Despite the recent 15 percent cap placed on rent hikes in Dubai, tenants are continuing to find themselves facing exorbitant rents nonetheless, with no option but to relocate or face eviction.
The official government effort to curb price rises for housing by placing a maximum rate of increase was introduced in last November, when His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced that annual rent rises in the emirate would stand at a maximum rate of 15 percent.
However, according to Gulf News, many of the emirate's tenants have complained that landlords have ignored the ruling, for the most part. More than 2,000 tenants complained recently to the Dubai Municipality rents committee that the 15 percent cap was being ignored.
"I had to leave and find some other place because they were not agreeing to the 15 percent rise," said tenant Naeem Mohammad.
Mohammad was recently told that his annual rent would go up from Dh25,000 to Dh35,000 or that he would face eviction. The increase represents a 40 percent increase, well above the government imposed cap.
“I had to leave and find some other place because they were not agreeing to the 15 percent rise, even though I said I would go to Dubai Municipality. People are just ignoring the rule," he added.
In an effort to remedy the situation, the Dubai Rent Committee has set up a hotline for tenants to call in the case of failure to comply with regulations on the part of landlords.
