Bachelors in Dubai warned not to rent bed space
11:38AM Sat 24 May, 2014
Dubai: The civic body is urging bachelors not to fall into the trap of renting bed space as it is illegal and if caught, they will be evicted.
Residents have said that although they do look for apartments, the affordable ones in their budget is one where landlords rent out rooms.
“I know many people who start from [renting out] one flat and spread it to dozens in a very short time. These types of rooms are advertised everywhere on internet site,” said Mohammad Esmail.
Esmail is one of the many bachelors who started their life in Dubai through shared accommodation.
“I was going through a very tough experience in my life but anyway, that dark cloud gone away now. I am now searching for a separate room to live tension free but only find bed spaces available,” he said.
He said that some of the common practices of shared accommodation is to make partitions with plywood, and pointed out that as much as 40 per cent of residential buildings intended for families are used by bachelors.
“People put four or five beds inside each room and sell them at a minimum of Dh1,600 per bed, so each room is making plenty of money as a two-bedroom apartment costs about Dh3,500 in rent per month,” he said.
Nevertheless, officials at Dubai Municipality have noticed that owners are still leasing rooms to bachelors in areas allocated for families.
“As per procedure, we immediately issue them a notice to vacate the property and then our inspector will visit the area the next morning to ensure that they have left. If they fail to do so, the municipality will cut off the electricity and water supply,” said Jaber Al Ali, head of building inspection department at Dubai Municipality.
Campaigns are carried out throughout the year, and inspectors diligently follow up on residents’ complaints if they report complaints about large numbers of bachelors living in their building.
Al Ali said that bachelors can stay in all residential buildings in Commercial Business District areas, as well in residential buildings in designated residential areas such as Al Quoz 4, Ghusais 1, Hor Al Anz and Al Muteena, among others.
However, he emphasised that one person must occupy only one room, and no more than three bachelors can stay in a three-bedroom apartment, “otherwise a notice will be given to evacuate.”
Blue-collared workers can live only in labour accommodations in Muhaisna, Al Quoz and Jebel Ali, and that fines range from Dh1,000 to Dh50,000.
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