Bachelors in crowded flats told to move out

Dubai Municipality's Building and Housing Section, of late, has tightened prevalent regulations on tenancy and housing of expatriates, particularly in cases involving bachelors living in residential areas, and overcrowded and unhygienic living conditions in shared villas.

One of the eviction notices, copy of which was acquired by Khaleej Times, cites “instructions“ from Dubai Municipality that flats should only be rented out to families as the reason for the termination of the tenancy contract. The notice gave the tenant(s) in question just seven days to vacate the apartment after clearing rental arrears, electricity and water bills and other dues (if any).

In another case, the notice also cited instructions from the civic body regarding apartments being strictly for families, but informed the tenant(s) of termination of the tenancy contract at the end of the current term. Many residential areas and apartment blocks in the emirate, have suddenly come under the municipality's scrutiny for violation of housing regulations.

Mohammed Abdulla Mohammed Abbas, Head of the Building and Control Section's Inspection Unit, however, denied that landlords had been instructed to issue eviction notices to their tenants.

“When our inspectors discover housing violations of this nature, we issue a notice to the tenants asking them to visit the Unit and solve the issue. We give them two weeks to respond, failing which we are compelled to follow on with measures, including slapping fines, as specified by law,” he said.

“We mostly get complaints from neighbours who are inconvenienced by too many bachelors living next to them; and if the building is meant for accommodating families only, we have no option but to take necessary and legal action,” he added.

Mr Abbas clarified that bachelors can share apartments without violating housing regulations by not overcrowding. “If the number of individuals sharing an accommodation is proportionate to the size of the apartment, there is no question of violation of housing rules. But when people erect plywood dividers, make rooms within rooms and house 15 individuals in a two-room flat, then the authorities have to step in,” he explained.

He said that depending on the number of individuals (bachelors), and their lifestyle, a group of bachelors living together in an apartment could go absolutely unnoticed, and no one would have a problem with them. The issues of safety and security and hygiene and general cleanliness, Mr Abbas said, are the civic body's main concerns when addressing the problem of overcrowding of housing units.

“There are labour camps in Al Quoz, Sonapur, Al Qusais, and certain specified areas and we expect that establishments should arrange for labour housing in these camps. What we find is people employed in supermarkets and such firms are housed in overcrowded flats in residential areas and this is unacceptable,” Mr Abbas added.

Spinsters, an exception to the rule

By Ramona Ruiz

DUBAI - More often than not, young single ladies and spinsters do not face any difficulty in looking out for a sharing accommodation in buildings, which are usually meant for families only.

Lorna Varona, a Filipina entrepreneur in Dubai for the past 24 years, said: “I have my own flat in a building which prefers family status. The building landlord, however, does not mind accepting single ladies as tenants in any of the flats. While single ladies are allowed to share a flat, they frown upon bachelors who are looking for sharing accommodation.

Ms Varona likewise explained that single ladies are not bound to create trouble, and they are governed with a set of rules in their flat. “Usually, they are not allowed to take in or entertain male visitors in a sharing accommodation. They are very flexible and are willing to occupy even a bed space to save money on rent.”

Ruby Dapitan, personal assistant to the Managing Director of Frayland LLC, pointed out that landlords or flat owners do not usually accept bachelors because they avoid rowdiness in the premises.

“Flat owners who advertise sharing accommodation prefer decent, working ladies and rarely do they accept bachelors since most of them smoke, drink and entertain their friends who cause a lot of noise and chaos which is quite disturbing for other residents,” she said.

Ms Dapitan added: “Single ladies, on the other hand, are easy to talk to and observe the rules set by the flat owner. There are, however, exceptions, flat owners screen the ladies before taking them in. They consider the nationality as well as the type of work they are in. I know of some flat owners who have reservations in taking in single ladies of certain nationalities in a sharing accommodation.”

Another single lady who works in a five-star hotel said: “Our hotel provides company accommodation so we don't have problems sharing a flat with our colleagues. The same goes with the bachelors among our male colleagues who also share a flat. We do not have problems in paying house rental and water and electricity bills. But we know that some of our bachelor friends who decided to get an accommodation allowance from the company are having difficulty getting decent accommodation as most landlords insist on tenants with a family status.”