Jolt for Tenants Sharing Villas

DUBAI - The housing situation in Dubai and neighbouring emirates is in for a turmoil, as Dubai Municipality announced a 30-day deadline from Sunday for residents sharing villas to vacate them, giving the thousands of tenants a rude shock.

By Joy Sengupta

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Published: Tue 23 Sep 2008, 1:13 AM

Last updated: Sun 5 Apr 2015, 7:46 PM

Omar bin Abdul Rahman, Head of the Building Inspection Section at the Dubai Municipality, said on Sunday that landlords must ensure that only one family lives in their villas. If they failed to comply with the new rules within the deadline, the municipality would slap fines up to Dh50,000 on them, the official said. The civic body had already said it would not take the responsibility of making the landlords refund the rents collected in advance. The deadline announced on Sunday is all set to land many tenants in deep trouble. “There cannot be any bachelors, labourers or more than one family in the villas. Though the campaign in this connection has been on for quite a while, the landlords will now have to ensure that regulations are complied within a month, that is 30 days,” Abdul Rahman said.

“They (the landlords) need to evict the families and others sharing villas, failing which they will face heavy penalties. If a villa still houses more than one family, bachelor or labourer after one month, the landlord would face fines up to Dh50,000, in addition to the disconnection of water and electricity supplies,” Abdul Rahman told Khaleej Times.

Calling this as the “final step” of the ongoing campaign for “protecting the residential environment” of the emirate, the official said the drive would focus only on the villas for now. The cases of flats would be taken up later.

“The landlords also need to ensure that their villas are free from any kind of illegal partitioning. Partitioning of rooms raises several health concerns. We want to ensure that people live in a healthy and hygienic environment,” the official added.

Last year, the civic body had asked all bachelors and labourers to move out of the villas. This year, it started a campaign to evict the families sharing villas. “People are expected to cooperate by reporting any accommodation violating the norms by calling toll-free 800900 or on the municipality’s web site, www.dm.gov.ae, he said.

The deadline announced by the municipality has shocked both landlords and tenants. While landlords said that they needed time to evict tenants, the latter requested the civic body to extend the deadline.

“The deadline is a sort of a death blow for us. Finding cheap accommodation in Dubai is impossible. With this, the landlords will now ask us to vacate immediately. I don’t know what to do. The last option for me is to send my family back home and shift to a bed space. The municipality must extend the deadline,” said Zakhir Razzaq, who lives in a shared villa in Al Qusais.

joy@khaleejtimes.com

Here's what our readers have to say!

I am not really not in favour of DM's decision not to rent villas for sharing by families or friends. On the other side DM can consider allocating a dedicated new area for the people who wants to share with other families or friends by which families can stay in Dubai happier and stressless and DM also need not worry about the illegal or unauthorised persons living in other areas. Is this rule applies only to Rashidiya area or in other places also? Because I am seeing in Al Mamzar, Hor Al Anz not only bachelors sharing in villas but also in the flats. If these areas are allowed by DM, people can move in there instead of struggling to find a place. I don’t think the UAE Government will be happy to acknowledge that their residents have no option except to return to their countries because of lack of proper housing and living conditions in UAE. -Raju, Dubai

Mark, please come to Dubai and make a tour. You will find what is human and what is not. Families in Dubai are safe residents and they maintain the premises clean all the time. These men and wives are the running engines of many companies. Until recently they were welcome in all festivities in Dubai. All of a sudden they are the most unwanted. This type of sharing villas are existing from many years and family villas have very rare complaints of fire, non hygiene or anti social problems. Suddenly why this waking up. Dubai Municipality is cutting the leg instead of treating the wound. Easy solution. Hats off Omar. Winner of next award for excellence. Hail Hi.... Hip hip Hurray. -Leslie Fernandes, Dubai

As usual one of the most bizarre decisions. KT has to take the lead to send all the feedbacks to the DM and the highnesses. This is perhaps the Eid Gift to the People who are working for the Development of this country for peanuts. One more thing, the Government should stop this and concentrate on curbing the greedy land lords who are hiking rent, ensure that enough buses are on the road and they run on time, insist on service levels for taxi companies and their drivers, step down on the abnormal price increases, come down heavily on employers cheating their staff, punish the prostitutes hanging around in Naif Road and Rigga Road, chastise some of the locals who are behaving in a way inappropriate to Muslim Culture and then think about "punishing" the hard working class. - Siddique, Dubai

This is really very unfair decision step taken by the Municipality. They should place themselves in the place of the middle class families. Does Dubai really care for its residents? or is this a way to drive people out? - Priya, Dubai

