Page Category: Lifestyle

Community service fee

Timely payment of the community service fee helps keep your community’s services ticking smoothly.

Community service fee

The community service fee (CSF) is the homeowner’s annual contribution towards the common expenditure of the community. The CSF is based on the estimated annual expenditure of the community for the operation and maintenance of its common property and assets.

Your CSF invoice gives you a detailed breakdown of how we arrive at the CSF for the year. We also send out an information pack with further details about each community relating to the previous year, with news of key events and developments.

Note: If you are a homeowner and would like to refer the latest CSF information pack, log into this website with your credentials to read it.

What are the main components of my CSF?

General fund

It consists of day-to-day operating and administrative expenses used to maintain your community. Operational expenses include the maintenance, utility costs and management of everything from common area infrastructure and landscaping, to waste collection and signage placement.

Capital reserve fund

It was established to pay for costs incurred in the repair and replacement of significant capital items. This includes community gatehouses, pavements, amenities like play areas or sports courts and other common areas.

Special levy

This is a one-off charge for items not in the design or those not covered under the general fund. For example, if you require an additional facility such as a play area or a swimming pool, the cost for this will be covered by the special levy.

Master community levy

This charge is paid through the CSF and covers items such as plants and the maintenance of the master community infrastructure including roads, underground services, storm drains, sewage lines and pavements.

Value added tax (VAT)

Value added tax (VAT) has an impact on your community service fees (CSF) as it includes several items such as maintenance services, utilities, insurance, etc. This means that the VAT collected as part of your CSF will then be paid to the Federal Tax Authority.

How VAT works:
  • Homeowner – All homeowners are charged 5% VAT payable to ECM
  • Emaar Community Management (ECM) – ECM pays 5% VAT to relevant suppliers and service providers.
  • Federal Tax Authority – ECM pays the difference between the VAT collected from customers and VAT paid to suppliers to FTA. Suppliers and service providers also pay a 5% VAT to FTA.

    Source: Federal Decree Law No. 8 of 2017 & Cabinet Decision No. 52 of 2017

How the community service fee is calculated

Our budgeting team considers the following aspects when calculating the community service fee (CSF).

Historical expenses

We evaluate actual expense trends from the previous year based on individual cost items. Depending upon the operational plan, we decide whether or not to include them again in the following year’s budget.

Resource allocation on-site

We periodically review resources on-site to find ways of improving performance by employing new technology and operational methods based on international best practices.

Service provider contracts

By regularly reviewing service provider contracts, we can evaluate key areas of improvement, such as performance and cost savings. This helps us to determine future budgets and predict expenses.

Capital assets evaluation (maintenance, repair and replacements)

Capital assets that are no longer under the manufacturer’s warranty are regularly reviewed for major maintenance or replacement. Essential equipment, such as sewage pumping stations and/or similar items, support the overall infrastructure of the community.

Provision for doubtful debts

This amount allows for the setting aside of a small portion of CFS collections as a provision in case certain receivables are required to be written off in the future.

Surplus/deficit adjustment from previous years

Finally, any surpluses or deficits from previous years are brought into consideration during the determination of the CSF rate for the current year.

Community income

In addition to the CSF, the community has a few other revenue streams that also contribute to its income.

Parking access cards

The cards used by residents to enter their building or parking areas are provided to homeowners at a small cost and the income generated is credited to the community’s account.

Marketing and distribution permit fee

To ensure that only legitimate businesses gain access to the community, we regulate activity with the provision of a permit that allows the distribution of promotional material. An administration fee is collected and booked as income to the community.

Violation penalty

To ensure adherence to the community rules and architectural codes, NOVs are issued along with violation penalties to those who fail to comply.

Miscellaneous income

This is income generated from other avenues such as interest earned through call accounts or bounced cheque charges.

How can you pay?

You can pay your community service fee through a variety of easy payment methods.

