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Damac Building Management....Tossers !
Despite having paid a years rent in advance, and a holding deposit to my landlord of AED10k, as from today, I cannot access the pool or gym at the building I live at ! :frown:
Damac Building management who run the building, have apparently been unable to get 80% of the Owners in the building to pay their service charges, some are 2 or 3 years in arrears and so they have introduced a swipe card access system to gain entry to the gym & pool, and if the Owner is in arrears, no swipe card will be given to any tenant ! My landlord it turns out is AED 33,000 in arrears, and despite having huge rows with them yesterday and today, asking how the hell they can penalise me and other tenants who have paid up front (up to a years rent) because they cannot get the Owner to pay....their best suggestion is that I chase my landlord to pay the outstanding charges, and act as a debt collector Their opinion is that if the tenants can put pressure on the non paying Owners it will force Owners to pay. When I said do they really think that the Owners, who have up to a years rent in their hand, or at least post dated cheques and a deposit, and most of whom dont even live in Dubai, will really give a flying f*** whether I can go to the gym or lay on a sun bed around the pool.........their reply was maybe tenants should withold payment every month (clearly not listening to the fact that the Dubai rental market does not work on a month to month payment basis) and force the Owners to pay Their other logic is that in time landlords will not be able to rent out apartments without having paid service charges and they strongly urged me to get in contact with my landlord and try and get him to pay or threaten to leave when my tenancy is up, and then he/she would get very reduced rent etc etc If this fails to force enough Owners to pay, their next idea is to withdraw parking spaces for tenants who's landlord hasnt paid ! I can understand Damac's logic for Owners who live in my building, and agree that if they dont pay, then they should be allowed to use the facilities, but to penalise tenants who have paid rent, and who decided to live there based on facilities available, only for them to be taken away is a f***ing liberty, and whilst I know that tenants in Dubai do not have many rights, I do think this is a joke !! I cannot get hold of my landlord from one six month period to the next despite having 2 emails addresses, 2 mobile numbers and a work number, so have absolutely no chance of getting in contact with him or getting him to pay Was thinking of writing to the press to highlight Damac's mismanagement in obtaining outstanding service charges, and more importantly in effectively blackmailing tenants into becoming their debt collectors, but I dont know where to start or who to write to Anyone got any ideas....? |
Re: Damac Building Management....Tossers !
Originally Posted by BangleMan
(Post 8299908)
Despite having paid a years rent in advance, and a holding deposit to my landlord of AED10k, as from today, I cannot access the pool or gym at the building I live at ! :frown:
Damac Building management who run the building, have apparently been unable to get 80% of the Owners in the building to pay their service charges, some are 2 or 3 years in arrears and so they have introduced a swipe card access system to gain entry to the gym & pool, and if the Owner is in arrears, no swipe card will be given to any tenant ! My landlord it turns out is AED 33,000 in arrears, and despite having huge rows with them yesterday and today, asking how the hell they can penalise me and other tenants who have paid up front (up to a years rent) because they cannot get the Owner to pay....their best suggestion is that I chase my landlord to pay the outstanding charges, and act as a debt collector Their opinion is that if the tenants can put pressure on the non paying Owners it will force Owners to pay. When I said do they really think that the Owners, who have up to a years rent in their hand, or at least post dated cheques and a deposit, and most of whom dont even live in Dubai, will really give a flying f*** whether I can go to the gym or lay on a sun bed around the pool.........their reply was maybe tenants should withold payment every month (clearly not listening to the fact that the Dubai rental market does not work on a month to month payment basis) and force the Owners to pay Their other logic is that in time landlords will not be able to rent out apartments without having paid service charges and they strongly urged me to get in contact with my landlord and try and get him to pay or threaten to leave when my tenancy is up, and then he/she would get very reduced rent etc etc If this fails to force enough Owners to pay, their next idea is to withdraw parking spaces for tenants who's landlord hasnt paid ! I can understand Damac's logic for Owners who live in my building, and agree that if they dont pay, then they should be allowed to use the facilities, but to penalise tenants who have paid rent, and who decided to live there based on facilities available, only for them to be taken away is a f***ing liberty, and whilst I know that tenants in Dubai do not have many rights, I do think this is a joke !! I cannot get hold of my landlord from one six month period to the next despite having 2 emails addresses, 2 mobile numbers and a work number, so have absolutely no chance of getting in contact with him or getting him to pay Was thinking of writing to the press to highlight Damac's mismanagement in obtaining outstanding service charges, and more importantly in effectively blackmailing tenants into becoming their debt collectors, but I dont know where to start or who to write to Anyone got any ideas....? When you wake up, repeat.....you will be far better off. Not sure if swipe cards were installed after you moved in but I wouldn't had over any cash until I had ALL keys. It's 'wrong' but true that you alone will have to convince the landlord to pay his maintenance fees, damac probably have a thousand owners in arrears - they aren't going to chase every one of them every day. Maybe it's possible to go to RERA and make a complaint....not sure if this type of thing is dealt with - maybe give them a call. 04 - 2030241. |
Re: Damac Building Management....Tossers !
