Sharjah gives 15 days to register rent contract

SHARJAH — About 12,000 residents of Abu Shagara area in Sharjah have been served an ultimatum by Sharjah Municipality to get their tenancy contracts registered with the civic body within 15 days after paying the registration fee, failing which power supply to the residents would be disconnected.

Amira Agarib

Published: Fri 19 Aug 2005, 11:44 AM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 7:14 PM

Municipality officials, stating that the decision was already implemented in Al Majaz and Industrial Areas, said the deadline was issued as per the instructions of the Executive Council. The civic body would next target Al Butaina, before covering all the residential areas of the emirate with the decision.

Khaleej Times spoke to a cross-section of the residents in Abu Shagara for their views on the deadline and the threat to switch off power supply.

Mohamed Hassan, an engineer, said the muncipality has no right to disconnect vital services like water and power supply to tenants in case of rent disputes or for not registering the rent contract.

"Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, who is also Chairman of Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (Sewa), has said landlords cannot take such action. Sewa is the only authority empowered to give or take connection for such services. The municipality's decision to disconnect power supply if tenants fail to pay the registration fee within 15 days is not legal," Mohammed said, adding that this should have been the last resort for the municipality.

Narayan D'souza, an employee, said the fee was another burden on the people where they have to pay 5 per cent of the rent value to the municpality. "I rented my flat in 1997 for Dh12,000 which has now gone up to Dh24,000. How can I pay all these amounts?" he asked, adding that municipality was also taking service charges as part of the electricity bill.

Nader Tijani, an advocate, said the rent contract is to be used by the municipality in case of a dispute between the owner of the flat and the rentee. "But why should people pay this amount, knowing that when a dispute arises between the owner and the rentee, the municipality will not take action," he said.

He cited his own case to buttress his argument. "I rented a flat for Dh23,000 but after 15 days, they asked me to pay 27,000 because the flat was sold to another person. When I went to the Municipality, they did nothing and referred me to court. I was adivsed to pay the amount due to the fact that it was not easy to challenge the owners of buildings," he said.