The burnt out top floor of Tamweel Tower.
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Tamweel Tower residents have reacted with outrage to a proposal from the owners association to provide temporary accommodation after a blaze devastated the building earlier this week.
Residents were informed on Tuesday that alternative accommodation had been arranged in different hotel apartments for a period of one month, starting from November 20.
The cost of accommodation will be covered by the property all-risks cover that the owners association of the tower maintains with Arab Orient Insurance, but residents have been told that they will have to pay upfront for the accommodation, a report by Emirates 24/7 has claimed.
The residents had previously been put up in temporary accommodation, which had been paid for by Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, the free zone authority at Jumeirah Lakes Towers.
“I received an SMS that we had to check out of the Bonnington Hotel today and move to Time Yassat, Gloria Hotel in Tecom. We have been provided with a hotel apartment for a month,” Afsanah, a resident from the 32nd floor of Tamweel Tower, told the newspaper.
“But we have to make an upfront payment of AED10,000 and our landlord is not willing to pay it. I do not know where this money will come from,” she added.
Meanwhile, other residents have claimed that the deal was not up to the mark, with the insurance company only paying a percentage of the upfront fee demanded by the hotel apartments.
“It is not that we can’t pay the amount, but we are worried about the reimbursement. Although we were asked to pay an amount of AED10,000, we will only be reimbursed AED7,500. Why do we have to pay AED2,500 from our own pocket,” said JB, a British resident from the 12th floor, who saw her apartment go up in flames.
A mail sent out by Tamweel Tower Interim Owners Association said that the reimbursement of the alternative accommodation would depend on the size of the apartment in the burnt tower.
“As you are aware, the owners’ association has obtained Property All Risks cover from Arab Orient Insurance Co. This cover includes reimbursement of the cost of alternative accommodation, subject to a maximum of Dh1,485,520 for all residents together.
“Based on floor area occupied, the total amount reimbursable works out to approximately Dh7,500 per 2 bedroom small unit, Dh9,075 per 2 bedroom large unit and Dh12,750 per 3 bedroom unit,” says the mail.
The same mail also says reimbursement will be processed urgently after owners and residents have settled the bill with the respective hotels and claimed the reimbursement.
However, residents have said that this deal would mean that the owners would receive the compensation, while it was the tenants forking out the cash.
“How can I be guaranteed of the reimbursement?” asked JB, “The reimbursement will be made to our landlord while we are handing over the amount. There is no contractual agreement securing the reimbursement and there are a lot of unclear things. I contacted my lawyer and he advised me not to pay the amount under any circumstances.”