DUBAI // Fatih Bayrak was shocked when security stopped him on the way into his apartment building's car park and told him his previously free parking spot would now cost Dh8,000 a year.
Thousands of irate residents at Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) are fuming about new parking space rules.
They say the developer's decision to make the changes will make them think twice about continuing to live and work in the residential and commercial development.
Mr Bayrak, an engineer, was also asked for his signature and address before he was allowed in.
"This is unfair," he said. "It's like playing with people's lives because people have rented apartments based on the assumption that common parking areas are free."
He was told that he could park in one free spot allotted to his landlord, but must pay for his wife's parking.
The charges are Dh50,000 for purchase, or Dh8,000 per slot annually, residents said.
"It is not right to trouble thousands of people," said Mr Bayrak, who has lived in the Lake City Tower for two years and who recently renewed his lease. "The sight of a long line of cars stopped and people giving their details before they enter their own building is very disturbing," he said.
The complex's main developer said parking barriers, which were now operational, were intended to safeguard owners who had paid for their spots. But residents said they were upset about being repeatedly questioned about access cards to enter parking bays that were free before last month.
Following complaints, the developer has decided to wait until after Ramadan to enforce the access rules.
The confusion also stems from rules requiring proof of the owner's and the tenant's identities for each unit, and from tenants being unable to reach landlords who are on holiday.
The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), the master developer at JLT, said it began meeting tower developers and owners associations in June last year, seeking to ensure a hassle-free process.
"The activation ... will ensure that residents and workers are able to access parking for which they have paid," a DMCC statement said.
It was "unfortunate" that the process had "not always been properly explained to the final end user", the statement added.
Prices of parking bays also vary, as they are based on fee structures set by individual tower developers.
Parking barriers have been operational in JLT clusters B and D since last month.
"Continued activation will restart in early September, after Ramadan, by which time the majority of landlords will have returned from holiday," the DMCC said.
"DMCC may defer parking barrier activation at the joint request of the towers in a cluster. We want to ensure as seamless a process as possible, so are working with tower authorities to ensure the needs of tenants are taken into account."
About 50,000 people live and work in 61 towers at JLT. Unlike other areas where motorists can park for free on sandy stretches outside, the only available parking at JLT is at the tightly packed towers.
Developers said all access barriers would be operational by the end of the year.
"Space is always limited, so every part will count," said Fereidoun Sanatti, the chief executive of Saba Properties, which runs three towers. "Owners of commercial units did not realise how much parking they would need."
But one business owner said he was given one parking spot and was assured free parking for staff in the common area at JLT.
"I have nine employees, six with cars. What do I do?" he asked. "Buy six spots at Dh50,000? In that case my cost is Dh300,000. I bought the office for Dh650,000. So basically I need to spend 45 per cent of the value of the asset to secure parking for my staff."
Residents pointed to rows of empty slots, even at peak hours.
"It is irritating to see this," said Omar Khan, who moved from Bur Dubai to JLT this year so he could walk to his workplace within the clusters.
"Companies will pay parking fees for a few senior employees. What happens to everyone else? How will they pay so much? It's ridiculous."
Landlords said tenants would not accept higher costs.
Dr Jaafar Kamal, a professor at the University of Wollongong in Dubai, who lives in one unit that he rents and owns another unit that he leases out at JLT, said he would check whether or not he owned a parking spot when he returned from his holiday.
"It will cause conflict with tenants because we never made it clear to them at the start," he said. "More time must be given to resolve this - it cannot be a 'take it or leave it' [situation]."