All this is getting a bit too much, DM should consider why the expats are sharing in a villa, flats are expensive, and not everyone can afford them, they should inspect the villas and check if theres any violation and then decide on vacating. Samy is right this is The "City that Scares" now. - Kevin, Dubai

I believe the authorities are a bit harsh in this case. While the decision is right and is in the interest of residents in the long run, there should however be more time for them to make alternate arrangements. The residents sharing accomodations are likely to make hasty decisions to comply with this directive which may result in even more complications for them and the society in general. Give them some time and be considerate. Thanks- Razi, Mississauga, Canada

I do agree D.M's move to create a healthy environment for residents living in Dubai without sharing the Villas. Nobody wish to share a Villa if the rent is affordable. The situation is like that, even after sharing, a huge percentage of a middle/lower income persons salary is allocated for rent itself. As the saying "Dubai that Cares" would be meaningful once the Govt. authorities takes initiation to build sufficient low cost housing for middle/lower income people. My request to D.M is to give us time untill 2009, by that time this academic year will be completed and we can plan for uprooting our familiy from here to our home country comfortably, rather than running here & there in vain for an alternate affordable accommodation, creating health hazard by way of Physical/mental strain for the middle/lower income residents for no fault of theirs. - TVS, Dubai

The Dubai municipality should set norms for villas for shared accomodation which guide all owners to maintain standard of living .The step taken now will affect all families who are staying in villas and can not afford rent for flates. A studio flat rent at present is not less than 60000-70000 Dhs.and DM should check if the required no of studio flates are available even if families want to move.This will only force families to move out of Dubai and search for accomodation in AJMAN OR SHARJHA which will have direct effect on Road and trancport Dept.(Traffic problems) -Swaroop, Dubai

This is an additional measure to making life even more difficult, I pray that this measure be reviewed and reconsidered as it is impossible to find affordable accommodation in Dubai for most of the below manager rank employees. We call this city as 'City that Cares' but who will care when one's family is forced to leave the head of the family. We know the case of Govt residence building in Gusais, where they have given the notice to vacate and a lot of people were confused and worried and they approach the authorities who finally decided to first settle them in other govt buildings under construction in Al Quoz and elsewhere, so all those families got time and assurance of getting low rent house yet again. I hope something of this sort will come this time also, because residents are already experiencing trouble of high rent, high cost of living etc.- Irfan Ali, Dubai

This is a shock for thousands of people living in shared accommodation!! What is the alternative provided by the Dubai Municipality?? Where is affordable accommodation available in Dubai for every family to live individually in a VILLA!!!! Families cannot afford a flat on their own...a villa is too farfetched!! The rents are so high that you have to donate all your income to the landlord!!! How are you supposed to live then....keeping in mind the expenses of school fees, transport and medical....what will a family do to live then if all the income goes for rent!!! If DM wants to stop the trend of sharing accommodation they as a government body should take up the initiative of setting up cheap accommodation in communities where low income group people can afford to stay!! Looks like they are trying to drive out low income groups out of Dubai!! Before giving deadlines...give OPTIONS!! Govt donates a lot of money to other countries for the benefit of poor people....why don't you use some of that money in Dubai and create low income housing communities with atleast basic amenities like clinics, hospital, schools etc....the low income group is very much the backbone of the growing economy...if your backbone breaks the whole economy will collapse...find ways to protect them as well....only the rich don't need protection, security and stability! Lot of companies in Abu Dhabi have taken an initiative to start such low income housing projects...it is time for Dubai's companies and the govt to act and come up with such an alternative. – BM, Dubai

This is really a sad notice to us bachelors. In this case where they will vacate us, since, they only need 1 family in a villa? As we all know, there are also a number of bachelors working in Dubai. We can't afford to take our family here as the rent is really high. Same thing, we bachelors don't have a choice, if we'll live in a flat, they will also do the move to evict us. Why can't they urged the employers to give us an accommodation so that we will live harmoniously? Or even so, they will stop hiring bachelors or letting us in, in this country. I am really frustrated to this news since we just transferred to a new room in a villa and even we paid for the deposit. We will be homeless and penniless. Have mercy on us! – Christine, Dubai

This is ridiculous move on part of Dubai Municipality, they wanted to evict bachelors and labourers in the villas, why cant they first build accommodations for these people? or rather they will implement companies to provide accommodations for these people. I think they should look into this matter and find solution that benefits to all and not just one side, without this people, constructions and other businesses are not possible. - Grathia, Dubai

