Emaar communities cautiously optimistic about iReporting

The new initiative allows residents of The Greens and Views to use their smartphones to report problems in their communities.

The iReporting service aims to makes it easier for people to alert management to problems, and has received a cautious welcome from residents.

DUBAI // Residents in Emaar communities can now report problems in their neighbourhoods with the click of a smartphone camera.

The service was rolled out to residents of The Greens and Views last week.

To file an iReport residents take a picture of any problems with a smartphone, attach it to an email, add location details – such as the building name, floor and street – then send the message to [e-mail].

"Once this email has been received, the community team will review and remedy it as soon as possible," said Ahmad Al Falasi, Emaar Properties' executive director of property management.

The service has received a cautious welcome from residents.

“In theory it is a good idea but let’s see how it works in practice,” said Amanda Simpson, from the UK, who has lived in the area for two years.

“Sometimes the maintenance people can be difficult to get hold of and I wonder how they are going to cope if people start emailing them all the time.”

Sanjeet Patel, an Indian who has been in The Greens for a year, added: “I just wonder how quickly they will fix the issue, and whether they will list the issues through a set of priorities.”

Emaar said it is hoping to eventually extend the service to all of the company’s developments.

This version corrects the email address residents of Emaar communities should send their iReports to. The correct address is [e-mail], not .com.