Online
  • Log on to emiratesl.wpengine.com from anywhere, any time. 
  • Online banking services (account holders only): Log on to your personal online bank account at RAKBANK, Mashreq Bank, Emirates NBD or Dubai Islamic Bank and follow the payment instructions.
Self–service kiosks
  • Make cheque and credit/debit card payments using our interactive payment kiosk located at the customer happiness centre in Emaar Square, Building 2.
Direct bank transfer
  • Directly transfer funds from your bank account to the community bank account as detailed on the front of your CSF invoice.
Autopay
  • Setup autopay instructions for payment of future invoices on their due dates.
  • Please follow the online payment link on the invoice and log onto emiratesl.wpengine.com for setup.

What happens if you don’t pay

Your community boasts a strong collection rate, one of the highest in the emirate. However, there are still a few homeowners who delay their payment, which ultimately affects the wider community as well as simply being unfair to those who pay promptly. If you continue to default on your payments, we may be forced to take one or all of the following actions:

  • Suspension of non-emergency services to your property.
  • Denial of services including non-issuance of NOC for transfer of property, visa renewal, access cards etc.
  • Referral of the case to a professional debt recovery agency.
  • Initiation of legal action.

As stated in the sales and purchase agreement, payment of the CSF in full and on time is the obligation of every homeowner. Delay/non-payment of the CSF has the potential to deprive your community of the funds required to continue the supply of essential services such as common area maintenance, air-conditioning, security, waste collection, street lighting and irrigation.

Guidelines

Architectural guidelines regulate all alterations undertaken in your community, excluding those carried out by the developer.

Architectural guidelines help familiarise homeowners with the objectives, scope and application of design standards to maintain the aesthetics of the entire community.

Why are architectural guidelines important?

  • Control the appearance of the community’s common areas and buildings.
  • Preserve the design and architectural quality of the community.
  • Recognise the varying needs of homeowners and occupants, while upholding the common interest of all.
  • Maintain the aesthetic standards that make the community an attractive and desirable place to reside or operate a business.
  • Uphold the property values for homeowners.

    Note: The architectural guidelines exclude alterations carried out by or on behalf of the developer. 

What building standards should I follow while carrying out works at my home?

  • Ensure only high quality (and where possible, new) materials are used.
  • Comply with community and local laws and regulations.
  • Enlist reputable, properly qualified, experienced and licensed professional suppliers.
  • Ensure works are carried out in a proper, workmanlike and timely manner, in which the least inconvenience is caused to other homeowners and occupiers.
  • Refrain from carrying out any activities before all necessary certifications (including any engineer’s certification and the like) have been obtained to ensure that they do not impact the structural integrity of the building or community.
  • Ensure that the community is clean and tidy at all times during and after the works.

What happens if I fail to follow the architectural guidelines?

Failure to comply with the architectural guidelines, and any damages to the community common areas will result in a notice of violation being issued. The damage will be rectified in line with community standards and the cost of rectification will be charged to the unit owner.

Note: Alterations, additions and decorations to the exterior of the unit or any part of the common areas, including but not limited to doors, windows and window coverings, are prohibited.

A homeowner or occupant who undertakes any work indemnifies and maintains the indemnity to other homeowners or occupants against any loss that may be suffered resulting from any defective work undertaken as well as the entry of any contractors into the community.

Log onto your community portal and select ‘Home Modifications’ for altering or making modifications to your villa.

Rules and regulations

Your community rules are set out to cover everything you need to know about living in Emirates Living.

Just like the wider society itself, it’s important for everyone to live by a similar code of conduct, so in our rules, we discuss everything from the appearance of your home and its maintenance, to parking issues and the disposal of your rubbish.

These rules are for the benefit of owners and residents and are designed to create an environment in which all owners and residents can maximise enjoyment of their homes and the various common areas and facilities.

It is also the intent of these Rules to create a serene, attractive and safe environment for the families, children, neighbours, and guests of the Community and Master Community. Adherence to these rules will maintain, preserve, enhance, and protect the property values and assets of the Community. Violation of any of the Community Rules will be uniformly enforced, with a Notice of Violation and applicable Violation Penalty.

We hope this makes for a pleasant living environment within your Emirates Living community.

Read your community rules here.

Four reasons Emirates Living is the sustainable community on the block

Integrating sustainability in all our practices is one of our priorities at Emirates Living. We do this in a number of ways.

