Dubai tenants left sweating over air conditioning summer switch-off

Residents told their cooling service will be reduced for a number of weeks in order for 'emergency' maintenance work to be completed

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - August 12, 2019: Tenants complain about faulty AC in Marina Crown. Monday the 12th of August 2019. Marina, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Beleaguered tenants at a Dubai Marina waterfront complex have been left feeling the heat after air conditioning services were cut back at the height of summer in order for "emergency" work to be carried out.

Residents in Marina Crown said this is the second time in as many years the air conditioning has been interrupted due to maintenance issues.

According to a notice circulated throughout the Marina Crown building on August 4, residents were informed there would be a "temporary interruption of cooling" for two to three weeks.

Stratum Owners Association Management said the step was taken following "emergency maintenance works" to the cooling system chillers.

More than one week on, and with temperatures expected to reach as high as 44°C this week, residents said conditions inside the 52-storey building are unbearable.

“It is the middle of summer and we are being subjected to an AC switch-off for, not days, but weeks,” said one resident, Rashid, who asked for only his first name to be published.

“Are we expected to just accept this?”

Rashid claimed the same thing happened last summer.

“We just get the feeling the building management is not bothered to do anything about it, despite our complaints.

“The entire building is now running on one chiller, which is also used by the shops on the ground level.

“I can only cool my apartment to 25°C.”

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - August 12, 2019: Tenants complain about faulty AC in Marina Crown. Monday the 12th of August 2019. Marina, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The air conditioning issues have affected the Carrefour shop within the building complex. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Shop management for the Carrefour Market in Marina Crown, which is open 24 hours, also posted a notice at the shop's entrance warning customers of the problem.

“We apologise for the high temperatures due to maintenance issues in the building,” the notice read.

On May 5 last year, a Marina Crown resident aired her frustrations on a public forum about the lack of working air conditioning within the building.

“The AC has not been working throughout the entire Marina Crown tower for one week,” the post read.

“The chiller service is faulty for all [residential] floors as well as the Carrefour market, which is in the same building.”

On Monday, Rashid said he contacted Dubai Municipality to get the issue resolved, but due to the Eid Al Adha break he is still awaiting a response.

“If building management are going to interrupt cooling like this they need to offer up an alternative solution to keep our apartments cool.

“They have not done that,” he said.

The building management company was contacted for comment by The National, but did not respond at time of publication.