One third of Dubai residents are currently not being charged a housing fee amid continued delays in a campaign aimed at tightening the net on those not yet being billed, an ArabianBusiness.com poll has revealed.
Up to 32 percent of residents said they are still not being charged the mandatory fee, compared to 23 percent who have been paying for the last five years or more.
The speed at which the housing fee scheme, which was introduced in 2005, has been rolled out has drawn criticism from many expats, who complain the way the charge has been applied is unfair.
The emirate’s government said in May 2010 it planned to charge all residents by January 1, 2011 but the authorities last week said they had been forced to push back plans to charge all expats the fee by June following delays in discussions with the emirate’s utilities provider DEWA.
Are you paying the fee yet? What’s your experience been of the process so far? Leave your comments below…
Arabianbusiness.com: 1 in 3 Dubai residents not charged housing fee
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Hi – what is the reason for this fee only for expats? Aren’t expats making life better for locals? I think expats should be exemptvandvEmiratis should pay this to the Government, like the rest of thevworld where locals pay the zgivernmentbtaxes for better roads, health etc
Fair go for the poor expats please