Ajman starts regulating shared accommodation in five areas

Ajman's municipal authority has started regulating shared and bachelor accommodation, beginning with a pilot across five residential areas. The move introduces a clearer framework for how buildings can be used and occupied, and real estate companies have already been briefed on the new requirements. For owners and investors with units in these neighbourhoods, it signals a shift toward more formal rules around who can live where.

What Ajman announced

According to The National on 30 September 2026, the Ajman Municipality and Planning Department launched a pilot initiative to classify and regulate buildings that contain shared accommodation in residential areas. The programme covers five areas at this stage: Al Nuaimiya, Al Rashidiya, Al Nakheel, Liwara and Al Rumaila.

The authority described the launch as a pilot phase that will be evaluated before any decision to expand or develop the initiative further. Officials framed it as a way to address long-standing challenges linked to bachelor and shared housing by setting out clear regulatory frameworks.

What the rules aim to do

The initiative is intended to classify buildings against defined requirements and standards, improve how residential buildings are used, and strengthen building safety. The department said it wants to balance the needs of different parts of the community with wider urban planning goals.

To prepare the market, the department held a workshop with real estate companies, explaining its approved conditions for allowing bachelors to stay in buildings and clarifying how shared accommodation would be defined and implemented. Mohammed Abdulwahab Mustafa, director of the Municipal Control and Inspection Department, said the initiative tackles challenges associated with bachelor and shared accommodation through clear regulatory frameworks.

What it means for owners and investors

For landlords and investors holding apartments in the five areas, the main takeaway is that building use and occupancy are moving onto a formal footing. Properties are expected to be classified, and the way units can be let for shared or bachelor housing will follow defined conditions rather than informal practice.

Because this is a pilot that the department says it will review before expanding, owners in other parts of Ajman may see similar rules in future. Anyone buying or leasing in these neighbourhoods should check how a building is classified and what occupancy is permitted before committing, as compliance will shape both tenant options and day-to-day management.