either sit out and and then move at end of tennancy or maybe try the Rent Committee for advice? can't see anything happening though :huh:
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Re: Damac Building Management....Tossers !
I know it's not the point but there are worse things to have to deal with in life than inabililty to access the gym and pool. Wouldn't get too stressed about it.
Are there any tenants that do have access? Maybe you can arrange something with some others. Or even just wait by the door and wait for someone to enter / exit. Better yet! - Run to the beach and swim there...2 birds with one stone. |
Re: Damac Building Management....Tossers !
can't you break in to the pool area?
My one man band inspection of the JBR Walk ghetto shows that there are pools with swipe access where the gates have been forced and locked open with a chain. Was it always like that or can I assume that the same happened there given that it can only be a 1/3 occupied? |
Re: Damac Building Management....Tossers !
gar... just wrote an epic post and lost it!
We're also in a Damac building and about 45% of owners haven't paid. They're now enforcing the "denied access to parking bays" here. Out LL hadn't paid, but thanks to us getting a get-out clause in the contract, when we say we're not happy, he listens. Apparently our building has only got a few weeks of money left. If anyone's been wondering why a certain building in the Marina hasn't had its flashy blue external lights on for the last few months, now you know! Not that it's any consolation, but I know of quite a few buildings that have the same issue. It obviously comes from the fact that the MCs weren't too picky about taking details from the owners - some only gave a mobile number and email address! Heck, whoever thought that y'old russian oligarch, buying up 20 properties with dodgy cash wouldn't honour the T&Cs of his "investment"?! lolzzzz We've had letters "urging" tenants and paying owners to try and "convince" the non-payers to pay up... In any case, you LL is in fact in breach of his contract with you, in that, through his actions (or inaction) you can no longer benefit from the property as it was offered when you agreed to rent. As for enforcing it, well, that's another kettle of fish. |
Re: Damac Building Management....Tossers !
Waste of bloody time- management companies have ways of leanign on owners to make them pay, without hassling tenants.
I would like to see a compulsory purchase order (at original purchase price, or market price, whichever is lower) after 4 months' non-payment. Management can then get rid of bad landlords- everyone wins. Actually, with the abnormally inflated and deflated market, this might be used by managements agencies to illegally force sales and profit from them. The tenant should be able to claim for loss of enjoyment due to the negligence of the owner or their inability/refusal to honour financial commitments. Oh right, hang on, this is another country we're talking about ... but still RERA shoudl be able to force managements companies to go after the owners rather than penalising tenants. |
Re: Damac Building Management....Tossers !
Originally Posted by seven seas
(Post 8300277)
Waste of bloody time- management companies have ways of leanign on owners to make them pay, without hassling tenants.
