M218 Blog (Dubai Marina): Taking Concerns A Step Further (More Questions Raised)

The flooding which plagued parts of new Dubai last week was cause for concern, as addressed in Water Worries. Beyond the primary issue raised in that discussion (vulnerablility of critical equipment in the MAG 218 basement), other concerns arise. Property Weekly in its 1 March 2006 issue reports on the extent of damages suffered by residents and homeowners.

In one case in The Springs, where a resident's driveway was impaired, the property owner was told by developer Emaar that the one-year warranty provided with the property had expired, therefore the company bore no responsibility. The homeowner wondered if he would have got the same response had his home suffered the damage.

In another case, a family who had just moved into an Arabian Ranches villa reported that "the rain had caused their ceilings to crack open. ...a crew turned up to assess the damage." Presumably the property was still under warranty.

Beyond the damage to property, it was startlingly clear that there was a major failure at the level of infrastructure which is the responsibility of the master developer, to whom annual management fees are (in most cases) being paid. Clearly there were no, or at best very inadequate drainage systems in place. (See photos below.)

One must wonder what responsibilities the builders, consultants and developers have. Shouldn't the master developer be liable for problems with basic infrastructure for which the purchaser is paying ongoing maintenance fees? And how meaningful is a 12 month warranty on a structure--shouldn't the builder, consultant and/or developer be legally responsible for some components of the structure beyond such a limited period?

While these concerns relate to rain and water issues and the damage that may have resulted, a recent issue (February 2006) of UAE Money Works raises some provacative questions in its article, "UAE property law: a legal view." It starts out:

Is it a good practice to hire a lawyer for purchasing property in the UAE? Are there any reasons for investors and homebuyers not using lawyers in the UAE for buying property? Do you see this as an issue of lack of awreness? What are the pitfalls and dangers?

Though somewhat meandering, the question(s) raised ought to be of concern to Dubai property buyers, including those of MAG 218.

These questions will be taken up further in "Taking Concerns a Step Further (Legalities)"--link to be provided.

Back to the issue of the flooding, the following photos (taken from Springs 'Flood' - Feb 23, 2006 and M & J Adventures) illustrate its magnitude. They also highlight the need for participation by community residents and owners in a community association that can address such issues.

At present The Springs, Meadows and Lakes Community News is one such, grass-roots forum which well represents the named community. It lists a variety of topics for participants to discuss including Resident Issues, Breaking News, Club/Group/Event and more. A forum such as this can provide a model for the MAG 218 Community as it continues to develop. (Readers are hereby encouraged to take a closer look at Who We Are and other MAG 218 Community links and consider playing a more active part.)

Snapshots of the Floods