Oman

Drying laundry on balconies: Follow guidelines or face fine

 
Muscat: As a pursuit to maintain the aesthetic urban facade of the capital, Muscat Municipality has stressed the importance of adhering to the requirements when drying laundry on balconies of houses and buildings.

As per Article (32) of Local Order No. 92/23 for the organization of buildings in the Governorate and the requisites to be taken into account for drying clothes on balconies of residential buildings overlooking public streets: should be as per the following:

• In any case. municipal laws do not permit hanging out laundry on balconies except after installing covering elements.

• The clothes on balconies should be covered by one of the elements: Mashrabiya or wooden mesh.

• The perforation of the mesh should be no more than 1.50 cm x 1.50 cm wide, and the concrete openwork should have a depth of at least 10 cm. and perforations no more than 7 cm2.

• Any multi-story residential building with more than three residential units must provide a balcony for each residential unit to dry clothes, depending on the architectural conditions of the unit, to be covered with one of the covering materials or elements.

• It is not allowed to use a metal mesh as a covering element for openings in buildings (balconies or windows).

According to Article No. 14 of Muscat Municipality law, hanging laundry on the balconies of buildings Is considered a violation by law, the fine of which can be between RO50 and RO5000 or imprisonment for a period of not less than 24 hours and not more than 6 months, or one of those two penalties.