Freehold residents too have to pay housing fee

All property owners in freehold or non-freehold areas of Dubai will have to pay housing fees, which is basically charged for using the city’s infrastructure, a top Dubai Municipality official.

“We have to be clear the developers charge for the service they give to the residents but we charge them for using the city’s infrastructure. We inspect the food they eat, we inspect the air they breathe, we inspect the roads they use; we give them all these services. No one else gives them these services,” Director-General of Dubai Municipality Hussain Nasser Lootah told Emirates 24/7.

Although the municipality has already briefed the review committee, set up by the Dubai Executive Council, to look into the complaints from freehold property owners of allegedly being charged twice.

“We haven’t heard from them yet,” Lootah said, adding that there were no plans to increase or lower the fees.

The municipality has set housing fee for units as five per cent of the annual rent.

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