His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who serves as both the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, has implemented a new safety law which establishes building safety standards throughout the emirate as part of his effort to strengthen the emirate’s urban infrastructure.
The latest legislative changes emerge from the public safety law which the government announced earlier this month. This law will implement new venue and community operational procedures which will start running on June 1. The new safety law establishes a new operational direction which establishes permanent structural stability as the main goal while protecting the safety of people and maintaining the distinctive urban character of Dubai.
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Scope and Objective of the New Safety Law
The primary objective of the law is to mandate the quality, safety, and sustainability of all structures in Dubai. The law establishes mandatory maintenance procedures to execute required safety checks and building inspection activities which will lead to reduced accidents and improved protection of life and property and the safe operation of all building systems.
The new safety law establishes its jurisdictional reach through its application to all buildings that exist within Dubai city limits. This requirement affects all constructions in private development areas and free zones because the law applies to buildings that existed before the law was passed and those which were built afterward. The law will begin its operation 60 days following its publication in the Official Gazette.
The Role of Dubai Municipality and Digital Integration
Under the new regulations, Dubai Municipality is tasked with overseeing the quality and safety of the emirate’s skyline. The Municipality has been assigned a range of key duties which include:
- Developing a sophisticated digital management system for building oversight.
- Maintaining a unified, comprehensive building database.
- Establishing updated standards for building sustainability and periodic assessments.
Mandatory Quality and Safety Certificates
The safety law requires all building owners to secure a “Quality and Safety Certificate” which acts as its primary requirement. The certificate will be granted only after a certified engineering company performs a complete technical assessment of the building’s structural integrity.
- Initial Issuance: Owners must obtain this certificate immediately upon the completion of a building.
- Maintenance Mandates: Building owners must employ licensed engineers to conduct scheduled maintenance inspections for their properties which have existed for less than 20 years. This process aims to eliminate defects that pose dangers to human safety and damage adjacent property.
- Validity Periods: For buildings less than 40 years old, certificates are valid for 10 years. The certificate for buildings older than 40 years requires renewal after five years.
Protections for Tenants and Legal Penalties
The new safety law introduces significant protections for residents. If a tenant is required to vacate a building for reconstruction or essential repairs under Law No. (26) of 2007, they are granted priority to return to the unit once work is complete. Most notably, they are entitled to the same rental value agreed upon in their original lease.
The law establishes severe penalties to guarantee complete adherence to its requirements.
- Initial Fines: The law establishes fines which start at AED 100 and reach a maximum of AED 1 million for people who violate the law.
- Repeat Offenses: The fine for a second violation within two years will increase to double the first offense penalty which reaches AED 2 million as the highest limit.
- Administrative Sanctions: The authorities can suspend building permits and government approvals and lease certifications until non-compliant buildings complete all required violation corrections.
Timeline for Compliance
Building owners and contractors and engineering offices have until the end of their one-year grace period which starts from the law’s effective date to achieve complete compliance with all regulations which apply to their properties and operations. The Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai can extend this deadline to achieve smooth transitions throughout the real estate sector.
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