UAE | Housing & Property

Raids on mixed-sex housing under way in Sharjah

The municipality has geared up its campaign against unmarried men and women living together and has started intensifying raids on shared accommodation.

  • By Mariam M. Al Serkal, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 21:26 March 10, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • A room in a villa raided by Sharjah Municipality where single men and women were living together.
  • Image Credit: Supplied Picture

Sharjah: The municipality has geared up its campaign against unmarried men and women living together and has started intensifying raids on shared accommodation.

"It is illegal for men and women to live together and those caught will be heavily fined," said Mohammad Al Kaabi, security section manager at Sharjah Municipality, adding this rule has always been in effect across the UAE.

In 2007 around 1,400 people were caught sharing accommodation in villas and apartments.

He said when an apartment is raided a fine of Dh500 is implemented for each room, and the tenant who signed the tenancy contract has to write a letter to Sharjah Municipality as a warranty that the incident will not happen again.

The fine increases to Dh1,000 for shared villas. Al Kaabi said to date 100 men and women had been caught living in apartments and 300 in villas.

Disconnect electricity

As part of our procedure, we have to warn people first to evacuate one week in advance.

"If they still refuse to leave, we then disconnect their electricity," Al Kaabi said, adding that 600 people were affected by this procedure last year.

The majority of shared apartments were in Al Majaz, Al Nahda, Abu Shagara and Al Mamzar.

Shared villas were found to be dominant in low-cost Arab homes in Maysaloon, Al Nabba'a and Um Khanoor, which were mostly inhabited by Asians and Africans.

The municipality usually gets a tip-off from neighbours who call the hotline number 993, and Al Kaabi added even though some calls did not sound genuine the inspectors had to follow them up nevertheless.


Your comments


The raid done by Sharjah Municipality was indeed an excellent job. This incident warns and prevents young unmarried couples from Premarital sex or possibly pregnancy. We can not blame also villa or flat owners who accepts men and women bedspacers as housing cost is rapidly increasing its price every year. I hope DUBAI government will be considerate enough to protect workers who gets smaller salary. We work hard for our family back home but our salary is enough to pay a small room rent of 2800 dhs.
ashu
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 11:05

So what if there is men and women in accomodation! Men and women must equally help one onother, respect and get equal rights in a modern world.
Lilly
Norrkoping,Sweden
Posted: March 11, 2008, 10:51

I hope similar raids will be conducted by Dubai Municipality. The main factor may be the rising rents, but ultimately this is another reason why rents go up, because people are willing to go to any lengths to beat the rents. An ultimate evil of inflation. The municipality should conduct the raids irrespective of nationality.
Fajer
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 10:51

When the government makes it difficult for single people to get decent places to live; this is the result. We have a big percentage of single people on single visas who need decent but affordable places to live. The government should either stop giving visas to single people or give us affordable options.
Lilian
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 10:41

I agree that mixed-sex housing is not acceptable. But why do people end up doing this is what we should understand and try to change. Housing has become one of the major concerns in the UAE over the past few years. Rents have not become double but have quadrupled. And majority of the people here can't afford that!
Daisy
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 09:55

Nobody wants to live a life like this. Each individual wants privacy. However, PRIVACY is very expensive! If the room cost 1600-2000 while sharing cost 500-700, of course people will choose the cheaper. This is the result due to low salary yet expensive house rent. Why won't they fast track the law on wage increase (if there is any) to prevent or solve this problem?
Eunice
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 09:45

With regards of this matter not only fines will be implemented, deportation should be included to those who are caught by the authority.
Anonymous
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 09:43

Why can't you let the people live in peace? The villa wherein I stay has two gates, the municipality came and put chains and locks one of the gates, why?
Ahmed
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 09:33

This is good implementation of the law to prevent sickness
estrelita
Dubai,uae
Posted: March 11, 2008, 09:30

First of all the salaries are low, the cost of living is so very high, it is almost impossible for a single adult earning less than 5000 AED to find an apartment. Come on guys people need to survive. Given a choice I am sure all of us would not like to live like this.
Marium
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 09:24

Right move no matter if it is little late.
Afaq
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 09:23

Really it is a very good step. I too am also suffering from the same, at Alnabbaa', because of those unknown, noisy, uncivilized, and ambiguous gents
Asim
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 09:13

If they want such rules then provide reasonable accomodation whare people can live as humans not like animals. They are very good to fine but they must find a better solution.
mohammed
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 09:08

