Property owners in Springs will pay Dh2.29 per sqft of plot area as community service charge, a hike of 1.3% over last year’s Dh2.26
Emaar Properties , Dubai’s largest developer, has marginally hiked service charges for the Springs community, but has lowered it for the Meadows.
Property owners in the Springs community will pay Dh2.29 per square feet of plot area as community service charge, a hike of 1.3 per cent, over last year’s Dh2.26. In the Meadows, the fee has been set at Dh1.89 per square feet of plot area, down 0.5 per cent from Dh1.90 charged in 2012.
Emaar , in a circular sent to owners, said: “After a thorough review of our current and projected costs for the year and following approvals from Real Estate Regulatory Agency (Rera), we wish to inform you that 2013 community service fee for The Meadows has been determined at Dh1.89 per square feet of plot areas.”
It added: ” Emaar Community Management has been working to ensure quality lifestyle and superior service to all its residents at the same time drive economies of scale for getting competitive costs and value for money in your community.”
In the circular, the developer also says that 2013 promises to be an exciting year with a number of community improvements envisaged and some of them already started such as community landscaping with planting new trees and replacement of non-performing shrubs, improvements of the play areas across the community and others to follow, which will enhance the beautification of the community as a whole.”
Property owners in Arabian Ranches, Hattan and Lakes said they had not received their 2013 invoices. An Emaar call centre employee confirmed that charges had not been finalised for these communities.
M Reyer, a villa owner in the Springs, says: “Our service charges went up by 11 per cent in 2012 compared to 2011. Now, they have reduced it to few fils. Though it is good that there is no increase, we hope better fiscal management will help in bringing down the charges next year.”
To get owners clear their service fee arrears, Emaar last year began “naming and shaming” these dodgers. At the entrance of communities such as the Springs, the Meadows, Lakes and Arabian Ranches, the develop put up boards with the street and villa number of those had not paid the service charges despite reminders.
In a statement sent to Emirates 24/7 last year, Emaar had said most homeowners in the communities managed by them had paid their service charges after they made villa numbers of the defaulters public across its various communities.
Besides, to keep tenants aware of their landlord’s tardiness, it “door-delivers” the service charge arrear notice.
“The outstanding amount is clearly stated in each notice letter issued to the owners who have failed to pay their service fees. The letters have been door-delivered so that current tenants are aware of the outstanding amount,” a company spokesperson had said.
In Dubai, it is mandatory for developers/strata management companies to get approval from Rera to increase service charges.
Emirates 24|7
