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Dubai comes first from behind in work-life balance study
Headline staff
Dubai is the land of glam and grind. While the glamour is obvious, it has come at the cost of extra man hours by its population for the past year at least. Dubai is the most overworked city, according to a finding on work-life balance done by Kisi.
The mobile access technology company looked at factors including work intensity and city livability as well as quality health care, affordable cost-of-living, and ample time off.
In a year affected by pandemic, a lack of travel for the mostly migrant labourers and hence unable to take time off must have surely played a big part in the ratings to reflect on what has also been rated as the most instagrammable place in the world.
Burned-out workers may instead want to consider Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, or Sydney, where less than 10% of the population is overworked, according to the study.
New York City plunged in the rankings, coming in at 59 out of 100 cities, down from 38 the year before and 21 in 2019 before the pandemic took hold. London, while ranked significantly higher, also fell — to 27 in 2022 from 20 the year before and 12 in 2019.
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Crackdown on Illegal paying guests: Dubai’s new shared housing law takes effect with fines up to Dh1m
Dubai’s new legislation governing shared accommodation officially came into effect on August 26. Applying across the entire emirate, including free zones and special development zones, the comprehensive framework is designed to eliminate dangerous, overcrowded, and unauthorised partition rentals while establishing formal licensing standards for communal living.
What qualifies as shared housing?
Under the law, shared housing is defined as any residential property where individuals or families occupy private designated living spaces while sharing common facilities like kitchens, bathrooms, and dining areas.
Who is permitted to rent out shared units?
The new framework strictly bans unauthorised subletting by tenants. A primary tenant can no longer rent out individual bedrooms, partitioned spaces, or bed spaces directly to roommates or third parties.
Only the following entities can legally offer shared housing:
- Registered Property Owners: Leasing spaces directly to occupants under formal contracts.
- Licensed Management Companies: Authorised operators contracted by the owner to run and lease the property.
- Licensed Operators Subletting Master Leases: Approved commercial entities leasing an entire property from the owner to sublet authorised units to tenants.
Penalties for violations
Authorities have introduced strict financial and operational consequences for non-compliance:
- Initial Fines: Dh500 up to Dh500,000, depending on the severity of the violation.
- Repeat Violations: Fines double for repeat offences committed within one year, capped at Dh1,000,000.
- Operational Sanctions: Authorities may suspend operations for up to 6 months, revoke commercial licenses, cancel permits, disconnect utilities, seize equipment, or order the direct evacuation of non-compliant properties.
Grace period & tenant protection
- Compliance deadline: Existing shared housing operators and property owners have until August 26, 2027, to obtain permits and bring their properties into full compliance.
- Protection from sudden eviction: If an operator’s permit is suspended or cancelled, authorities can grant occupants an interim stay period to secure alternative accommodation rather than facing immediate eviction.
Approved property/resident categories
The regulation permits shared accommodation across six distinct property types:
- Residential apartments
- Detached/standalone houses
- Residential complexes
- Mixed-use buildings
- Attached / adjoining houses
- Multi-storey buildings
Permitted occupant groups include families, single men, single women, university students, government personnel, and private sector corporate employees. Corporate and student housing provided directly by employers or educational institutions does not require individual tenancy contracts.
No tolls, free parking in Abu Dhabi this Friday
Crackdown on Illegal paying guests: Dubai’s new shared housing law takes effect with fines up to Dh1m