Recycling initiatives

  • Did you know that over 70% of the average household’s trash can be recycled?
  • Recycling bins are available outside your home.
  • Collections are scheduled every week.
  • Money generated contributes to the community’s income.

Energy efficiency

  • Most pedestrian lights and bollards in the community are solar powered.
  • Most other lights in the community are LEDs, helping significantly cut down on electricity.

Sustainable landscaping

  • Nearly all species planted in your community are well-adapted to dry and arid conditions.
  • Most plants don’t need much water and thrive under the full sun, with little shade.
  • For irrigation, drip irrigation pipes carrying TSE (treated sewage effluent) are employed.

Paperless communication

We’ve been slowly doing away with traditional paper-based communication, going digital on multiple fronts. Most general notices, announcements, community newsletters and CSF invoices are now sent via email – saving tens of thousands of pages of paper.

How you can contribute:

  • Start by fitting LEDs in all your light fittings.
  • Check the five-star energy rating every time you buy electrical appliances for your home. Try to pick more energy-efficient products.
  • Turn off the main outlet for devices when you’re not using them. All electrical devices consume phantom power when idle.
  • Keep your air conditioning at 24 degrees celsius for optimal cooling and efficiency.
  • Segregate recyclables like paper, plastic bottles and metal cans and drop them together in the recycling bins outside your home.

Digitalising your community living

Did you know your community portal and the mobile application EMAAR ONE provide you with a world of facilities, right at your fingertips?

Emaar One app

The most comprehensive digital solution you’ll ever need to efficiently manage all your Emaar properties. Through the Emaar One app, you can raise voice service requests, view the status of your requests, follow construction updates, book community amenities and so much more. Available for download on iOS and Android.

Newsletter and events

You can get your quarterly round-up of all the latest happenings in Emirates Living by tuning in to your community newsletter. It’s filled with pictures of events, exciting contests and latest improvements to your neighbourhood, and it’s available on your community portal.

Raise home modification requests

Looking to replace your flooring tiles or renovate your kitchen? Applying for a home modification permit can now be done right from your portal – just log on, select the ‘Alterations’ tab choose the request you’d like to apply for. You can even log other service requests through your portal. If you have EMAAR ONE, there’s an option to leave a voice request too!

Online access cards

Registration/ activation of access cards has been digitized for your convenience at www.emiratesliving.ae. You can apply for new cards by simply logging onto your community portal and clicking ‘apply for a new card’, whereas, existing cardholders should select the ‘activate existing card’ option.

Digital contractor permits

Your appointed contractors can now register and apply for community entry permits online at ecmpermits.ae, where they will find useful video guides in English, Arabic, Hindi, and Bangla.

Move-in permits/renewals

Looking to apply for your move-in permit? It’s as simple as visiting here. If you’re already residing in the community and want to update your tenancy contract, you can log on and upload it through this portal.

Amenity bookings

If you’ve lived in a community with shared amenities before settling down in Emirates Living, you probably know the frustration of arriving at your favourite amenity, only to see it never available. In your new neighbourhood, however, that’s a scenario you’ll never face – the online booking system on your dashboard (once you log in at the top of this page), lets you reserve the amenity of your choice for two hours, up to two weeks in advance!

Payments

If you’re a homeowner, you don’t need to visit the community management office or bank to complete payments for your community service fee – just log on to pay, wherever you are.

A closer look at the floral extravaganza in Emirates Living

Your community features an amazing variety of landscaping species of all colours and sizes – read on to discover some interesting details about them.

1. Sea purslane

Sea purslanes are light to purple coloured flowers that you’ll find lining most roads along your community.
Private garden suitability: They’re relatively easy to grow and don’t need much water. Not a good idea if you have cats though, as they’re toxic to felines.
Interesting fact: Their leaves are high in iron, vitamin C, vitamin A and calcium.

2. Singapore daisy

These yellow bloomers are evergreens that love sunshine and aren’t fussy about water.
Private garden suitability: Easy to grow and low on maintenance, however they’re invasive and may compete with other plants for nutrients.
Interesting fact: In the wild, these plants rarely spread via seeds, relying more on stem fragments and cuttings instead.

