Emiratis to get ownership of 7,000 houses

Dubai: The Ministry of Public Works has started facilitating the legal procedures to assist UAE nationals gain full rights in owing houses.

More than 7,000 houses granted to UAE nationals from 1974 to 2001 will be legally owned by their inhabitants after a ministerial degree was issued in 2007 giving Emiratis the right to own and benefit from their property.

"Many UAE nationals have been waiting this moment as they were calling for this decision for years to finally and formally owe the house granted by the ministry. This decision will give them the freedom to also benefit from the property," said Dr Abdullah Al Nuaimi, General Director of the Ministry of Public Works.

Azza Sulaiman, manager of the Housing Department at the ministry, said the procedure to finalise the matter is taking more time than expected as it requires more cooperation from UAE nationals to provide all documents for the legal procedure to be completed.

The ministry has already formed a committee to visit house owners and to collect from them the required documents, including the passport and its photocopy, UAE registration document, property handover document, and latest electricity and water bill.

Inhabitants can legally own their property a year after receiving the house and can benefit from the property after five years and following the approval of the committee.