What To Know About Dubai’s Latest Action Against Illegal Apartment Partitions

Dubai Municipality has carried out a crackdown on several illegally partitioned rooms across the emirate. Sharing accommodation is a common practice in many parts of the city, as residents earning lower incomes could easily avail a room at affordable rent. Most of the social media websites advertising partitioned rooms provide living space at Dhs 600. However, this practice has not been well encouraged by the government.

According to a Khaleej Times report, the Dubai Municipality had conducted inspections in several areas including Al Rigga, Al Muraqqabat, Al Barsha, Al Satwa, and Al Raffa. Following the campaign, residents in the emirate shared videos showing building owners asking them to vacate their apartments. This left many residents concerned.

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Most of the partitions in Dubai are made using lofts, wood, and converted kitchens, which pose a serious fire and safety risk. Most of the residents have said that they were unaware such partitioned apartments were illegal in Dubai while others stated that they partially knew about the rule. According to Dubai Municipality, landlords and building owners had been given warnings prior to inspections.

And the authorities have confirmed that the campaign was not to target the residents but to ensure safety and protect public infrastructure. According to the rule in Dubai, it is compulsory for the tenants and landlords to obtain necessary approvals to create any partition or changes to an apartment. And such crackdowns were conducted previously in other emirates as well. However, the Dubai Municipality had said that they have given prior warnings of inspection to landlords and building owners about the inspection, as per the reports.

The municipality noted that the practice “violates regulations” and poses a “direct threat” to the safety of residents. “Such alterations raise the risk of serious incidents such as fires and hamper swift evacuation during emergencies,” it added.

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According to Article 25 (1)(e) of Law No. 33 of 2008 Amending Law No. 26 of 2007 Regulating the Relationship Between Landlords and Tenants in Dubai, “Where the tenant makes any change to the Real Property that endangers its safety in a manner that makes it impossible to restore the Real Property to its original state; or causes damage to the Real Property as a result of his deliberate act, or his gross negligence by failing to exercise due caution and care or allowing others to cause that damage.”