This may seem a bit hard on some people, but, being an American, I see the point. In the USA we have immigrants, legal and illegal sharing houses and apartments with multiple families and creating a serious health concerns. Mortgages were made by at least one major bank to illegal aliens, with the qualifications being 15 separate people on one mortgage, sharing a house. The bank requirements to qualify were simply showing 3 months worth of utility bills to establish their 'good credit'. This is only one example of why America has such a terrible mortgage foreclosure rate, leaving the bank's investors with NOTHING. And people wonder what went wrong with America's housing loan crisis. Total irresponsible behavior by the banks, knowing full well they were going to sell those ridiculous mortgages to foreign investors. Besides the monetary losses, illegal aliens are notorious for destroying the properties and the neighborhoods where they lived. Trash everywhere, over running sewer systems, dirty diapers tossed outside. Good decision on the part of Mr. Omar bin Abdul Rahman. - Mark McGrew, El Paso, Texas, USA

This is not fair at all. How can one middle class family afford to stay alone on one villa. Today the rents have increased so much that its impossible for middle class person to survive in Dubai. Apart from rent there are several other responsibilities a person has. By this decision life will become miserable. This is not fair at all. The decision makers should try to understand the situation and the tension a middle class person goes thru. Its not easy, infact its easy to make such decisions and implement it on others. Atleast they should make 4 families in one villa, which is understandable. Will there be any rule coming in the near future for companies to increase the salaries of the employees????? – Anonymous, Dubai

Dear Municipality, please find alternative accommodation for the people who is sharing Villas. Nobody wants to stay in sharing accommodation if the rent is affordable. Dubai Government wake up and do the necessary for the middle class people. Instead of helping other country people, help the needy in UAE. – Vanita, Dubai

As per the first comment 'the city that cares' Today become “the city that scares' – Samy, Dubai

What the Govt is doing is good, in the same time the Govt should reduce the Rents in dubai and let them continue the drive...but here the middle class people are taking pain , middle class people should be considered before they do anything like this. - Reds, Dubai

I think it is not a good decision taken especially in the Holy month of Ramadhan. If the Govt cannot regulate the rising rent for appartments / provide cheaper accomodation for middle class, they should not order such unfair laws.. Progress avoiding the meddle class will not sustain for long..Being a Govt org, M/s DM have some moral & ethical responsibiliies towards the people residing in this great city..let them be locals or expats. – MAS, Dubai

I feel that the accommodation should be provided by employer is fair due to non availability of bachelor accommodation even though available with lot of people sharing one single room which is common in places like Deira and also govt should ask employers provide accommodation details when issue visa to the employee which is easy for good safety and healthy environment for all of concern. providing accomation is not big deal for employers than employees where accommodation is big burden for the emplyees. if the govt want to have good healthy environment should solve the accomation problem. – Siraj, Dubai

I think this Dubai goverment want all foriegners to work free for them.They are taking all there salary in the form of rent.If they care the environment why they dont care about people.Why this govt dont control rents of the apartments .Why they dont fix the rent of the apartments instead of allowing the owners to take rent as much as they want.Now Dubai is expensive than Europe and America. – Majid, Riyadh

Sharing Accommodation with families or with bachelors is due to high rents and less accommodations available.Govt should fix the rents for each building and it's units according to the facilities available, age of the building,location.At present the rents are charged as per the wishes of the landlord. More over, the public trasport system in UAE needs overhauling to provide quick,reliable and affordable transport whereby people can choose suitable residential accommodation in nearby emirates. – Sanjay, Dubai

On what ground has DM decided to evict the families from the villa, beuase of safety measures. O.K why dont they survey the villa and according to thier measures give the notice to them violating the rules. There are thousands of families living here why do Dubai Govt wants to take curse from those childrens & mothers who has to part from thier families because apart from this no one can afford to live in flats people like us. If they want to evict the families then they should be providing with another option where middle class people can afford. – Hassan, Dubai

As far as my rough estimate there will be 10,000 villas has been shared by expats all over Dubai. You consider each villa there will be 5-6 families staying. Imagine the entire 50, 0000 families vacate the sharing accommodation and searching for independent affordable flat. Is these no. of flats are readily available to occupy, is it really practical. Is municipality geared up for this kind of situation? DM has to give time till end of 2009. Every were you publish the rules and regulations about the sharing accommodations and give the notices to landlords saying that you can rent out your villas to only to single family , if found any additional family there will be huge fines and basic facilty will cut from municipality. - Abdul Kareem, Dubai


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