ABU DHABI // Thousands of tenants in more than 2,500 villas face eviction because their buildings are illegally partitioned.
Eviction notices have been served on properties in breach of an occupancy law implemented last year. Owners and tenants also face fines of up to Dh100,000.
"The law does not ban anyone from living anywhere," said Ali Khaled Al Hashmi, project manager for Tawtheeq, Abu Dhabi Municipality's property registration system. "The law simply restricts how many people should live in residential villas and that is for their own good."
Dozens of people crammed into one illegally subdivided villa are a health hazard and can create safety concerns in the community, Mr Al Hashmi said.
"Every day we have a tremendous amount of complaints," he said. "People are complaining about villas that have a lot of bachelors and they say, 'We do not feel safe in our own community'."
Mr Al Hasmi said: "They to go to work in the morning and feel worried and anxious about their family and feel they cannot leave them alone in the house, because next door there are 100 people living in one place."
He said 2,534 villas were breaching the occupancy law, which was introduced in 2011 and implemented early last year after a grace period.
No more than six unrelated adults may live in one independent villa. There are no restrictions on individual families in villas and children under 18 and household staff are exempt.
"The law never stated that bachelors should not live in one villa," said Mr Al Hashmi. "But there is a maximum of six. Not up to 60 in one villa. This is absurd.
"You cannot just go and build multiple units into an existing structure without a licence.
"The landlords know that is illegal and no licensing will be given to them for a residential unit, which is meant to be for one single family designed from an infrastructure perspective, from a safety perspective and from a public community perspective.
"The law clearly says stick to the number of occupants allowed and the building code clearly states do not do any partitions inside a residential unit without getting permission. And yet, they are still doing it illegally.
"That is why the law detects these violators and there is a fine of up to Dh100,000 that falls to all entities, the landlord, the investor and the tenants."
Notices have been given to all villas currently breaching the law.
"This means, soon after these notices, we are definitely going to evict them and, if they don't do that, we are going to take the landlord, the investor and the tenant to court," Mr Al Hashmi said. "That is each and every tenant, mind you. So if, in a villa, there are 15 people then each and every person will be taken to court."
Although the law does not specify that a notice period has to be given, the municipality has been giving a grace period of up to three months, Mr Al Hashmi said.
"We want to spread awareness that this is bad for you. This law was designed and devised for you, not the municipality," he said. "Any developed country aims at serving the community.
"Alternatives are available but people don't look. They just want the easy way out."
Mr Al Hashmi said that while landlords were at fault for illegally subdividing properties, residents were responsible for ensuring their units were not illegally partitioned.
Residents who suspect buildings are illegally subdivided or are breaching occupancy rules should contact the municipality on 800 222 220.
jbell@thenational.ae
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
Saudi Cup race day
Schedule in UAE time
5pm: Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Cup (Turf), 5.35pm: 1351 Cup (T), 6.10pm: Longines Turf Handicap (T), 6.45pm: Obaiya Arabian Classic for Purebred Arabians (Dirt), 7.30pm: Jockey Club Handicap (D), 8.10pm: Samba Saudi Derby (D), 8.50pm: Saudia Sprint (D), 9.40pm: Saudi Cup (D)
ENGLAND SQUAD
Joe Root (captain), Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Dan Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Moeen Ali, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
MATCH INFO
Qalandars 109-3 (10ovs)
Salt 30, Malan 24, Trego 23, Jayasuriya 2-14
Bangla Tigers (9.4ovs)
Fletcher 52, Rossouw 31
Bangla Tigers win by six wickets
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
MATCH INFO
Northern Warriors 92-1 (10 ovs)
Russell 37 no, Billings 35 no
Team Abu Dhabi 93-4 (8.3 ovs)
Wright 48, Moeen 30, Green 2-22
Team Abu Dhabi win by six wickets
Richard Jewell
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Brandon Stanley
Two-and-a-half out of five stars
Day 5, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Given the problems Sri Lanka have had in recent times, it was apt the winning catch was taken by Dinesh Chandimal. He is one of seven different captains Sri Lanka have had in just the past two years. He leads in understated fashion, but by example. His century in the first innings of this series set the shock win in motion.
Stat of the day This was the ninth Test Pakistan have lost in their past 11 matches, a run that started when they lost the final match of their three-Test series against West Indies in Sharjah last year. They have not drawn a match in almost two years and 19 matches, since they were held by England at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi in 2015.
The verdict Mickey Arthur basically acknowledged he had erred by basing Pakistan’s gameplan around three seam bowlers and asking for pitches with plenty of grass in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Why would Pakistan want to change the method that has treated them so well on these grounds in the past 10 years? It is unlikely Misbah-ul-Haq would have made the same mistake.
