# Building Access Card



## Proff42 (Feb 11, 2012)

Hello everyone - first post so please be gentle with me. 

My partner and I are renting a unit, the landlord informed us that one of the access cards was 'broken' and that he would go get us a new one after we signed the contract. We signed the contract and recieved 2x sets of unit keys, 1 garage card and 1 building access card. 

Now - the landlord has gone overseas. My partner and I have been trying to chase him up but with no luck to date. So - my partner went to EMAAR to ask if we could purchase a new card. It turns out that he has not paid the maintenance fee on the unit. As a result EMAAR will not give us a second card (apparently our other one should also be cancelled) until he pays the maintenance fee.  

Apparently EMAAR have a policy that in all reality punishes the tennant for the landlord not paying the fees. You can imagine my frustration that we have paid our rent in good faith to only find out that he has not paid the maintenance fees. 

Does anyone have any tips... It's a bit embarrasing to ask the security guards to keep letting me in daily if my wife is not home. The big concern I have is if I have the card and for some reason my wife cant get into the building, she could be assulted or worse. Especially if she parks in the garage area and needs to get into the lift or walk all the way out of the car parking area. 

Thanks all


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

This has happened with tenants in many developments.

Your wife should not be touched, let not assaulted. If any of the guards are moronic enough to touch her, you should call the police and ensure they are arrested and punished. Legally, they do not have a right to stop you accessing your flat. If the landlord has not paid his fees, they can restrict access to gyms and so on.
I am guessing you still have 10-11 months remaining in your contract? If yes, go over to RERA and seee if they suggest something. Did you give the cheques to the landlord or to some agent?

Anbd lastly i am beginning to get fed up of those landlords who openly lie and cheat, and effectively steal which is what they are doing when they cash a tenants money without paying service fees which locks out the tenant like this


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

It's big news at the moment, both with Emaar & Nakheel, and like you said it's is the tennant that is being punished. Such is the mentality here. 

It's worth checking with Rera, maybe seeing if you can get out the contract and if any of the cheques can be legally cancelled but I feel you're going to be stuck like this for a year.


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Tropicana said:


> Anbd lastly i am beginning to get fed up of those landlords who openly lie and cheat, and effectively steal which is what they are doing when they cash a tenants money without paying service fees which locks out the tenant like this


And depending on where they're from, if you call them a liar or a cheat, they'll report you to the police and you'll get arrested.


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## Proff42 (Feb 11, 2012)

Seeing that we have only moved in - we don't exactly want to move out now. My wife does feel safe but you can never know - it's not a risk that anyone should be exposed to - especially if its as simple as providing a access card. 

The landlord has not lodged the contract with RERA... suprise, suprise. 

I guess the point of my post is to find out if there is anyway we can get the property developer (i.e. EMAAR) to provide us with the card? We have paid our rent in good faith and it is not upto us to be their personal police service and chase up the landlord. 

Is this something that may be worth escalating within the government? It just seems to be happening everywhere to tennants and is not right.


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Proff42 said:


> Is this something that may be worth escalating within the government? It just seems to be happening everywhere to tennants and is not right.


You really are a newcomer to Dubai, arent you ?


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Proff42 said:


> I guess the point of my post is to find out if there is anyway we can get the property developer (i.e. EMAAR) to provide us with the card? We have paid our rent in good faith and it is not upto us to be their personal police service and chase up the landlord.
> 
> .



EMAAR "may" provide you with the card.

However at the end of the day "they" dont care whether you paid the rent or not, you will soon see that "good faith" is something not understood at all , and "its your problem" seems to me the mantra many people follow when you have a problem


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

There is more chance of Beyonce turning up my door tonight with a pie supper and a 6 pack than there is Emaar giving you an access card in good faith or because it is the right thing to do.

However, if you properly hound them, make peoples lives as much of a misery as possible with persistent complaining, not reasoning but more a Chinese water torture mantra of "I want my access card, where is my access card, when will I have my access card?" - then you might get one.


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## Proff42 (Feb 11, 2012)

Sounds like I should mug one of the security guards or start taking lessons in water torture... :boxing:


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Proff42 said:


> Sounds like I should mug one of the security guards or start taking lessons in water torture... :boxing:


A small back hander to one of the security guards might help. When I lived in an apartment we were only allocated one parking space no matter how hard we tried but a few sheckles to the caretaker got us an extra space and extra button thing for the barrier.


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## Proff42 (Feb 11, 2012)

Thanks I might try that one... We also are starting to think that the A/C might be turned off... it's not hot (but neither is it outside) but when the fans are on cool it is not getting cold in the unit..


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

Don't know what building you are in so hard to advise on the A/C but if it is an Emaar then probably not a separate water cooled system. Most likely A/C is being paid in your DEWA bill so wont have been turned off. Get building maintenance to come and look at it if you are not getting cold air.


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## kimae (Feb 17, 2012)

*Majority of Nakheel projects landlords yet to pay service charges*

Sanjay Manchanda, the acting chief executive of Nakheel has said *60-75% of landlords across all the developer's communities have not paid their service charges*, Gulf News has reported. The developer has adopted a 'name and shame' policy to retrieve the Dhs72m in service charges owed by landlords at their Palm Shoreline Apartments, barring access to the buildings' beach, swimming pools and facilities for those who have not paid. *The ban also affects tenants who have paid their rent but whose landlords are in arrears.*

ameinfo. com/290433.html


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