Non-Governed-Sprawl Generates Costly Mistakes..!!
More structural Governance should control the activities of the Real Estate Developers; who by default seek reduction of cost; which subsequently goes down the ladder to materials, supplies and sub-contractors..
FM was structured in UK & USA 1960th, based on a long history of technical. operational and importantly legal transactions of janitors and property managers.. In Dubai 2000 was the 1st Arabian launch.. There is a learning curve for all stakeholders; despite the lucrative profits.. This case should alarm authorities that there are lots to be done..!
Not the Codes and ISO to rule, but biz culture and visionary regulations.. it will take time to mature..
Unless the ration of 1:5:200 is epistemically settled in FM, RE & Urban Development.. Immaturity of these businesses will continue as nightmares..!! While the other folks will continue wondering and laughing..!! Not degrees and certifications, but evolution of the professional and civic sectors..
Dubai: 10-year-old buildings face
demolition; over 400 homeowners uncertain about future
Expert committee finds structural defects, severe corrosion which 'requires direct and rapid intervention'
by
Mazhar Farooqui
Published: Mon 4 Jul 2022, 6:35 PM
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/property/dubai-10-year-old-buildings-face-demolition-over-400-homeowners-uncertain-about-future
Over 400 homeowners of the barely 10-year-old Mayaza 3 and Mazaya
4 residential buildings in Queue Point, Liwan, have been told that they are
living in their apartments at their own risk.
Residents of the buildings in Dubai were informed about this
through an email notification last month after an expert committee found that
their buildings suffer from a host of serious issues, including structural
damage and corrosion.
In the wake of the findings, sale of apartments, issuance of new
lease agreements and registration of tenancy contracts (Ejari) have been
suspended in the buildings till further notice.
Kaizen Owner Association Management Services, the company managing
the property, said they involved government authorities after residents
complained about eroded floors, water leakage and cracks.
A committee was subsequently formed in November last year by Dubai
Land Department (DLD) and developer Al Mazaya Real Estate to assess the
buildings, identify the cause of the damage and propose solutions.
The committee submitted its
report on March 31, 2022, and the findings reveal several defects in the
14-storey buildings, ranging from severe corrosion to concrete breakdown.
The committee also conducted a
series of ‘non-destructive tests’ to get to the bottom of the problem. Among
other things, the tests confirmed that the corrosion in the slab reinforcement
resulted from a “high concentration of chlorides, multiple times more than the
limit” in concrete slabs.
According to the email sent to residents by Kaizen on June 9,
there are issues with the strength of the structure of the buildings. The
property management firm said the “degree of structural damages to the
reinforced slabs of the floors varies from one building to another,
necessitating urgent solutions to address each case, according to its
situation.”
The email said the “condition of
the buildings requires direct and rapid intervention” to “prevent all dangers
that could affect the safety of occupants.”
It said the decision to renovate or demolish the buildings will be
taken within three months and those staying in the building until then will be
doing so at their own responsibility.
Kaizen said they regret the
situation but have no control over it, adding that it bore “no responsibility
other than informing you [residents] of the instructions of the government
authorities.”
The email has come as the
proverbial bolt from the blue for homeowners. Many of them are still paying the
mortgage for their apartments, which were handed over between 2014 and 2015.
“What will I do, where will I go if they decide to demolish it?”
asked an Indian expat who snapped up a three-bedroom unit in Mayaza 3 for Dh1.3
million when the project was announced in 2008.
Mohammad Ayub, a Pakistani
banker, who bought a two-bedroom apartment, in October 2021, said he’s staring
at uncertain future.
“On top of the money I paid for
the house, I spent around Dh60,000 on refurbishments,” he said showing us
around the remodelled kitchen and bathroom.
Ayub said he’s worried living in
an “unsafe” building with his family but cannot vacate it as he has nowhere to
go.
“One month after we moved in, I
was told that we cannot use the underground car park as it is unsafe. Since
then, all of us have been parking our cars on the roads, often incurring
fines.”
He said the developer, Al Mazaya Real Estate is yet to tell them
what will happen in case they are ordered to vacate the building at the end of
the notification period in September.
Al Mazaya Real Estate did not
respond to emails or calls by Khaleej Times despite reminders.
Dubai Land Department (DLD) told
Khaleej Times they would take a final decision in the matter by August 1.
A spokesperson for the department said they are in constant touch
with the developer and have formed a team with specialist engineers and Dubai
Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA).
In the meantime, the owners'
association has been instructed to carry out any maintenance work required by
an apartment, DLD had said.
Kaizen Owner Association
Management Services (LLC) declined to share more details of the case but
reiterated that they carried out their duties according to the requirements of
the law by highlighting the problems of homeowners and alerting competent
authorities.
"We would like to stress
that we are committed to assisting all owners with a high level of
professionalism in this matter in line with the directives of the
authorities," Kaizen said in an email statement.
What the law
says?
The jointly owned property law in
Dubai sets clear markers for property owners’ rights, as well as those of the
developer and property management company.
Article (40) of Law No. (6) of
2019 on ownership of freehold properties in Dubai provides that the
“responsibility of the developer to repair or correct any defects in structural
parts of the property shall continue for a period of 10 years.”
This obligation on the part of
the developer starts from the date of obtaining the certificate of completion
for the project. The developer is also held responsible to repair or replace
defective fixtures in the property for a period of one year from the date of handing
over the unit to the owner .
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