(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The Sharjah Municipality has obliged real estate offices and landlords in Sharjah to use e-services (e-tenancy contract) on Sharjah city municipality's website for attestation of residential and commercial contracts, effective September 1.
The municipality in a circular, obtained by Khaleej Times after it was distributed to real estate offices and landlords, noted that effective September 1, no paper applications for renewal of contract attestations will be accepted at any of the relevant services centres. Speaking to Khaleej Times, Omar Al Sharji, director of customer services at Sharjah Municipality said the move is aimed at making it easier for residents as well as landlords, and also to minimise work pressure on municipality staff. The decision will also help make use of technology and cope with rapid development in terms of best service provision being implemented by government departments in the country. The municipality seeks to remove the difficulties and obstacles for residents by introducing alternative civilised solutions with regards to rental regulatory and leasing contract attestation. He added that circulars had already been distributed to all 120 real estate offices in the emirate. The staff has also been trained on how to attest the contract through the website, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Tasheel office will, however, continue attestation services from 8am to 8pm, Thursday to Saturday. The fee of Dh100 for buying the paper file will now be paid for the electronic file. He warned real estate offices and landlords against charging tenants extra for attestation services. Tenants who are asked to pay extra for attestation can refuse and lodge a complaint with the consumer protection department, he added. He added that about 45 counters were dedicated for attestation services at the municipality to help reduce the rush. At least 5,000 people had approached the municipality recently for contract attestation before the hike comes into effect on August 1. Extra burden, says real estate officers Fassil, manager of Al Marif Real Estate, said the decision is definitely in favour of tenants who will not have to go to the municipality centres for attestation. However, it would add more load on real estate offices as they will have to hire someone to do the attestation, he added. Manager of Al Majid Real Estate said they would need more workshops to get familiar with the services. His office will have to employ one person to do the job for the tenants. We have stopped getting the paper contract book as the first step towards e-contract services, he added. An official at Damas Real Estate said that his office always abides by the rules and regulations, and they have started preparing to provide the services starting September 1. Tenants welcome decision Saju, a resident of Al Mahatta in Sharjah said this will help many people who don't have to time to approach the attestation centres for the services. Now we can leave it to the landlords to do it and only pay the required fees. Ali Taha Al Mahi, another resident of Abu Shagara said the move is great and in favour of tenants as it would minimise the load of work on tenants and the municipality. "But I fear that the landlord or real-estate may charge more fees for providing the services," he added. Mustafa Hanif, another resident said real-estate offices could exploit the decision and charge money for providing the services. "We wish the municipality warns these offices against charging for attestation," he added. Afkar Abdullah