Neighbourhood Watch: Key phone numbers can come in handy some day

The importance of having a few key numbers on hand is often overlooked. If you need to know about the road that is being dug up in front of your villa or the absence of rubbish bins on a new site, or say a swarm of bees that have made a neat little home on your balcony, it is easy to feel helpless when trying to contact the appropriate people responsible. If your residence is being managed, then it is a simple matter of calling the manager's office. However, this is generally not the case, and you are left to pursue these problems alone.

With many people in Dubai maintaining separate residences in other countries and perhaps living outside the UAE for months at a time, the Internet is becoming an increasingly useful tool with which to contact the relevant departments. This is effective while one is abroad, or in the case of a problem or emergency, or even making a bill inquiry or payment. Fortunately with the advancement of e-business in Dubai, one can contact a number of government departments and local businesses, and the list keeps growing. It is often more time efficient to carry out transactions online, than to visit a branch or business centre.

Provided below is a list of some of the most useful phone numbers you may need to have readily available. Please clip out the list and place on your fridge or someplace close to your home phone - in case of emergency, or just for convenience.