AJMAN // Landlords in the emirate are exploiting growing demand for rental properties by refusing to renew tenancy contracts to allow them to increase rents, tenants and estate agents say.
In the first nine months of the year, the Ajman Municipality's rental disputes committee handled about 2,200 complaints relating to landlords refusing to renew contracts - an increase of 22 per cent over the same period last year.
"What is interesting is that now more people consider referring their rental differences to our committee than having to tussle it out with their landlords," said Uthuman Abu Shuarib, the committee's executive director.
The committee has also seen a surge in complaints about landlords increasing rents by more than the five per cent cap stipulated by the Government.
The problems mirror those seen in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where average rents are increasing well above government caps.
Mr Shuarib attributed the growing number of complaints to the emirate's economic boom, increasing population and the influx of expatriates from Dubai and Sharjah in search of cheaper rents.
Ahmed Serkal, an estate agent, said a power shortage was exacerbating the situation. He said his office had more than 500 new buildings available to rent, but they were without power.
Mr Serkal said many landlords were attempting to evict existing tenants to get more rent. One-bedroom flat are currently renting for up to Dh40,000, compared to about Dh25,000 previously, he said.
One resident, Moses Walukagga, was given notice of just one month to leave his two-bedroom flat in the Karama area.
He said the estate agents did not give him any explanation for why he had to leave, just that the landlord wanted his house.
"We lodged a complaint together with three neighbours but even the rental dispute committee could not reverse the decision. They only asked the landlord to give us one more month," he said.
Mr Walukagga later learned that only new tenants who had signed agreements this year were allowed to stay in the building because they were paying Dh62,000 for a two-bedroom flat. Those on older contracts were paying Dh44,000.
"Our landlord is so greedy, every year he was increasing rent but still this was not enough for him, he dismissed us," Mr Walukagga said.
ykakande@thenational.ae
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Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
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The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
SCHEDULE
Thursday, December 6
08.00-15.00 Technical scrutineering
15.00-17.00 Extra free practice
Friday, December 7
09.10-09.30 F4 free practice
09.40-10.00 F4 time trials
10.15-11.15 F1 free practice
14.00 F4 race 1
15.30 BRM F1 qualifying
Saturday, December 8
09.10-09.30 F4 free practice
09.40-10.00 F4 time trials
10.15-11.15 F1 free practice
14.00 F4 race 2
15.30 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
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The Perfect Couple
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Creator: Jenna Lamia
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Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
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L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
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Three stars
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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