Abu Dhabi Municipality asks property owners to carry out preventive maintenance of all buildings by end of this year
Abu Dhabi: All building owners in Abu Dhabi have been told to meet the capital’s building code requirements by the end of 2018, or violators would face punitive action next year, it was announced on Saturday.
The Abu Dhabi City Council on Saturday called on property owners to immediately start maintenance of all buildings and properties, to meet building code requirements applicable in the capital.
It also called on property owners to ensure all safety and security standards in their buildings, in addition to registering for the preventive maintenance system with the Abu Dhabi Municipality (ADM) by end of this year.
From next year, landlords who fail to meet the deadline may not be able to register their tenancy contracts.
The preventive maintenance system is approved by the municipality to monitor property managers’ commitment to the planned maintenance work, regularly carried out for internal and external parts of the property, the city council said in a statement.
“This step is part of the council’s efforts to provide highest security and safety standards for all residents and property owners,” it said, adding that the maintenance of buildings in terms of structure, appearance and validity of housing is a high priority. Buildings must meet the code requirements and provide public services, offer adequate housing and integrated services for all residents.
Preventive maintenance projects are mandatory, and failing to comply will result in action taken according to the laws and regulations governing the sector. ADM will grant all owners until the end of 2018. From the beginning of 2019, it will implement the provisions of Administrative Decree No 20 of 1994, on the executive regulation of the building business law.
“All property owners must apply for a tenancy certificate for the municipality’s real estate units and the lack of preventive maintenance will be an obstacle to taking advantage of the various services, especially with regard to special permits and certificates, registration of leases among others,” it said.
Future vision
Over the past few years and on the basis of Abu Dhabi’s future vision, ADM noted that it worked tirelessly to develop the city. Plenty of infrastructure has been created and money invested in construction, so infrastructural maintenance must be regular, the body stressed.
The certificate is renewed every five years and must be registered in the preventive maintenance system. On the certificate of occupancy, which is closely related to preventive maintenance, ADM confirmed that it is issued by the building permit department, to allow for the property to be occupied after inspecting the unit, ensuring its condition for occupancy, and compliance with ADM maintenance conditions.
Any property that does not meet the security and safety conditions will be considered unsafe for occupancy, even if some or all other conditions — such as maintenance of equipment, general appearance or others — are met. These will be denied the occupancy certificate and come under the possibility of being fined, referred to competent authorities, or demolished.
Under this framework, ADM annually classifies properties as per evaluation criteria which include: property’s condition, external appearance, internal maintenance, safety, structure, hygiene and public health; compliance with regulations for occupancy of residential, real estate units and sustainability requirements.
Property owners are asked to ensure their buildings’ safety, especially in residential ones. This is for the safety of the community, public health and quality of life.
