Tenants leaving Dubai’s iconic Toyota Building on Sheikh Zayed Road have been fined over illegally partitioned apartments and must settle outstanding municipality and utility dues before receiving final clearance, the building management has said.
The Nasser Rashid Lootah Building is being gradually vacated ahead of its eventual demolition. Management said around 70 percent of the 15-storey building has already been cleared.
Mahmood from the real estate department of Nasser Rashid Lootah Group said Dubai Municipality was dealing directly with tenants over violations found inside individual apartments.
“The municipality is writing to the tenant directly. The real estate management is not involved,” he said.
Tenants found to have created unauthorised partitions have been required to settle the fines before completing the move-out process. They must also clear outstanding matters involving Dubai Municipality and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority before approaching building management for a final clearance certificate.
“Our involvement is to issue the clearance certificate once they clear the fines and everything from the Municipality and Dewa,” Mahmood said.
The situation has raised questions about how unauthorised partitions were created without management detecting them earlier.
Mahmood said building management cannot freely enter rented apartments to inspect internal modifications. Even property owners generally cannot enter occupied units without the tenant’s permission or appropriate authorisation from the authorities.
He said this meant management did not know how many partitions had been installed or how many people were living inside individual apartments until authorities became involved.
Some flats were reportedly found to house as many as 15 people in partitioned rooms, contributing to overcrowding concerns.
Mahmood also rejected suggestions that the building management was forcibly removing residents. He said the process was being handled through the relevant authorities and established procedures because management could not simply enter occupied apartments and remove tenants.
The building’s legal department has also contacted authorities for clarification over the actions being taken.
Some residents have approached Dubai Municipality and Dewa while resolving issues involving their apartments and utility connections. As units are vacated, water and electricity connections are also being disconnected.
Dubai Municipality has previously warned that unauthorised residential partitions breach regulations and can create safety risks. Such modifications can increase the danger of fires and make evacuation more difficult during emergencies.
The eviction process began after authorities identified overcrowding linked to illegally divided apartments. Residents told Khaleej Times that departures were carried out in stages, with occupants of partitioned units among those asked to leave first before other residents were also instructed to vacate.
Built in 1974, the Nasser Rashid Lootah Building became one of Dubai’s best-known landmarks. It gained the nickname Toyota Building after a large red Toyota sign was installed on its rooftop in 1981.
More than five decades after its construction, the building is now approaching the end of its life as a residential landmark. Management has confirmed that it will eventually be demolished, although no specific date has been announced.
For remaining tenants, leaving the building involves more than simply moving belongings. Fines, utility bills and official clearances must all be settled before the final departure process can be completed.
