SHARJAH // Companies setting up offices in apartment buildings are invading the privacy of residents and could be in breach of municipality rules.
Businesses other than small local shops can only operate in specially designated commercial areas, but residents say the classifications between residential and commercial are not strict enough.
They say buildings that mix flats and offices are common in neighbourhoods such as Al Nabba, Rolla, Al Shuwaiheen, Al Qasimia, Abu Shagara, Al Nahda and Al Khan.
The companies working from these offices include trading firms, pest control, engineering and contracting, and typing centres.
Families living in the same buildings say the large number of customers makes life difficult, with corridors and lobby areas busy with people until late at night.
Abdul Azim Mohammed, who lives in Al Nabba behind the Mubarak Centre, said his family were the only people living on the second floor of his building, with the three other flats being used as offices.
“When my children want to go and play in the corridor it’s not possible as it is always filled with clients coming in and out of these offices,” he said.
“My wife does not even have a place to put our laundry because the corridor is like an open market place, and hanging such laundry in windows is banned in Sharjah so what can we do?”
Majid Mohammed, who lives in Al Qasimia, said having businesses next door to his home made it difficult to relax after a day’s work as some of the offices remained open until 10pm.
“Sometimes people would be having heated disagreements and all the noise would settle into our house,” Mr Mohammed said.
“Even going out in shorts and finding people dressed in suits for offices around just does not feel like being at home.”
He said many residents were worried about security with so many people coming and going from the building.
A municipality spokesman said buildings in the emirate were categorised according to their location.
“If the area is categorised as commercial, there is no problem with the building having both residential apartments and offices,” he said. “But for buildings in residential areas, having offices was strictly forbidden and the municipality could not attest any contract for an office in a residential area.”
The spokesman said that in some commercial areas landlords have allowed offices to open on the first floor of buildings, with flats occupying the upper floors, but this arrangement was up to individual landlords.
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