Some Filipinos have raised concerns against real estate agents who refuse to rent out apartment in certain Dubai buildings because of stereotypes about Filipinos, according to media reports.
They accuse property brokers of making generalizations that Filipinos tend to overcrowd apartments and stink up their homes with certain dishes such as dried anchovies and dried squid.
Rey Alfonso, a civil engineer by profession, and his wife, Cynthia said they were shocked when doormen in two residential blocks in Al Karama district told them about an unwritten rule on not leasing properties to Filipinos. The couple, who have a one-year-old child wished to upgrade from a studio dwelling to a one-bedroom unit.
“It’s not fair because it’s a false generalization. In reality, no one wants to live in an overcrowded place,” said Alfonso.
An Indian real estate agent told news media that some tenants avoid renting among Filipinos because they fear overcrowding and smelly food.