Question: I live in a two-storey apartment building in Al Ain. The neighbour below me smokes directly below my windows. The smoke comes through the windows and spreads across the whole apartment. Sometimes he has a barbecue and his guests smoke shisha and the whole apartment is full of smoke again, but the main problem is his cigarette smoke.
I suffer from a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and I’ve had to go to the hospital many times because of the smoke, which has left me with long-term bronchitis.
I approached the neighbour, who is determined that he will not change his habit or move out. I tried contacting the estate agent, who tried to reason with him to no avail. I went to the police to ask their advice and also contacted social services. They contacted the neighbour who denied any knowledge that he was affecting my health (despite having shown him photos of me in hospital wearing an oxygen mask).
A meeting was organised between the agent, my neighbour and I, but it was not fruitful. I went back to social services, who took a statement with a translator present and said they would forward it to the police. This was some weeks ago and the neighbour is still smoking below my windows. What can I do? SM, Al Ain
Answer: The subject of problematic neighbours is a common theme from many of my readers and whether it’s from their noise or living standards or what they do, it can be a cause for concern, right down to a health hazard, as in your case.
There are many things that you can try, but it seems you have pretty much exhausted all the options. However, I would suggest three further things.
Firstly, continue to try to mediate either directly with your neighbour or as a group with the agent and/or landlord, but do not take his apathetic attitude as a given. If this continues to bear no fruit, get in touch with the Al Ain municipality. There are several sub centres dotted around. You can find them at Al Waqan, Al Maqam, Mazyad, Al Hair and City Centre. If you prefer calling, their number is 800 555 or you can visit this website: dmt.gov.ae.
The municipality has a duty of care to its citizens, so I’m sure you will be heard sympathetically.
The last resort would be to move out. I realise this may not be ideal as there are many things to consider, but your health is the most important factor, so I guess you will have to go with that.
Q: I signed an initial agreement to buy a studio apartment for investment. Unfortunately, I did so with haste, which I regret now. Can I legally back out after signing the agreement? BD, Dubai
A: You can back out of any contract, but it comes at a cost. In a normal situation, if any of the parties withdraw from a proposed property purchase, the withdrawing party will have to pay a penalty, which is typically 10 per cent of the purchase price.
As a buyer, you would have left this amount as the deposit, which is lodged with the agent who holds it in trust until the day of transfer, when it is returned to the buyer in exchange for the full amount to be paid.
If disputes arise after a contract has been signed, you will need to meet the other party to see if there are any agreements that could be met, allowing you to withdraw legally.
As stated, there is the norm of the 10 per cent deposit that has to be forfeited but only after a case has been filed at the Dubai Courts and a judgment has been reached. It isn’t a given that the deposit is handed over to the seller, at least not unless you instruct the agent to do so. The process could be long and costly, so it is always advisable to try to find an agreement before any court hearing.
It’s about give and take. It’s rare for a seller to let you just walk away from a deal without paying any penalty, but perhaps a compromise can be reached.
The opinions expressed do not constitute legal advice and are provided for information only. Please send any questions to mario@novviproperties.com
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 190bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Price: Dh169,900
On sale: now
Korean Film Festival 2019 line-up
Innocent Witness, June 26 at 7pm
On Your Wedding Day, June 27 at 7pm
The Great Battle, June 27 at 9pm
The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, June 28 at 4pm
Romang, June 28 at 6pm
Mal Mo E: The Secret Mission, June 28 at 8pm
Underdog, June 29 at 2pm
Nearby Sky, June 29 at 4pm
A Resistance, June 29 at 6pm
