Only in Dubai

Hey everyone, I need some advice on reporting a severe overcrowding issue in an open (non-gated) building in Karama. One of the units (a 1 or 2 BHK) has been chopped up into 10+ partitions, housing at least 10 different families/couples. The crowd it's attracting is becoming scary to face—there are constant late-night fights outside nearby grocery stores, major hygiene issues, and individuals loitering who make visiting relatives with young children feel highly unsafe. It’s also an massive fire hazard. I want to report this anonymously because I don't want to face retaliation from these individuals, but I have a few questions before I do:

1. Can I truly tip off authorities anonymously? If I call Dubai Municipality or email Wasl, will they keep my details 100% confidential if I ask?

2. Will they actually do anything? I know that under the new law passed in August 2026, shared housing can be legalized under strict terms, and I see partition ads openly pushed on Dubizzle and Instagram all the time. But there is no way this level of hazardous cramming complies with municipal guidelines.

3. Has anyone successfully gotten a partitioned flat inspected recently? What is the fastest way to get them to take action? I just want the legal owner held accountable so the building is safe for families and children again. Any advice on the best channel to use would be highly appreciated.

Sorry if this is not the right subreddit to raise this query, glad to be guided towards the right subreddit.

Imagine you’re me. You’re coming home from work after an evening shift. You’re tapped out. You wanna see your family and relax - maybe even have dinner at the appropriate time. But you drive to your community and it’s nothing short of parking pandemonium.

Cars using the sidewalks as additional parking. Strewn out haphazardly. Some of the ones who get home earlier hog the slots meant for paying tenants so if you’re a tenant you’re entitled to a slot but it’s first come first served so you’re always getting screwed over by either a) the people who get home around 6-7ish b) folks who share one flat and have God knows how many cars between them and c) ppl who use motorcycles as a paperweight to hold specific parking slots hostage

Security and building management isn’t a help even. They’ve implemented sections that tenants can only access but for some reason: non tenants can still access them. I see who they are in the mornings: they pull up to the security barrier, call up the customer service in the box and they bypass the gates by saying “oh hurdur we just registered so our car isn’t on your system”. The system should be keeping these ppl out!

I’m tired, I’m pissed, running out of hope and feeling helpless. Is there really no way justice for us paying tenants to get proper parking and reach our homes on time?

tldr: Al Khail Gate parking is hell. Security/management not taking action. Where to get help?

I am currently living and working in Dubai and trying to weigh a major life decision. If you had the opportunity to move to Australia on a Permanent Residency visa as a civil engineer, would you take it?

Dubai is great for savings and tax free income, but Australia offers long term stability and citizenship. I would love to hear an objective perspective from anyone who has made this exact move or considered it, especially regarding the civil engineering job market, the reality of the cost of living, and whether trading Dubai for Australia is worth it long term.

And yes air quality is a big plus for me.

Stumbled across this old memory—does anyone else remember when people actually tried putting coins on their Salik tag to try and trick the Salik scanners? It even made it into the news:

https://gulfnews.com/uae/transport/no-trick-can-cheat-salik-system-rta-1.78706

We used to talk about this all the time back then. Did anyone actually know someone who tried it, or was it pure urban legend?

Okay, so two days back, I was driving from Ibn Battuta towards Discovery Gardens taking right (freeway) when this White Not-so-Dashing (Jetour) sped up so much near the signal and cut me in the front to take the freeway. I was soo numb & had shivers at that point because the distance between my car and the front wasn't much and this Not-so-Dashing car cut so fast, I could only honk and stop my car right away.

I opened the Dubai Police app>turned on the location> Submit a Report> Traffic Offence & Reckless Driving (did this when my car stopped at the next signal of Discovery Gardens), now, the location changed, and it wanted me to capture or record live.
but the location changed (with each Green signal), that Not-so-Dashing car ran away, what was there to record? I have the nameplate picture.

How does one use this feature of Dubai Police App, when it is clearly not so safe to record or use phone while driving, how does one record/capture, when it takes just 2-3 seconds for someone to commit an offense.

I am not ranting or blaming, I am genuinely curious if I can still report this car through the app.

I wonder if someone in this sub has links to someone in the RTA to share some common sense with them.

This is the traffic light in jvc going on to lazuward… why do the front (circled in red) lights go red before the back ones (circled in green) do? This tiny section of road has no other flow of traffic - it’s literally just a holding spot and people constantly misjudge their ability to fit inside of it. It inevitably results in blocking the intersection on **every.single.**light change.

