Abu Dhabi: Residents living in a villa compound in Mohammad Bin Zayed City on Tuesday said they have been forced to find new accommodation after their electricity and water was cut in July after the landlord failed to pay electricity and water bills.
The villa compound has five independent three-storey homes, with around 35 families living there.
Gulf News visited the homes on Monday and spoke tp the tenants who showed their rent contracts, stating that the landlord is responsible for paying electricity and water bills.
“This all started on July 18. I was on vacation with my family when the power and water was cut, so it was a very bad situation to come back to. When we came back we only stayed for a few hours in the home because it was impossible, it was very hot and my three children were crying so we had to move out,” said Mohammad Imran, one of the residents who lives in the villa compound.
“I paid Dh37,000 for one year’s rent and I was looking forward to living comfortably in a nice home, but everything has been turned upside down now for me and family. I have been living in a friend’s home for the last three weeks, and if the situation is not resolved soon I will have to send my family back home to India,” he added.
Imran said that he has tried to contact the landlord but received no response. A comment from the landlord was not available.
Mohammad Nabeel, another resident, said he has now moved into another apartment with his wife and one-year-old child.
“With a family and work, I had to find another place to live in because I cannot just go on the streets or stay in a hotel. I am now having to pay double because of this situation — I have already spent Dh29,000 in cash to live in the villa before the power and water was cut, and now I am having to pay again to live in a new apartment,” he said.
“I have called the landlord many times and never get a direct answer from him. Sometimes a person picks up and say that it’s his brother. I only want this issue to be resolved, and like all the other affected tenants I want to get back the money I have spent,” he added.
Ramish Pednekar, who also lives there, said he and his wife had to sleep in their car for two nights when the electricity and water were switched off.
“On the first two nights I had to stay in the car with my wife because there was no way we could stay in the house. It was so hot so we slept in the car so we could have some air-conditioning — it was one of the worst experiences I have ever had, and was definitely something I never expected to happen,” he said.
“It is very inconvenient for me, I paid Dh24,500 for one year’s rent, so what is happening is not right. The landlord never tells us anything, and when we try calling him we get no answer. I now live in another apartment in Baniyas,” he added.
The tenants told Gulf News that they have gone to the courts to try and resolve the issue, but are still in the early stages of lodging their case, and that they are unclear about what they can do.