The authorities always focus to impose heavy fines. Instead they should try to find the root cause. I am sure no one is happy to live like this but what will they do.
M. A. Khan
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 08:35

People resort to sharing accommodations because the rent is too high. If the govt. are not supporting single individuals here for a place to stay, then they should stop issuing visas. Municipality should set a rule that they want only "FAMILIES" to come and work in the U.A.E..This is already inhuman and harrasment. I hope the government will also consider that majorities of the families cannot afford to pay the rent thats why resorting to sharing someone is the option. However, for medium class / low class families and individuals, life is already tough. Why aren't bachelors men/ women, not allowed to get own place to rent?
Ersie
Dubai,U.A.E
Posted: March 11, 2008, 08:24

I stay with my family in a family villa on jumeirah beach road where only one room is hired by some bechlors who always sit out in the courtyard and lots of people are visiting them as they all are labourors. 8 - 10 people are sharing a small room. I request authorities to take strict action against mixed / shared accomodation. I told the landlord several times to notice these people as remaining all are families in the villa. During working hours some of these people should be inside the villa as families specialy ladies will be out to spread the clothes or cleaning purpose.
nadeem
Dubai,uae
Posted: March 11, 2008, 08:19

Its really pleasure to welcome this action. Keep on the raids and make good society/environment.
karthick
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 08:19

Do the authorities ever consider why these people are living in such congested and uncomfortable shared room? Simple because there are no cheap alternatives. Instead of using the iron fist and show your cruelty, give them a solution. This is where 'Dubai Cares' concept should come into practice in real life
Danushke
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 08:19

This is a good decision from Sharjah Authority. Same rule needs to be implemented to all the emirates. An Islamic country should not allow to live unmarried men and women. The public should not break the rules and regulations of the nation, especially if it is effecting to the Islamic culture.
Abdul
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 08:07

Where will the bachelors go and stay? They have been removed from all flats saying family accomodation. Most of the people are not bachelors, they can't afford to bring their family that is why they stay single and use bedspace to save some money. The govt should think bachelors also come here to earn for living
venu
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 08:06

I welcome this move, it should be implemented in Dubai also. The neighbours staying near to them are facing nuisance, as they are not maintaining discipline. This indecent behaviour is continuing in public places also. In my opinion if this continues the crime will also increase. Better Govt. needs to take immediate step to curb these activities.
Sridharan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 07:52

I feel the municipality inspectors who are working on it are too lazy. Otherwise why are so many living together people still staying in AL Tawar, Qusais, horlenz, hamria. This is very risky for the society and the public health.
Aminul
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 07:33

It is illegal for men and women to live together. Which will lead to Indecency act, which will spoil the community.We are human beings not animals. It is better to have separated accomodation. We have lots of place to live in U.a.E
Abdul
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 07:32

Increase workers wages rather than exploiting so they can afford to stay in proper place as per municipalty's criteria.
Ramakrishnan
Avon,U.S.A.
Posted: March 11, 2008, 07:10

Well this is something that is worth commendable. Mixed sex housing has been a breeding ground of immoral relationships. Dubai is rampant with this as well. I just dont know if the municipality of Dubai is doing actions on this. Tenants usually sublease their rooms to individuals, in order to augment their expense and usually it's mixed sex.
bernadith
Cebu,Philippines
Posted: March 11, 2008, 05:15

The move by sharjah municipality is commendable, but have they taken into consideration and account where these people can avail of affordable housing accomodation? Considering the cost of living in the UAE, how many people do they think can afford to rent a villa or a flat alone? If they have a ready provision for this, may we request then to know where it is so that we can shift there thus avoid violating the law
joseph
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 11, 2008, 01:32

  • Rate this article
  • Average reader rating (0 votes) 0 Stars
Tools

Emailing an article to friend is a simple way to share a news item. Your friend will receive an email with your name and email address as well any personal message you choose to send.

The information you provide on this page will not be used to send unsolicited emails.

This service is not intended to encourage spam, and action may be taken against individuals who maliciously enter personal details of another individual.

Share this article

More from UAE Housing & Property

  1. Abu Dhabi tenancy contract period extended

  2. JLT owners waiting for homes promised in '07

  3. Abu Dhabi residential city on track

  4. No hike in water and electricity rates in Dubai

All articles in Housing & Property

More from UAE

Gulf News
Popular in UAE
Readers' pictures
Your pictures

Readers' pictures

A Selection of the best Gulf News reader pictures this week

Latest news
UAE Editor's choice