It would save a lot of people traveling in both directions if it were the other way around (lights circled in green go red first, followed by the ones circled in red) - traffic would flow smoother, and people might arrive to work a smidgen happier - knock on effect might even end up making this world a better place to live in.

Is there any way we can suggest this to be implemented?

Does anyone have any advice when it comes to the DHA?

I’ve been through hell and back with a surgeon in Dubai who did 5 breast surgeries on me within a 3 year period. All revisions, yet all fully paid for on my end.

He told me the last surgery in December would be the final one if I changed the implants to his recommendation. So I did. 10 days later once bandages were removed, I noticed the horror when I looked in the mirror and sent him photos asking him what went wrong, but he blocked me.

I haven’t been able to contact him or the clinic since. In the beginning, the surgeon's assistant did respond to offer me a refund if I signed a waiver releasing him from liability, but I refused. It made no difference as they ghosted me anyway.

In February, I opened a case with the DHA. Since then, it has been stuck on “Awaiting medical decision” on the portal. It’s been 8 months and zero updates.
I left the UAE in May. I called them almost every single day before leaving for an update. They always said someone would be in touch, but no one ever has. I send emails, try all the email addresses, try the WhatsApp chat... no response.

I sought advice from a lawyer, but they told me they need the DHA report first to even pursue the case.
This whole situation keeps me up at night. I still email the surgeon and his clinic monthly updates with photos and videos even though they ignore me. I constantly see him promoting himself on social media, laughing and joking, posting about how "patient care is his number one priority"... and I just feel helpless.

Is there any hope? Has anyone successfully managed to push a stalled DHA case forward from abroad?
I’d really appreciate any support or advice.

I have such a sweet tooth and I keep craving this. I eat like 2 boxes in one sitting (concerning, but I'm hoping my working out cancels out the sugar lol).

It's not bank breaking but I feel like I'm spending too much on sweets and desserts.

Do y'all know any other place that has similar kunafa desserts?

I live in a building that allows pets. This is all fine until recently one of my neighbors decided to get a parrot or a bird of some kind that chirps all throughout the day while I’m WFH or simply resting. I believe they go to work and bring it in from their balcony to the living room during hot hours and the sound leaks into the entire corridor.

Brought it up to security and building management which have been dismissive. This is something that I guess people will find trivial until they have had to encounter themselves. But I do admit that I am generally someone who is highly sensitive to noise.

I think part of my inconvenience is due to how inconsiderate the neighbors are being to others as brining up a bird is not comparable to e.g. construction work or children etc. as those are more understandable circumstances that I can psychologically tolerate.

What would you do in this situation? It’s been going on for over a month now and it doesn’t seem like anything will change. Thinking about moving out but I don’t want to be charged a 2-month rent penalty.

Any advice/help would be appreciated.

Hi i wanted to ask if there are any fully funded/free masters programs in UAE? FOR indian citizens residing in UAE. Or in any European countries.

Has anyone started to get unwell or develop some health condition post taking covid vaccine or after getting affected by covid?
In my case, i feel i have developed stomach problems post covid vaccine time and i am still suffering 😶

Hi everyone! I’m planning to travel from the UAE to my home country and I’m planning to take my cat with me. I’m really worried about an issue with his pet passport.
My vet made two mistakes:
color: He wrote “Orange” instead of “White,” then corrected it using white-out.
Breed: He initially wrote “Mix,” then changed it to “British Shorthair” using white-out again. My cat is actually a Persian/Angora mix with long hair.
My cat is microchipped, and his passport has a sticker with the microchip number.
I’m worried these corrections and the incorrect breed description might cause the UAE authorities to reject his veterinary health certificate or prevent him from traveling.
Has anyone experienced something similar? Can I get the passport corrected or reissued while keeping the same microchip number and vaccination records? Should I contact the ministry or the vet first?
Taking my cat with me is absolutely essential, and I’m terrified of being unable to travel with him. Any advice or firsthand experience would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hey guys - looks like I'll have to relocate soon.

Planning on relocating to bangalore.

I've got a one bedroom apartment worth of stuff - nothing fancy - just 30 years of stuff i've been trying to sort through - books, clothes, tv, refrigerator, etc - my question is -

is sea freight open now - to take everything - is it even worth taking or is it just going to be expensive that I might as well replace my items there?

