Guides / Government apps & documents / Metrash, Hukoomi & Tawtheeq
Reporting municipal problems with the Oun app and the 184 call centre
How to report rubbish, abandoned cars, pests, blocked drains, rainwater, fallen trees and illegal workers' housing to the Ministry of Municipality through the Oun app or by calling 184, and when to go to Ashghal (188) instead.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Cost
- Free to report; free pest control for homes
- Channels
- Oun app, 184 (24/7), ministry website
- Sign-in
- Government login with a valid QID
- Roads and street lights
- Ashghal, call 188
Qatar's Ministry of Municipality (Baladiya) runs Oun (عون), a free app for reporting everyday neighbourhood problems and requesting municipal services: abandoned cars, waste, pests and rodents, blocked drains and manholes, sewage, rainwater on roads, tree pruning and workers living in family areas. The same requests can be made by phone on 184, the ministry's unified call centre, which works 24 hours a day. In 2025 the ministry handled about 519,000 requests, and more than 240,000 of them came through Oun, so it is the main channel and the one that keeps a record of your request. Some problems belong to a different authority. Road surfaces, potholes, street lights and the main drainage network are handled by the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) on 188, and power cuts by Kahramaa on 991. This guide explains who handles what, how to file a report with a photo and the exact location, how to follow it up, and what to expect.
Before you start
- A valid Qatar ID (QID) and a mobile number registered in your name, because Oun uses the government sign-in
- The Oun app installed from the App Store or Google Play (search "Oun" or "عون", developer: Ministry of Municipality)
- Clear photos (or a short video) of the problem, taken in daylight if possible
- The exact location: your blue address plate numbers (zone, street, building) or a map pin dropped on the spot
- For an abandoned car: the plate number if there is one, the make and colour, and how long it has been there
- For a problem at your own home (pests, blocked house drain): your home address and a time when someone can let the team in
- A short description in plain words: what, where, since when, and whether it is dangerous
- A note of any request or reference number you receive by SMS, so you can follow up
Step by step
Work out who is responsible
Before you report, check which body handles the problem, because sending it to the wrong place is the most common reason for delays. The Ministry of Municipality (Oun or 184) handles cleanliness and waste, abandoned vehicles and equipment, pests and rodents, tree pruning, blocked manholes and sewage tankers, rainwater pooling on streets, and workers' housing in family areas. Ashghal (188 or its app) handles road surfaces and potholes, street lights, road signs and the public drainage and sewer network. Kahramaa (991) handles power cuts and water leaks from its network. Anything with an immediate danger to life, such as a fire, a collapsed structure or a crash, goes to 999.
Read guide: Emergencies in Qatar: who to call and where to go →Install Oun and sign in
Download Oun (عون) from the App Store or Google Play and check that the developer is the Ministry of Municipality. Since the August 2025 update the app uses the government sign-in, so you log in with your QID through the national login rather than a separate Oun password. You need a valid QID and a phone number registered under that same ID, because a one-time code is sent by SMS. You can switch the app between Arabic and English. If sign-in fails, update the app first and check that your QID has not expired.
Read guide: Tawtheeq (National Authentication System): signing up and logging in →Choose the right category
On the home screen, pick the service that matches your problem, for example removal of an abandoned vehicle, pest and rodent control, sewage cleaning or tankers, rainwater removal, tree trimming, or a complaint about workers' housing. If nothing fits, use the general complaint (report) option and explain the issue in the text box. Choosing the closest category matters, because it decides which municipal team receives your request. The ministry groups its field work into eight types: workers' housing, waste, abandoned vehicles, tree pruning, manholes, sewage, pests and rodents, and rain emergencies.
Add photos and pin the location
Oun lets you attach a photo, a short video or an audio note, plus a written comment. Take the photo on the spot so the team can see exactly what is wrong, and include something that identifies the place, such as a building number, shop sign or the blue address plate. Then set the location: allow location access while you are standing at the problem, or move the map pin to the right spot. The location matters more than anything else, because field teams go to the pin, not to the description. If you are reporting later from home, use the blue plate numbers (zone, street, building) in your comment.
Read guide: National address in Qatar: registering and updating it →Write a clear description and submit
Keep the description short and factual: what the problem is, how long it has been there and whether it is a hazard (for example, an open manhole near a school, or rubbish attracting rats). One problem per report works best; send separate reports for separate places. Check your phone number and address, then submit. You should get an on-screen confirmation and usually an SMS with a request number. Keep that number: it is what 184 will ask for if you follow up.
Or call 184 instead
If you prefer to talk to someone, or the app is not working, call 184, the ministry's unified call centre. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and in 2025 it answered about 268,000 calls. Have your QID number, the exact location (blue plate numbers are ideal) and a short description ready. Ask the agent for the request number before you hang up. Requests logged by phone are recorded in the same system as app requests.
Report an abandoned car
Cars, boats, trailers and equipment left for a long time in streets, car parks or open land are a violation under the Public Hygiene Law (Law No. 18 of 2017, amended in 2023). Report it on Oun under the abandoned vehicle removal service with a photo showing the car and its surroundings. Inspectors normally put a warning sticker on the vehicle and give the owner a short period (reported as about three days) to move it before it is towed. The owner then has to pay a fine and towing fees to get it back. If the warning sticker is on your own car, move or clean it quickly and keep it in regular use.
