Dubai's Costly Crackdown on Illegal Conversions

Illegal Apartment Conversions: Dubai Landlords Pay High Price for Rogue Tenants

As Dubai authorities increasingly crack down on illegal apartment conversions, it’s not just the tenants who are under scrutiny - landlords are also often caught off guard by the extent of damage caused by their tenants. Some landlords are forced to pay up to 45,000 dirhams to restore damages, often unaware that their properties had been remodelled.

One Apartment, Multiple Cubicles: When Tenants Go Too Far

In some areas of Dubai, especially densely populated zones, tenants sometimes unilaterally modify rented apartments - they erect partition walls, install showers where there’s no waterproofing, and even seal off ventilation systems. These modifications seriously violate building regulations and lead to significant health and structural issues.

Many landlords only discover the changes when it’s too late: damp odors, blocked vents, swollen doors, distorted layouts, and high costs to return the premises to their original state.

Landlords in a Vulnerable Position

In one such incident, a property owner only managed to access their own apartment months later, where more than eight people were living without permission. A shower had been installed in a former guest bathroom, airflow was completely halted, and moisture had caused all doors to swell. Restoration took several months and cost the owner 45,000 dirhams. Maintenance issues persisted for another one and a half years.

Another property owner reported that in their two-bedroom apartment, tenants created curtained sleeping cubicles and turned the kitchen into a sleeping area. Air conditioner vents were covered with plywood, rendering the entire apartment nearly unusable.

Social Media Worsening the Issue

Some tenants advertise their “converted” apartments on social media, broken down into cubicles or sleeping spaces. These solutions are often occupied by other unauthorized residents, leaving owners completely out of control of their property. Currently, the Dubai municipality actively conducts raids and urges parties involved to reverse unlawful conversions.

Lesson: Prevention, Inspection, Background Checks

For landlords, it is essential not to rely solely on a signed rental contract but to regularly inspect the property’s condition and, if necessary, conduct background checks on tenants. Personal inspections, regular communication with concierge services, and monitoring social media can all help uncover irregularities in time.

Dubai’s building code clearly prohibits such types of apartment conversions, and authorities are becoming increasingly assertive in acting against residential property abuses. Prevention and a strict rental practice are essential not only from a legal standpoint but also financially.

(Source of the article is based on reports from Dubai property owners.)