Last December, a renter contacted a property agent about a flat in Abu Dhabi after she saw an advertisement on the internet. She paid a Dh5,000 deposit and the agent gave her a hand-written receipt. Later, after she asked him to expedite the process, he charged her another Dh5,000 to pay the rent in advance.
That was the last that the prospective tenant saw of the property agent, her money or the flat that she was supposed to be renting. According to the tenant's story, which was sent to The National recently, the agent assured her that this was a normal practice - he had just charged another possible tenant Dh5,000 as well.
It's one of those scenarios that other tenants will recognise. Agents sometimes charge apparently arbitrary fees for finding housing or pay-in-advance schemes, which can result in exorbitant and illegal charges. For people who are not familiar with the rental market, there is often little redress or opportunity to verify the fees.
Authorities are taking steps to curb these irregularities. As The National reported yesterday, Abu Dhabi Municipality has launched a service called Tawtheeq, or documentation, to register property agents. As we reported in April, the system will also be used to track rental contracts and conduct transactions over the internet. It's a welcome regulatory move, although the results remain to be seen as the Municipality is still developing rules under the new system.
For companies that are already registered, the new regulation is obviously good news to even the playing field. "These freelancers charge the same 5 per cent commission but have no overhead cost, no licence, no sponsor, no office," said Diana Stebbins, an agent at Global Star Real Estate.
And in the interests of tenants, licensed companies that have an established office are subject to more regulatory controls - for instance, they won't be able to abscond without a trace with a renter's money. Licensing can help to curb a number of unfair practices. Anecdotal evidence shows some landlords charging unfair fees for maintenance or capital improvements, failing to maintain basic health and safety standards, and evicting tenants without due notice.
The registration of freelance agents is an important step towards tenant protection on all of these counts. The next step will be enforcement.
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Getting there
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.
The stay
Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.
Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
The Internet
Hive Mind
four stars
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