Sharjah Residents are yet again facing a challenge when renewing their tenancy contracts as inefficient staff, poor customer service and long queues compel them to take several days off work.
There are 48 employees working at the nine municipality centres that offer the services of attesting tenancy contracts, and the main department operates continuously until 8pm while the remaining others close at 2pm.
"I was about to get a token number and the staff counter informed me that even though I was in a queue, she would leave at 1pm regardless of how many customers were waiting in line," said a resident, who visited the municipality branch in Al Khan.
"I have never come across such incompetent staff who clearly refused to work, and had no other choice but to go back earlier the next day," he said.
Another resident, Joseph, explained that he would have been unable to renew his tenancy contract had it not been for his sympathetic landlord.
"I had a family visa but sent my wife and child back home to India, so when I had to renew my residency visa I was told to get one for a bachelor. But now that I have to renew my tenancy contract, the municipality insists that I have to change my tenancy contract to a bachelor's residence. I don't want to do that because I want to bring my family back soon," he said.
An official at the Consumer Protection Department admitted that the department has faced several similar complaints because of the bureaucracy involved.
"The Department of Immigration has their own set of rules while we have our own, and sometimes they clash. We advise tenants to get a regular visa for a year, and then change it again the next year," said Khalid Al Shamsi, Director of Consumer Protection Department.
There are 48 employees working at the nine municipality centres that offer the services of attesting tenancy contracts, and the main department operates continuously until 8pm while the remaining others close at 2pm.
"I was about to get a token number and the staff counter informed me that even though I was in a queue, she would leave at 1pm regardless of how many customers were waiting in line," said a resident, who visited the municipality branch in Al Khan.
"I have never come across such incompetent staff who clearly refused to work, and had no other choice but to go back earlier the next day," he said.
Another resident, Joseph, explained that he would have been unable to renew his tenancy contract had it not been for his sympathetic landlord.
"I had a family visa but sent my wife and child back home to India, so when I had to renew my residency visa I was told to get one for a bachelor. But now that I have to renew my tenancy contract, the municipality insists that I have to change my tenancy contract to a bachelor's residence. I don't want to do that because I want to bring my family back soon," he said.
An official at the Consumer Protection Department admitted that the department has faced several similar complaints because of the bureaucracy involved.
"The Department of Immigration has their own set of rules while we have our own, and sometimes they clash. We advise tenants to get a regular visa for a year, and then change it again the next year," said Khalid Al Shamsi, Director of Consumer Protection Department.
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