FDC has turned 'Fahi' flats into 'penalty flats': Sobah

The spokesperson for the unions, Sobah Rasheed, has stated that the "Fahi" flats constructed by the Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation (FDC) in Hulhumale' Phase 2 have been transformed into "penalty flats."

Speaking on RaajjeTV’s "Fala Surukhee" program, Sobah stated that the FDC is threatening residents with fines and ordering the removal of balcony covers installed for privacy and security.

He noted that major regulatory violations, such as erecting unauthorized pillars, blocking ventilation shafts, and laying concrete slabs in commercial properties, continue to occur without proper oversight.

However, Sobah stated that authorities are threatening to impose fines if sliding doors installed on balconies are not removed. He explained that these doors were installed for safety and to ensure privacy for women who do not wear the hijab at home, preventing them from being exposed to public view.

Furthermore, Sobah noted that alongside these threats, FDC Managing Director Hamdhaan Shakeel has been spearheading the opening and promotion of an aluminum workshop. He stated that this is perceived as an attempt to generate revenue for the company by forcing residents to replace doors they had personally installed at a cost of MVR 8,000 with doors manufactured by the company's own workshop.

The most astonishing part of this situation is that, alongside these threats, we see Hamdhaan Shakeel opening a carpentry workshop. It is like watching a scripted performance on television. He is opening a workshop—an aluminum workshop. After setting up this workshop and staging these appearances for the cameras, he releases promotional photos, and immediately following that, these threats begin. How else are we supposed to interpret this? I do not believe there is any other way to look at it. When the Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation (FDC) needs to generate revenue, are they not simply terrorizing and intimidating the residents? Are they not forcing people to dismantle doors they have already spent 8,000 Rufiyaa on, just to replace them with doors manufactured at Hamdhaan’s workshop? That is exactly what is happening here. There is no other way to describe it.

Sobah Rasheed

Sobah stated that a hefty 40 percent fine is being imposed even if rent payments for the flats are delayed by a single day, claiming that these units have now effectively turned into "fine flats." He further noted that the specific fine amounts for installing balcony doors have not been disclosed. He emphasized that such exorbitant penalties have left residents in a dire situation, struggling to figure out how to provide food for their families.

While Sobah expressed concern over FDC’s conduct, the corporation has issued a directive requiring all unauthorized modifications to utility balconies to be rectified in accordance with established guidelines by October 28, 2026. FDC further stated that legal action and fines, as stipulated in the housing agreements, will be imposed on any tenants who fail to restore their balconies within the given timeframe.

FDC has stated that tenants who have installed windows in violation of the established standards must rectify them to comply with the corporation's guidelines. FDC further emphasized that making any modifications beyond those explicitly permitted in the regulations published on its official website is strictly prohibited.

FDC has authorized two specific methods for these installations: sliding louver fixing and grill-and-net fixing. These options were approved to ensure both structural safety and adequate ventilation within the units.