Is construction noise annoying you in Dubai? Here’s how you can complain

Are you irritated by the noise of any construction works going around your residence? It’s no time to curse your bad luck on anticipating a quite room to relax after your day’s hard work. You can file a complaint against construction noise in Dubai.

How to file construction noise complaint?

From late-night drilling to constant hammering, construction projects that last many months can become a huge inconvenience for residents living in the neighbouring areas. Either there is ongoing maintenance or a new structure is being built in a suburb seeing rapid expansion. To boost the real estate sector and facilitate businesses, the Dubai government has allowed construction work to go on round-the-clock. However, companies have to apply for a permit before starting work at night.

That being said, construction workers need to adhere to certain laws, which includes limits on construction-related excessive noise. Construction companies are conscious of being on the wrong side of the law. Hence, they take measures to resolve any construction noise disputes. If any violations occur, citizens have the right to pursue legal action. Here’s how you can deal with construction noise in Dubai.

When to make complaint?

Construction noise law in Dubai protects the rights of residents. Dubai Municipality is the government authority that enforces the rules when it comes to construction work and the noise it may generate during the day or night.

According to the laws, the acceptable noise limit has been set for all companies. During the day, i.e. from 07:00 am to 08:00 pm, the noise level should not exceed 55 decibels. Whereas, at night from 08:00 pm to 07:00 am, the acceptable limit is 30 to 40 decibels.

To give you some points of reference, a bird cooing is typically 40 decibels, a toilet flushing or vacuum cleaner doing its thing come in at 70 decibels, and a motorcycle is usually around 100 decibel territory. Keeping these educated estimates in mind will help you to assess noise levels without using specialised equipment.

Procedure to file complaint

If you want to be courteous before potentially going down the more official route, you can speak with the construction manager and make a request. If the manager isn’t available, the watchman or security guard present on the construction site can probably assist in the process. This is not a requirement, but it may prove to be successful and therefore negate the need to make an official complaint.

You have two options when it comes to filing an official complaint. The first is to call Dubai Police on their non-emergency number: 901. Alternatively, you can contact the Dubai Municipality using their toll-free number: 800-900, and register a complaint against the construction company. Once a complaint is registered, the Director of the Buildings Department at Dubai Municipality or members of his department visit the premises to examine the case. If deemed necessary, mandatory directives are then issued to remedy the situation.

If the construction team subsequently fail to adhere to the directive(s), the concerned officer can act. This can include making the instrument noise non-functional within the premises, seizing the instrument, transporting it to the municipal office, or writing a report about the violation and imposing a penalty. 

A civil law suit is another resource that can be utilised in extreme cases. However, it is unlikely that you will have head down that route as most situations get resolved long before that stage. Also, it is strongly advised not to use the Dubai police emergency number to file the complaint.