rented out," he added.

An Indian photographer working with an Arabic publication who stays with his friend in the hall of an apartment partitioned for the purpose, says, "Together with my friend I pay Dh3,000 for this room. It is a good space for the price. If only there were more single bedroom apartments available in the city. No one wants to share personal space but there is no choice."

New draft: Offenders face fines

A new draft law bans partitioning flats or villas has been submitted by the Abu Dhabi Municipality to the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.

If the draft is approved by the Executive Council, villa owners who flout the partitioning ban will face a fine of Dh20,000 while flat owners would pay Dh2,000.

For a second time offence, villa owners would pay Dh60,000 and flat owners Dh6,000. For a third time offence, villa owners would pay Dh180,000 and flat owners Dh18,000.

Fourth offence would mean suspension of the licence of the investor.

This problem will not be solved until the all the companies are forced to pay the accommodation for bachelors. Buildings should be dedicated for bachelors within acceptable prices.
Mohamma
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 04, 2008, 13:21

This problem of accommodation has been persisting for a long time for people from all walks of life. Like any developing country, the UAE also should consider housing projects for low income people which they should implement seriously along with other multi-billion dollar projects. Every day we read about multi-billion dollar dream projects in newspapers and on television, but it's a pity that not even once anything is heard about a housing project for the majority population consisting of middle/low income people.
Francis
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 04, 2008, 10:04

If this law comes to play it would mean people will have no option but to stay on the streets. After all, a law is to protect the welfare of the person/s. The buildings should have been made and then the law should have been passed.
Jasmin
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 04, 2008, 09:51

It has become a matter of money nowadays. If you own your flat then it does not matter if you are single and living there.
Mohammed
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: February 04, 2008, 09:18

I am living in a room in an apartment shared with other people. It is difficult to find such a place for bachelors nowadays.
Rizwi
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 04, 2008, 09:10

Authorities need to solve the problem of housing shortage before coming up with new rules.
Antonino
Dubai,Philippines
Posted: February 04, 2008, 09:06

Bachelors often do not have a choice but to live in an accommodation shared with many people in order to cut corners in their budget.
Nino
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 04, 2008, 09:03

Limiting the number of persons living in one room is a good move. But authorities need to consider that not all bachelors in the UAE earn good income.
Servando
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 04, 2008, 09:01

If this is how bachelors are treated, then they should not be issued visit visas from the start so that they don't get mixed up in this kind of situation.
From a reader
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: February 04, 2008, 08:31