Dubai is one of the cities on the planet that attract an overwhelming amount of expats – the scale of development, economy growth and wealth create opportunities for jobseekers from every corner of the world. But with relocating here comes the problem of renting a home – and in Dubai this can be a real problem considering the extremely high rents compared to the average salary. But the price isn’t the only hidden trap you can fall into – here are 10 things your Dubai landlord may not tell you.
The area isn’t as quiet as you think
There’s always something in construction in Dubai – in fact, the whole city is a huge construction site. You are probably too busy during day time to visit the apartment and you’ve seen it only in the evening. Well, there’s a good chance a new project has been just approved and construction works on a new building or a road will soon begin. Your landlord probably knows this very well, but he’s not required to tell you, at least not according to any existing laws and regulations.
There isn’t much sunshine – ever
If you have visited the apartment only in the evening you may think it looks beautiful with all the lights on. If you wonder why it’s such a great deal, go and see it during the day – its layout probably doesn’t allow a single ray of sunshine to come through the huge, beautiful windows that might be also tinted.
Your bills will be much higher that you thought
First of all – you’ll have the lights on most of the time. Second – you’ll have your air conditioner on most of the time. Your bills will double, and this is only the electricity.
In addition, in some buildings you will have to pay a chiller fee. And everywhere in Dubai, you will have to pay 5% from your rent housing fee, which is charged through your DEWA bill.
Gym and community pool – great, but maybe not for you
Many residential buildings have pools, gyms, gardens and other exciting amenities. But the tenant has access to them only if the landlord pays for all those the service charges. If you want to use the pool, for instance, make sure it is featured in the rent contract. Not to mention the fact that the landlord can simply stop paying the service charge at any time.
You won’t see your security deposit
Most landlords will require a 5% from the rent security deposit to be paid in the beginning, which is perfectly normal. Traditionally, you will receive a full refund when you move out after a year or more. But the landlord may decide that what you see as a normal wear is actually damage done by you. You should describe the condition of the property in a condition report in advance and make the Landlord sign it, so that you don’t lose the deposit in future disputes.