I would like to see a compulsory purchase order (at original purchase price, or market price, whichever is lower) after 4 months' non-payment. Management can then get rid of bad landlords- everyone wins. Actually, with the abnormally inflated and deflated market, this might be used by managements agencies to illegally force sales and profit from them. The tenant should be able to claim for loss of enjoyment due to the negligence of the owner or their inability/refusal to honour financial commitments. Oh right, hang on, this is another country we're talking about ... but still RERA shoudl be able to force managements companies to go after the owners rather than penalising tenants. It's a farce. |
Re: Damac Building Management....Tossers !
I know of a number of Owners Associations in the same boat. The first years Service Charges generally get paid 12 months in advance in order for handover to take place, then it gets tough to collect the subsequent years Service Charges.
If an owner is in default of the payment of service charges, restricting access to the shared facilities is one of the options of the Owners Association (Management Company acting on their behalf probably). You are not able to contact your landlord and do anything about the situation which is tough and seems unfair on you. Of course you can vote with your feet when it comes to renewal and I am sure when you take on a new tenancy you will ask about the health of the owners association's accounts or ask the owner for sight of proof of payment of service charges. I do think that this will be more and more common with Developers unwilling or unable to pick up the tab to run the common areas in the long term, they have sold this area along with the units after all. It might well be that the Owners Association could end up selling the units of defaulting owners to recover the outstanding costs - I hope this happens to some of the overseas owners who don't have a clue and don't give a s**t. |
Re: Damac Building Management....Tossers !
I've read this thread again and have come to the conclusion that you have no option. No options means desperation.
You are also peeved off that people in the building are being treated differently despite you being a good citizen. My advice would be to shit in the pool and ruin it for those that do pay. That way everybody is equal. Alternatively move to AD, pay twice the rent and have no facilities. Or, if you are like me, have a fantastic pool where the heater is broken and the chiller stuck on full. Last time I measured it (in early September) it was a steady 18oC while the air temperature was 41oC. Nice. I have now managed to break into the service area and turn off the chiller, better than nothing. |
Re: Damac Building Management....Tossers !
Originally Posted by EmiratesMillhouse
(Post 8301257)
I've read this thread again and have come to the conclusion that you have no option. No options means desperation.
You are also peeved off that people in the building are being treated differently despite you being a good citizen. My advice would be to shit in the pool and ruin it for those that do pay. That way everybody is equal. Alternatively move to AD, pay twice the rent and have no facilities. Or, if you are like me, have a fantastic pool where the heater is broken and the chiller stuck on full. Last time I measured it (in early September) it was a steady 18oC while the air temperature was 41oC. Nice. I have now managed to break into the service area and turn off the chiller, better than nothing. |
Re: Damac Building Management....Tossers !
Originally Posted by BangleMan
(Post 8299908)
Despite having paid a years rent in advance, and a holding deposit to my landlord of AED10k, as from today, I cannot access the pool or gym at the building I live at.?
Improvise, Adapt and Overcome |
Re: Damac Building Management....Tossers !
Originally Posted by Ray
(Post 8301470)
A tear has rolled down my cheek
Improvise, Adapt and Overcome |
Re: Damac Building Management....Tossers !
Originally Posted by Hello.Kitty
(Post 8301464)
can you break into the pool chiller in my building and turn it off too please? I'm sure the pool is colder than the English Channel!
In our building they heat and chill the pool at the same time. Great, until the heater breaks of course - the chiller is connected to the main AC so will never go. Apparenlty the part for the heater is unavilable and I have literally begged for them to turn off the chiller. They do not understand that to warm up the pool they didn't have to fix the heater but turning off the chiller would be enough. Our service room is under the pool. Believe it or not the security guard leaves the keys in the drawer, so my 'break in' wasn't exactly forced entry. I just locked up behind me and job was a goodun. I'm sure no one goes in there anyway, it's pretty obvious that someone has turned the chiller pump off. |
Re: Damac Building Management....Tossers !
Originally Posted by EmiratesMillhouse
(Post 8301561)
Believe it or not the security guard leaves the keys in the drawer
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