India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Landlords in Sharjah have misconstrued a new bachelor rule and are not allowing single women to live in the city, a municipality official said. The Sharjah Municipality had introduced a bachelor rule at the beginning of April, aiming specifically at single men, who have a monthly income of less than Dh4,000 per month. According to the rule, single men could either live in industrial areas or at an accommodation provided by the company, The Gulf News reports. The rule was implemented to prevent bachelors from overcrowding apartments and villas in residential areas. But a number of landlords have not fully understood the new bachelor rule and have thought that single women are also covered by the regulation. Naima, who was denied accommodation by a number of landlords, said that she was shocked that every landlord demanded to see a marriage certificate. Many single women who are living in Sharjah have encountered the same problem. Their landlords have told them that they will not be able to renew their tenancy contract unless they produce a marriage certificate. Khalid Al Shamsi, Director of the Consumer Protection Department at municipality, confirmed that landlords have been misinterpreting the bachelor rule. He said he has received complaints from many women of different nationalities who have been denied accommodation because they are single. "Women who face eviction or are turned away because they are single should visit our department, obtain a copy of the rule, and explain it to the landlord. If the landlord continues with this claim, then we will take action and explain the rules out to him in detail," Al Shamsi said.

Single women not being allowed to live in Sharjah