Could be anything. Big or small. Just curious what people deal with day to day.

Hi everyone, looking for advice from anyone who has dealt with a similar situation in Dubai.

I recently transferred AED 16,000 to a landlord as a security deposit, plus AED 8,400 to the agency. Before payment, I had clearly communicated to the agent that my agreed terms were 12 November start date, AED 160,000 annual rent, payable in two cheques.

The landlord subsequently said he had instructed the agent, before my payment, that the tenancy must start immediately. He says the agent failed to communicate his condition. We therefore appear to have been given different information.

The landlord has not signed the tenancy contract, and some contract details were still being negotiated. He later offered a 1 November start, but on the condition that I pay the full annual rent now in one cheque. I haven’t accepted those revised terms.

I requested a refund if we cannot proceed on the terms communicated to me. He refuses, saying he lost another potential tenant and that the agency should take responsibility for the misunderstanding.

I went to the police station. An officer called him, but he still refused to refund me. The officer advised me and the agent to go to Al Adheed to pursue a civil complaint. RDC had previously directed me to the police because there was no completed tenancy contract.

I have the transfer receipt, WhatsApp correspondence and draft contract. The agent has said she will help pursue the refund.

Has anyone been through something similar?

• Would this normally be an ordinary civil claim or potentially a payment-order application?
• What were the approximate filing costs and timeline?
• Can the process be managed from abroad? I’m leaving Dubai on Sunday.
• Would you recommend Al Adheed directly or a lawyer for a claim of this size?

I understand the outcome depends on the evidence and any applicable deposit terms. Mainly hoping to hear practical experiences before I go to Al Adheed.

Has anyone else experienced this with DU in the UAE?

I've been trying to buy an iPhone, and the whole situation has been extremely frustrating.

When I check DU's online store using a number that doesn't have an existing DU plan, the devices appear to be available. But when I check using my own account, which already has a DU plan, suddenly the same devices appear as sold out.

I thought maybe it was just an online glitch, so I went to around 4–5 different DU branches. The experience was very similar across the branches.

Staff tried to sell me a new plan alongside the phone. When I explained that I already had a DU plan, I was suddenly told the phone was out of stock, even though I'd initially been told it was available.

Something else that made me uncomfortable was that staff tried to move me away from the camera's view while discussing the plans and purchase.

At this point, I'm genuinely confused. If the phone is available, why does it suddenly become unavailable when they find out I'm already a DU customer and don't need another plan?

I'm not claiming I know exactly what's happening behind the scenes, but the fact that I've experienced similar situations at multiple branches AND online seems very suspicious.

I've raised concerns about this and am considering escalating the matter to TDRA.

My questions are:

• Does DU restrict device purchases based on your existing account or plan?
• Has anyone experienced the same thing, and did you manage to resolve it?

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who's dealt with this. I just want to buy a phone without being pressured into signing up for another plan.

A few of us are getting together for lectures on fascinating subjects, from neuroscience and psychology to economics and history, hosted in cafés and bars around Dubai.

PM me if you’d like to join us!

Would love any recommendations on great IVF clinics in Dubai. I have stage 4 endometriosis and infertile for a year now. We’ve done a consultation at Bourn Hall and Almond Blossoms so far. I’ve heard Fakih IVF is good but I haven’t done a consultation there yet. We just moved to Dubai from the US and the healthcare system here is new to us so we feel a little overwhelmed on where to freeze our embryos and begin IVF.

I’ve been fooled so many times with ”premium quality Russian hair” that looks horrible after 3 washes? Anyone who knows genuinely good quality hair extensions? That can last for years. Both weft and other

Hi everyone, i seek advice. I missed the date of informing my non-renewal decision (50 days remain, against the 2 months in notice and contract).

What if i were to give a notice right now. In case the landlord does not agree to waive of notice period - what penalty can they apply?

Also since RERA rental index shows no increase (realistic rents are lower by 15%) can the landlord enfore the same rent? I want to negotiate and can possibly renew if landlord gives me a fair rental quote.

Dubai peeps who are learning French. Really eager to know which of the French institutes are best for b2 level preparation. This is specifically for immigration purpose. I am really looking forward to get an idea based on tried and tested institutes. Hence would really appreciate honest reviews. I have gone through a list on Google but honestly the reviews are not genuine there hence I need a true review and recommendation. Thanks