3. Wild jasmine

Another species that prefers warmer temperatures, wild jasmine shrubs significantly brighten up the community with their dense clusters of fragrant flowers.
Private garden suitability: Can be grown indoors/outdoors, are non-toxic, and fragrant.
Interesting fact: Jasmine oils comprise over 100 compounds that contribute to its unique scent.

4. Flame tree

A vibrant tree that can reach 12 metres, flame trees put on a flamboyant display of red flowers during the flowering season.
Private garden suitability: Enjoys sunlight and remains evergreen all year round.
Interesting fact: Flame trees actually produce more flowers when they’re kept slightly dry.

5. Golden shower tree

Golden shower trees are fast growing deciduous trees that produce stunning blooms of yellow-gold flowers during late spring.
Private garden suitability: Prefer warm conditions with well-drained soil.
Interesting fact: The tree is well-recognised in culture; it’s the state flower of Kerala, and featured on the Canadian 48-cent stamp.

Build your own backyard kitchen garden

Sure, The Springs Souk is right round the corner – but why not grow your own vegetables and save time and money? We’ve gathered some great advice from our landscaping team that you can employ to grow crunchy cauliflowers, tangy tomatoes and juicy melons.

1. Check your calendar

The time of the year is a crucial factor when it comes to prepping your garden. The winter months from September to December are the best time to start sowing seeds.

2. Pick plants that thrive in UAE

Picking versatile species that perform well in the country’s climate helps you maintain a healthier garden.

Vegetables: Tomato, lettuce, beetroot, mint, radish, eggplant, pepper, cucumber

Fruits: Lemon, lime, pomegranate, mango, papaya, fig, guava

3. Ensure the soil is well nourished

Your plants soak up all the nutrients they need from the soil, making it crucial that the soil is well nourished with the necessary fertilisers. Soil is U.A.E. is generally low in nutrients, so make use of fertilisers rich in nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.

Tip: You can also pour water used to cook vegetables or boil eggs – they’re loaded with water-soluble nutrients.

4. Water as necessary

Smaller containers need to have a hole at the bottom to allow excess water to drain. Soil in pots is likely to dry out faster, so they may need to be watered more frequently.
Tip: Insert a dry wooden chopstick into the soil near your plant, remove after ten minutes and check if the wood has dampened. If it’s dry, your soil needs water.

5. Keep an eye out for pests

As the weather changes, plants become more susceptible to fungus and insect attacks, so it’s a good idea to apply some fungicide.

Tip: For a chemical-free remedy, spray a solution of one litre water and one teaspoon of baking soda mixed with half a teaspoon of oil and a few drops of dish soap.

Explore new sports at Emirates Living

Discover a variety of exciting sports you can learn to master right here in your community.

1. Football

Pull on your footie boots and head for your community’s football pitches (located at Meadows) for a friendly kickabout with friends or other members of the community.

Brilliant for developing bursts of pace and athletic endurance, football is a great team sport that will also have you making new friends and getting to know your neighbours!

2. Tennis 

If you’re after building some serious strength while leaning out, the full-size tennis courts (available in Meadows) are perfect for you. In addition to working your entire body, tennis tests your hand-eye coordination and improves your reaction time. The game also builds resilience, particularly in the later sets when you’re more fatigued.

3. Basketball

If you’re looking for a fast-paced game to develop quicker feet, improve your speed and hone your accuracy, basketball checks all the boxes. The rapid switches from attack to defense, long-range shooting, and dizzying twists and turns make the game perfect for developing agility and speed.

So head down there and start dribbling (available in Meadows).

4. Swimming

Want to just unwind and enjoy a light-hearted activity that doesn’t demand much skill or commitment? Head for your pools (available in The Springs, The Meadows, The Lakes and Hattan) and ease through a few breast-stroke laps. If you’re looking for something more challenging, try incorporating a few dolphin kicks every now and again.

All the pools have deep and shallow ends so no matter what your level of skill is, you’ll always find the water comfortable. Did we mention that there are smaller wading pools for younger children too?

