Dubai: On Thursday, eluding the government order. Dubai's top property regulator advise to seek out security of the Rents Committee against possible defiance of the 7% rent limit. As by seeing that a few landlords have been hiked rents by 20-30% already.
"Tenants whose new rent agreement is in violation of the rent cap should file complaints with the Rent Committee," Marwan Bin Galita, chief executive of Dubai's Real Estate Regulatory Agency (Rera), told Gulf News on Thursday.
"Anyone who increases the rent beyond the seven per cent cap is doing so in violation of the rule, and I suggest tenant should not sign the contract. In fact, they should file complaints and get things corrected. Otherwise, this could escalate."
Soaring house rents, traffic and inflation top the list of public concerns among the growing population of Dubai, where rapid econ-omic growth and an increase in population have outpaced housing supply, pushing rents through the roof, prompting the government to intervene. Dubai first announced a 15 per cent rent cap in 2005, reducing it last year to seven per cent until further notice.
"The tenants should come forward with complaints and should not be afraid. If they do not complaint, we won't be able to help them," he said. Bin Galita said in the absence of new directives, the seven per cent cap stays.
Tenants, whose rent agreement expires in December, have begun getting new tenancy contracts. While some landlords are respecting the rent cap, many have been bypassing it by inventing 'reasons' and 'means' to evict the tenants - who then fall victim to the tricks.
Rera, established in August this year, has commissioned a market study that will reassess the market situation, based on which the future rent cap is likely to be determined.
"We have finalised the study, and before the end of the year, we will announce our findings and subsequently launch the real estate index, which will define the market in the coming months and years," he said.
