You need to know the final procedure for renting in Dubai

You need to know the final procedure for renting in Dubai

Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains a popular trade centre and tourist attraction. Life in Dubai is very high-tech, futuristic and definitely luxurious. The best neighbourhoods in dubai includes the tallest building in the world - Burj Khalifa, you can enjoy a buffet dinner at the Armani Hotel, stunning Saga World Dubai Mall, Cruise alongside Dubai Marina. Apart from this, the social life in Dubai is diverse and exceptional. Friendships are fleeting in Dubai, a city where people come and go all the time. Expats often prefer to make friends with their own kind. Plus, it’s a place where many come to either make their money or spend it, so Dubai can be said to be very money-focused. Dubai has a large community of expats living in the city, with over 92% of its population being expat or migrant workers.

The standard of living in Dubai is very high, the crime rate is very low, and the shopping is outstanding. It’s one of the seven emirates that make up the country of the United Arab Emirates. However, it usually stands on its own on the global scene. Real estate has always been a strong market in Dubai where everyone is keen about adding as many homes to their names as possible. You must read this, for those who want to know about creating the rental agreements in Dubai. Whether you are a current resident or new to the area finding a great home, we’ve got you covered! Here is our master guide to renting in Dubai.

Here is a list of everything you wish to do, whether you are choosing an apartment or villa for rent in Dubai. This guide will accompany you to find a perfect home which is best for you and your family.

Read our complete guide on short for long term rentals and buying property in Dubai. You can begin your search by looking online with your preferences and budget. There are different types of houses available throughout the UAE. So, you can conduct an online search for available properties:

▪️ Apartments

▪️ Townhouses

▪️ Residential Plots

▪️ Villas

▪️ Penthouses

▪️ Hotel Apartments

Once you identify a particular property, you need to get more details on the various aspects of the property and understanding the property deeds:

▪️ Computation of 'Annual Value' of a House Property

▪️ Location of the apartment or villa for rent in Dubai

▪️ Average number of bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms

▪️ Furnished or Unfurnished Property

▪️ Neighborhood Information such as schools, parks, hospitals and restaurants

Before you move into this, you need to have a general knowledge of what type of property you are looking for, how much you can afford, how many rooms you need and the desired location before starting the search. You can refine the search results for villas and apartments for rent in Dubai based on budget, property type and location, number of bedrooms and bathrooms to make sure you see only relevant listings.

How many bedrooms do you need?  Which is right for you? You can filter by specific requirements like, if you are renting an apartment in Dubai, you can take your popular picks from units ranging from studios to spacious three bed units, with some residential areas offering larger 4 to 5 bedroom flats. You can choose a variety of units starting from smaller two bedroom houses to grand spacious homes which come with over 11 bedrooms, as for the villas for rent in Dubai.

You can review active listings and shortlist the properties based on certain parameters on the website. Select the ones that seem most appealing to you based on pictures, annual rent, amenities and location. You want everything to be perfect, from the location and the layout to the amenities and, of course, the overall price. Then, Get in touch with the contact person (usually an agent or the landlord). Then, organizing a viewing for a flat or house is usually pretty straight forward. You will typically need to contact the letting agent or landlord that is advertising the property to let them know you are interested and to organize a time to visit. You can even save the searches and come back to it later. This is especially a handy tool, as you might want to look at a few properties before getting in touch with the agent. It is also important to confirm the agency commission for renting a property.

Do get in touch with Clarity: Typically agencies charge anywhere between 2-5% of the annual rent. It is better to have clarity before you commit to an agreement.

▪️ Once you set a date for an on-site visit with the agent, head out to the area and keep a list of questions to ask them.

▪️ Try to reach a little early and spend some time scanning the neighbourhood.

▪️ Examine the property as thoroughly as you want.

▪️ Arrange a second visit at a different time to get a better idea of what it would be like to live there.

Before you sign the rental agreement, just tick all the boxes of things that are important for you.

For the unit:

▪️ Does the apartment or villa receive natural sunlight?

▪️ Do you like the spot?

▪️ Are the rooms spacious enough?

▪️ Are the fixtures and fittings in a safe condition?

▪️ Does the home need repainting?

▪️ How the plumbing stuff works?

▪️ Are all electrical outlets work? Are they in the right spot?

▪️ Do tenants have parking rights?

▪️ Is the building equipped with Security Measures?

▪️ Are there any Leisure Centers?

Before signing the rental agreement, tenants can request the landlord to resolve it, if there are any maintenance issues.

For the neighbourhood:

▪️ Is Your Noisy neighborhood?

▪️ Are there any construction sites nearby?

▪️ Is it close to your workplace?

▪️ How well-connected is your home to public transit? (See also, apartments for rent near Dubai metro stations)

▪️ Could you find any community areas, supermarkets, laundry services, and pharmacies nearby?

▪️ Is it a pet friendly community? Is it family-friendly? (Check out the best places to rent in Dubai for families)

▪️ Are there any parking disputes between neighbours?

If you happen to pass by existing tenants when finding a house in Dubai, it might be a good idea to strike up a conversation and find out what it’s like living in the building or the neighbourhood.

Note: Try to visit a couple of apartments or villas before you make the final decision. Tenancy contracts in Dubai are usually on an annual basis, so spend some time weighing all your options then, make an offer on the unit, the building and the area. Once you are happy with all this, you have to negotiate the annual rent.

