The Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities - Abu Dhabi City Municipality called on all property owners to carry out preventive maintenance for their buildings and properties. Property owners are urged to conform to the building codes applicable in Abu Dhabi emirate, observe all security and safety standards and register in the Municipality's preventive maintenance system.
The preventive maintenance system approved by the Municipality is intended to ensure that the regular internal & external maintenance works are carried out as planned and as per the pre-set timetable of maintenance programs & schedules.
This step comes as part of the Department's efforts to provide the highest standards of safety and security for all occupants of these properties and combat the disfiguring of the general appearance. It is a top priority for the Department to maintain the structure and overall appearance of buildings and ensure their fitness for human living. These buildings must fulfil the requirements and standards of the Abu Dhabi Building Code, and contain all public services to provide civilized services for all residents.
The preventive maintenance projects are mandatory, and appropriate measures shall be taken against violators. Therefore, the Municipality granted all owners a grace period up to the end of the current year, and at the beginning of 2019, after which the civic body shall enforce the administrative decision No. 20/1994 relating to the executive regulation of the building law.
All property owners must submit property occupancy certificate application forms to the Municipality, as failing to carry out the preventive maintenance will result in depriving property owners of various services especially with regard to issuing permits & certificates for residential units occupancy and registration of tenancy contracts, among others. Based on Abu Dhabi emirate future vision to develop the city, formidable infrastructure has been built over the past years, and large funds have been invested in the building & construction sector.
Since maintaining and operating the infrastructure warrants proper technical maintenance, the Municipality attaches great importance to the preventive maintenance. The system contributes to increasing the lifespan of the property, equipment & devices, improving the operational efficiency of equipment & devices, saving energy consumption, reducing operational breakdowns, repairing & early detection of malfunctions, and reducing the high cost of extensive maintenance works or replacement of equipment. The benefits of preventive maintenance also include slashing the cost of urgent maintenance, increasing the property financial returns, ensuring rapid response for urgent breakdowns & complaints, meeting health & safety requirements, maintaining the appearance of the city, and providing an appropriate atmosphere for inhabitants.
The Municipality has therefore prepared real estate preventive maintenance guidelines in order to activate the issuance and renewal of property occupancy certificate and ensure that property owners would implement the preventive property maintenance. This system will be applicable to all commercial, industrial properties & governmental facilities.
The Building Permits Division issues the occupancy certificate, which will be closely related to the preventive property maintenance, after inspecting and verifying its fitness for human habitation and its compliance with the maintenance conditions approved by the Municipality. To obtain the occupancy certificate, applicants must register in the preventive maintenance system.
The Municipality shall grant temporary property occupancy certificate if documents submitted upon registration in the preventive maintenance system are complete. The certificate would enable holders to clear their transactions with the Municipality or other services pending the issuance of the permanent occupancy certificate.
According to the Municipality, the preventive maintenance program is a responsibility shared between the property owner, the property manager and the contractor, and each has specific responsibilities as per the laws & regulations adopted in the emirate.
The safety, security and public health of the population is a top priority that the Municipality seeks to perpetuate by enforcing the property preventive maintenance programs. Properties that do not meet the security and safety conditions shall be deemed unsafe even if some or all other conditions are met such as equipment maintenance, and public appearance, among others. Accordingly, these properties shall not be granted occupancy certificates. Their condition and hazard level shall be assessed before being fined and referred to the judicial authorities for demolition, if necessary, to protect the population and the environment.
In this context, the Municipality annually classifies properties according to the applicable assessment standards, which include property condition, external appearance, internal maintenance, safety, building structure, public hygiene & health, and compliance with the rules and regulations regulating the occupancy of residential & real estate units, as well as terms & requirements of sustainability.
The Municipality called on all property owners to verify the fitness and safety of their buildings, especially residential ones, which is a strategic end that affects the safety of the community, public health and quality of life. Therefore, the Municipality looks forward to cooperating with the property owners to provide the highest levels of safety, and security, safeguard the general outlook and offer integrated services in all properties in Abu Dhabi and its environs.