Terms and conditions apply.

Miscellaneous

We love when you tell us that you feel a member of our staff is worthy of your praise, whether it be a service provider, Community Co-ordinator, Association Manager, cleaner or landscaper. Please email us at communities@ecm.ae and tell us about it!

Please log in to your portal using the LOG IN button at the top right and select ‘Storage Cage Leasing‘ from the menu. Here you will be able to see the available cages and the relevant leasing fees.

No, it is solely for the use of the Community Management team to display information relevant to the community.

Yes. You may have decorative lights in your home for a period of up to 10 days on either side of the festival/holiday, but nothing that creates a visible glare from outside the property. For more information, please refer to the community rules.

Community service fee

The CSF is each owner’s annual contribution toward his/her share of the common expenditure of the community. The CSF rate is determined based on the estimated annual expenditure of the community for the operation and maintenance of the common property as well as its share towards the Master Community.

Please see the Community Service Fee page for further information.

There are various ways you can pay the Community Service Fee relating to your property:
– By cheque
– Online payment
– Emaar One app
– Self-service kiosk at Marina Walk south, retail area
– Visit our credit control department at Emaar Square
– Bank transfer

Delayed / non-payment of the CSF can potentially deprive your community of the funds required to continue the supply of essential services such as common area maintenance, air-conditioning, security, street lighting, and irrigation.
CSF defaulter awareness campaigns and the suspension of non-essential services have proved useful measures in boosting the collection of outstanding dues. In some cases, a debt recovery agency has been appointed to supplement ECM’s actions. Approvals for unit sales and alterations are also restricted until the outstanding Community Service Fees have been paid.

Our budgeting team considers the following aspects when calculating the Community Service Fee (CSF):
· Historical expenses: We evaluate actual expense trends from the previous year based on individual cost items. Depending upon the operational plan, we decide whether or not to include them again in the following year’s budget.
· Resource allocation on site: We periodically review resources on-site to find ways of improving performance by employing new technology and operational methods based on international best practices.
· Service provider contracts: By regularly reviewing service provider contracts, we can evaluate key areas of improvement, such as performance and cost savings.
· Capital asset evaluation (maintenance, repair, and replacements): Capital assets that are no longer under the manufacturer’s warranty are regularly reviewed for major maintenance or replacement.
· Provision for doubtful debts: This amount allows for the setting aside of a small portion of CSF collections as a provision in case certain receivables are required to be written off in the future.
· Surplus/deficit adjustment from previous years: Finally, any surpluses or deficits from previous years are brought into consideration during the determination of the CSF rate for the current year.

Please see the Community Service Fee page for further information.

The General Fund consists of the day-to-day operating and administrative expenses used to maintain your community, whether you live in an apartment or villa. Operational expenses include, but are not limited to, the maintenance, utility costs, and management of the following:
· Common areas including infrastructure, landscaping/irrigation, and water features; general as well as specialized cleaning; pest control; and civil works such as painting, tiling, masonry, and carpentry
· Air supply/distribution components for common areas and private units
· Common area lighting
· Common and shared recreational areas
· Elevators, garbage chutes, and waste collection
· Firefighting equipment and high and low voltage systems and networks
· Generators and associated facilities
· Domestic water and supply systems/networks
· Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing assets (MEP)
· Signage
· Access control systems, Building Management Systems (BMS) and Building Maintenance Units (BMU)
· Community security and control rooms
· Periodic upgrades and/or replacements of non-capital equipment and consumables
· Monitoring/supervision personnel including swimming pool lifeguards and security staff
· Compliance with statutory requirements

Please see the Community Service Fee page for further information.

A Master Community Levy is charged to each community and other non-residential entities, for example schools, clubs, and retail areas within a Master Community. This charge forms part of your CSF and covers items such as sewage treatment plants, maintenance of the Master Community infrastructure including roads, bridges, underground services, storm drains, sewage lines, and pavements.
In other words, the Master Community Levy goes towards the maintenance of areas that are not part of any particular community but are common to the Master Community and shared by all.

The Special Levy is a one-off charge for items not in the design or those not covered under the General Fund.

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