Once you’ve searched an apartment or villa, the second step to renting in Dubai is finalizing the offer. While most contracts have quarterly or bi-annual payment terms, landlords usually agree on lowering the annual rent if you can pay the amount in fewer cheques. Before committing a single-cheque arrangement, make sure you’re ready to stay in the house for a while; otherwise, you may be in a financial loss. If you’re unsure about the unit or the neighbourhood, or simply need a bit more flexibility, you can choose short-term rentals instead. Check out our comparison of short-term and long-term rentals to figure out which option is best for you.

Note:  If you’re ready to go ahead with renting the apartment or villa in Dubai, this is a good time to make sure that your real estate agent is RERA registered or not. Ask for your agent’s broker number to be certain, this is a common practice in Dubai.

You may need to pay a refundable security deposit to your landlord for the property reservation. Make sure, you get a receipt when you submit the deposit cheque or cash). Should you wish to back out of the deal for any reason, the agent will hand over this the security deposit amount to your landlord as compensation The documents needed for this process include:

▪️ Copy of the Passport

▪️ Copy of Residency Visa

 

Note:

▪️ Once you make the security deposit payment, don’t forget to take a receipt. Retain this along with a copy of the landlord’s passport.

▪️ Ask for a copy of your landlord’s passport and title deed before handing them over. Rent cheques should address the landlord.

Step 1: Once you pay the security deposit, your agent shares the tenancy contract with you. The contract must be in accordance with tenancy laws in Dubai. So make sure you learn all about tenant rights in Dubai.

Step 2: Make sure you are comfortable with the stated terms and conditions. Your agent should be able to help you out if you have any concerns or questions. Once you are ready and sure, sign and submit the tenancy contract along with rent cheques and the agency commission to the agent.

Step 3: Ask for receipts for each payment. The agent will then get the tenancy contract signed by the landlord and hand over the rent cheques given by you.

Step 4: Make sure you keep a copy of the contract and an acknowledgement receipt with you. One copy of the contract is usually handed to the landlord and one is given to the tenant.

Step 5: The agent subsequently hands over the keys and access cards to you after you sign an acknowledgement form clearly listing everything you’ve received. A handover contract is also often signed.

▪️ Before making a final decision about renting in Dubai, there are a few things one should consider:

▪️ Before you move in, make sure all service charges have been settled by the landlord.

▪️ Make sure they are fixed before you move in, if there are any maintenance issues.

▪️ Check access points in the building and make sure you receive the necessary swipe cards, keys etc.

▪️ The landlord should ideally hand over the property in a good condition. Otherwise, ask for your apartment or villa to be cleaned before you move in.

▪️ Check all the facilities are in working condition in your apartment building and make sure you can avail everything mentioned in the contract or by the broker/landlord.

Note: You can always file for a rent dispute in Dubai, in case of any inconvenience caused by the landlord.

Ejari registration process is fairly straightforward. You or your agent will need to register it with Ejari, once the contract is being signed. This is the most important step in our master guide to renting in Dubai. You’ll need to get your supporting documents to be printed or do it online via the official website. Make sure the deposits, contract duration and rent amounts are clearly stated in your Ejari.

 

1. Original tenancy contract

2. Title deed (from landlord)

3. Tenant & Landlord Passport Xerox

4. Tenant’s Emirates ID Xerox

The next step is getting the water and electricity connection, once you sign your tenancy contract in Dubai. For this, tenants in Dubai have to apply for a DEWA (Dubai Water & Electricity Authority) connection. For getting new connection, you need to place these supporting documents:

▪️ Your passport copy & Emirates ID

▪️ DEWA Form

▪️ Security deposit payment

▪️ Landlord’s passport copy

▪️ Ejari number

▪️ DEWA permit number

Or Else, Go for DEWA Online Registration:

The online DEWA application is much quicker and involves filling the form stating the Ejari number, Emirates ID number and your passport number. Pay the deposit amount through DEWA’s online payment gateway and the service will be activated within 24 hours.

Also, you need to pay a security deposit of AED 2,000 for an apartment and AED 4,000 for a villa which is refundable.

You may charge the Activation charges with AED 100 for small meter while  AED 300 for large meters and also an  amount of AED 30 has to be paid as registration, knowledge and innovation fee.

Remember to do: Check outstanding DEWA or Air-conditioning bills for the apartment or villa. Your agent can find this out and make sure it is paid before you set up your own DEWA account.

Before occupying their dream apartment or villa, some popular communities in Dubai may require tenants to procure a move-in permit. These are generally available on the developer’s website and may take up to 5 days to process. To avoid particular delays, make sure you ask your real estate agent or landlord if this is required and apply for the permit on time.

Communities that require a move-in permit

▪️ Downtown Dubai

▪️ Arabian Ranches

▪️ The Springs

▪️ The Meadows

▪️ Dubai Marina

▪️ Emirates Hills

▪️ The Greens.

Note: For Emaar Properties - Here is how you can obtain the Emaar move in permit.

You would require the following documents for this process:

▪️ Passport Copy / Emirates ID

▪️ Certificate of Completion of Payment

▪️ Copy of the Tenancy Contract

▪️ Copy of the unit’s most recent Service Charge Receipt (by the landlord)

You’re all set and ready to move in!

You entered your perfect home and started a luxury living in Dubai!

Hereby, we conclude the session, Procedure for renting in Dubai.