Non-paying landlord leaves 150 Int’l City tenants locked out
dubai — About 150 International City rent-paying residents were temporarily shut out of their accommodation — and risk a permanent block — due to a dispute between their landlord and property developer Nakheel.
The residents of more than 40 apartments from building D8 in the China cluster were barred from entering their homes on Saturday before police intervened, after Nakheel ordered security people to not open doors for residents whose landlords had not paid their service charges, according to resident Bobby Mathew. “It’s absolutely a mess now.” Mathew said about a month ago Nakheel posted a notice of their intention to introduce an access card security system — a move Mathew applauded — but made the caveat those tenants living in apartments owned by landlords who had not paid their service charges would not be given access cards.
“They’re punishing the tenant due to the landlord’s mistake,” Mathew said, though he reserved his harshest criticism for his ineffectual landlord, who owns 42 apartments in the building — out of about 60.
“Nakheel is doing a good system for safety. They gave (their intention) to the landlord one
month back...but he didn’t do anything.”
The security system was implemented on November 3, but one door had remained open for those residents without access cards to enter — until Saturday afternoon when all doors were closed and a standoff with security personnel ensued, with about 15 people ending up at the Rashidiya Police Station.
The tenants went to make their grievance known, but while police accompanied the concerned residents back to their apartment block where they eventually gained admission, they are distancing themselves from the problem.
An official from Rashhidya Police Station told that police were not the authority concerned and could not intervene un- less there was a bounced cheque involved. He said the tenants or the building owner needed to file a complaint at the Rent Dispute Committee. This could result in the building owner terminating the contract with the landlord, while the third party could take a fraud case against the landlord for failing to make the service payments.
Mathew, who had been living in the same apartment for about four years, said all the tenancy contracts were valid and above board, while he had made all of his rental payments on time.
“The police said they can’t do anymore...why are the tenants suffering although we’re paying all the rent on time? It’s the landlord’s responsibility to get everything sorted out.”
While the tenants were at the police station, the police were able to get through to the landlord, who was no longer communicating with his tenants personally or through his representative. Though the landlord agreed to come to the station, he never arrived, and subsequently switched off his mobile phone.
Neither Nakheel nor the landlord’s representative INC FZE responded to requests for comments.
However, an email from INC FZE accounts manager Darina Vankova to Mathew stated: “We fully understand your concerns and we are really disappointed by (the) way this situation is being handled, however our management is in constant contact with Nakheel in order to resolve this issue.”
The email, sent last Tuesday — two days after the access card system was implemented — stated a meeting would be held on Wednesday and requested “a few more days” to resolve the situation. Mathew said he had not heard anything further since that email.
He said the amount the landlord owed was above Dh100,000. “He’s got so many businesses...he has the money to pay.”
Residents now risk not being able to re-enter the building once they leave and must rely on those residents with access cards to let them in.
Mathew said he did not know what he and his family would do today, as he had important work meetings to go to, his wife also worked and his 12-year-old daughter had an exam.
“In the morning some other tenants will go to the municipality to see what they can do...the final thing is the landlord should pay or Nakheel should give access until the landlord gives the money.”