Report waste, pests and drainage problems
Use Oun for overflowing or missing bins, rubbish or building waste dumped in the street or on empty land, and dead animals. For insects and rodents in public areas or around your building, use the pest and rodent control service. Pest control inside your own home is also free from the municipality and teams usually come within a few days to about a week. For a blocked manhole, sewage overflow or rainwater sitting on a road, use the sewage, manhole or rainwater service, and mark it as urgent if it blocks traffic or a doorway. Before rainy days, 184 and Oun are the channels for water pooling on streets.
Read guide: Pest control at home in Qatar: cockroaches, bed bugs, ants and rodents →Report illegal partitions and workers' housing
Splitting villas into many small rooms with illegal partitions, and housing groups of workers in areas zoned for families, are both against municipal rules and are regularly targeted by joint campaigns of the municipality, Kahramaa and the police. Residents can report a suspected case through the workers' housing complaint in Oun or by calling 184. Give the building number and what you have seen, for example many people moving in and out, extra doors and AC units, or overloaded electrics. You do not have to confront anyone. If you are a tenant living in a partitioned unit yourself, read the bachelor housing guide first, because the building can be emptied after an inspection.
Read guide: Bachelor housing rules in Qatar's family areas →Send potholes and street lights to Ashghal
Potholes, damaged roads, broken or dark street lights, fallen road signs and problems with the main drainage or sewer network are the job of Ashghal, the Public Works Authority. Call the Ashghal contact centre on 188 (24 hours, Arabic and English) or use Ashghal's mobile app or its Customer Zone website, where hazards can be reported as a notification. When you call, have your mobile number, QID number and the blue address plate details ready, as Ashghal asks for these. If a pothole or open hole is dangerous right now, say so clearly so it is treated as urgent.
Track and follow up
Oun keeps a record of your past requests and complaints, including those you made by phone, so check there first for the status. If nothing has happened in a reasonable time, call 184 with your request number and ask for an update. Typical timings vary: emergency rain and sewage reports averaged about 22 minutes in 2025, while home pest control usually takes a few days and abandoned car removal follows the warning period. If a request is closed but the problem is still there, file a new report with a fresh photo and mention the old request number.
What it costs
| Reporting a problem on Oun or 184 | Free |
| Municipal pest control at a home (citizens and residents) | Free |
| Fine for leaving an abandoned vehicle in public places (Public Hygiene Law) | Up to QAR 25,000 |
| Fine for leaving waste in public places, squares or streets | QAR 10,000 |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Reporting a pothole or dead street light to the municipality instead of Ashghal (188), which slows everything down
- Dropping the map pin from home instead of at the problem, so the team goes to the wrong street
- Sending one report for several problems in different places instead of one report per location
- Not saving the request number, which makes follow-up on 184 much harder
- Using 999 for non-urgent issues like rubbish or a parked car; 999 is for danger to life only
- Downloading a look-alike app; check the developer is the Ministry of Municipality
- Ignoring the municipality sticker on your own car before travelling for the summer, then finding it towed with a fine to pay
Questions people ask
Can expats use Oun, or is it only for Qatari citizens?
Residents can use it. You sign in with a valid QID and a phone number registered under your ID. Visitors without a QID cannot sign in, so they should call 184 instead.
There is a dusty car in our parking that has not moved for months. How do I get it removed?
Report it on Oun under the abandoned vehicle removal service with a photo and the exact location, or call 184. Inspectors usually put a warning sticker on it and give the owner a short period to move it before towing. The owner faces a fine and towing fees to get it back.
My car got a municipality sticker while I was away. What should I do?
Move or clean the car as soon as possible. If it has already been towed, contact the municipality that covers the area (184 can tell you which). You will need to pay the fine and the towing fee before the car is released, and unclaimed vehicles are not kept forever. If you travel for long periods, ask someone to move the car or park it in a private space.
Who do I call about a broken street light or a pothole?
Ashghal, not the municipality. Call 188, which is open 24 hours, or use the Ashghal app or Customer Zone website. Give the nearest blue address plate numbers so the crew can find the spot.
Can I report a villa next door that is full of partitioned rooms or workers?
Yes. Use the workers' housing complaint in Oun or call 184, and give the building number and what you have observed. The municipality inspects and takes action under building and zoning rules. Your report goes to the authorities, not to the landlord.
Is municipal pest control really free?
Yes, for homes of citizens and residents. Commercial premises, compounds, chalets and farms pay a fee. You can request it on Oun or by calling 184; see our pest control guide for what to expect and how to prepare.
Water is pooling on our street after rain. Who handles it?
For water standing on a street, report it on Oun or call 184; the municipality runs rain emergency teams. If the problem is a blocked public storm drain or the road itself is damaged, Ashghal (188) also takes reports during the rainy season. For power cuts, call Kahramaa on 991.
I reported something weeks ago and nothing happened. What now?
Check the request history in Oun to see the status, then call 184 with your request number and ask for an update. If the request shows as closed but the problem remains, file a new report with a new photo and mention the old number.
Official sources
- Oun app on the App Store (Ministry of Municipality) ↗
- The Peninsula: Ministry delivers over half a million services in 2025 ↗
- The Peninsula: Oun app keeps municipal services running (184 call centre) ↗
- The Peninsula: Helpline numbers during heavy rain (184, 188, 991) ↗
- Ashghal: e-services, 188 contact centre and app ↗
- The Peninsula: Public Hygiene Law penalties up to QR25,000 ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.