Not only is Dubai breathtakingly beautiful but it is also an emirate or political territory under the United Arab Emirates (UAE) federation. In Dubai, the economy is flourishing and it has grown into a service and tourism-oriented land. With this in mind, many individuals move to Dubai and with such an influx of habitants, it has truly become a landlord’s money station. In fact, in Dubai, the prices of property are at an all-time record high.
The demand for apartments has increased since 2013 and it is one of the strongest years for landlords. About 70% of the city’s more than 2 million residents are renters, and in the last 6 months, rental rates increased by 13%! With this in mind, individuals who are attempting to find an apartment in Dubai must be extremely careful. They must be intelligent, smart and quick on their feet to avoid incredible one-year advance payment and early eviction demands, and secure housing in such a highly populated place. In this article, we will give you 3 tips for renting apartments in Dubai and not succumbing to these issues.
1. On Rental Rates
The first thing to keep in mind is that it is a landlord’s market. As stated previously, some landlords are demanding one-year advance rental payment or a minimum of 2 cheques. With the market starting to correct itself, more landlords have become amenable to 4 or 6 although it isn’t impossible to ask and be approved for monthly payments. The main concern of landlords is bouncing cheques so as long as you can prove your cheques are good; you might be able to obtain friendlier terms. However, you must expect a slightly higher rate for the new payment scheme.
Dubai has a rental cap on all properties for rent. This rental cap is reviewed every 3 months. Always check the maximum allowable rental rate for the apartment you want to rent before signing any rental agreements. This rental calculator also indicates the maximum increase allowed by the landlord for renewal of rental agreement. Also, rental rates cannot be increased without a 90-day prior notice before the end of the lease contract. You should also add a clause that the increase would depend on the rental rate calculator at the end of the lease contract and not the rate 90 days prior.
2. Dubious Fees
Secondly, you must be aware of dubious fees. Sometimes, there are demands from real estate agents to charge for viewing an apartment. This is not normal and neither legal. The best you can do is walk away because it seems to be unreasonable considering the fact that you will be paying them a commission should you decide to rent the apartment. In fact, the local Real Estate Regulatory Agency would not encourage this kind of fee.
3. Handling Disputes
Finally, there is an arbitration centre for rental disputes between landlord and tenant. It is called the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre and is found at the Land Department. Be forewarned though that the process is tedious and you will be required to pay a percentage of your annual rent as service fee. That being said, in many cases, the centre tends to be sympathetic to the side of the tenant as long as there is no breach of contract and everything is fully documented. Real Estate Brokers Dubai