Dubai: The price of safety can never be too high.

The civic body is urging tenants to come forward with their complaints against lack of maintenance in their buildings, as their silence can lead to fatal repercussions.

When contacted by Gulf News, a senior official at Dubai Municipality explained that residents can never be too cautious when it comes to the safety of their elevators.

Moawya Abdul Rahman, head of the structural engineering unit at Dubai Municipality, said that any sound emitted from the elevator should be immediately inspected, as it can lead to the elevator getting stuck or falling down.

“It is very dangerous when the elevator makes loud noises because it indicates that there is a motor or electrical malfunction. Tenants should not take the matter lightly, and should immediately notify us,” said Abdul Rahman.

He also pointed out that tenants should contact the civic body’s hotline 800900 to report the incident.

“Once the incident is reported, an inspector will visit the site and if they see that the safety of tenants is at risk, they will then contact the building owner to make the necessary maintenance,” he said.

Dhaval Shah, a resident of a 10-year-old building in Bur Dubai, has been suffering from unbearable loud noises from the elevator’s motor for the last 18 months.

“The elevator’s motor has been making very loud noises and I am scared for my wife’s safety. I’ve complained to the maintenance company, along with my neighbours, but all they say is that they’re waiting for a quotation from the elevator’s maintenance company on how to get the problem fixed,” he said.

“The noise has become so loud that we cannot hear our television. The floor shakes and we are unable to sleep, and even the person on the other end of the phone can hear the loud noise,” said Shah.

“The reply I get every time is that the elevator is safe, but I am very worried because it does not sound safe at all. I’ve also asked the maintenance company to switch off the power, but that is not the solution because then the neighbours have to take the stairs instead.”

“The elevator’s motor is on the last floor, which is exactly above my apartment on the seventh floor,” he said.