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Dubai offers a wide range of housing options that range from studio to penthouse and If you wish to settle in Dubai you could either purchase a freehold apartment or rent an apartment with the help of an agent.
Once you select the suitable area and the type of apartment to live in Dubai weighing feasibility and other advantages, you should remit a security deposit that is 5% of the annual rent. This is refundable at the end of the tenancy contract providing that all the bills have been cleared on the property and that it is still in a good condition.
Documents like,
A copy of your passport
A copy of your residency visa
A signed tenancy contract by both parties
The rental cheque/cheques
Real Estate agent fees are required to make the contract in your name.
The rental amount is either paid in full for the year or in 2 cheques one current dated and one post dated. The cheques will be made out to the landlord that is stated on the tenancy agreement.
DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) require an initial deposit of Dh1, 000 for apartments and Dh2, 000 for villas for connection. Some apartments have central air conditioning i.e. Jumeirah beach residence and Palm Jumeirah these will require an initial deposit of between Dh1, 000 - 3,000 depending on the size of the apartment. There is also a housing fee to be paid which is 5% of the annual rent which is then spread over the 12 months and it is paid via your DEWA bill.
Rental Laws
Tenancy contracts in the United Arab Emirates normally last for a year. With the great influx of people in Dubai, rental laws have become a very important issue. With the rising demands for rented property in Dubai, the rents have increased considerably over the years. All the people who come to Dubai for work face the problem of exorbitant rents. But the new law will come as a breath of fresh air because it states that the rent cannot be increased by more than 5% of the lease price.
Dubai was the first emirate in the UAE to introduce a rent cap in November 2005, when HH Shaikh Mohammad issued a decree capping the increase at a maximum 15 per cent of the annual rent. His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in 2006, issued a decree fixing the rent cap to seven per cent for 2007, lowering it from the earlier 15 per cent.
Dubai Land Department, the Real Estate Regulatory Authority and the Rent Committee has implement the new rent cap. Those who feel landlords are violating the rent cap should approach the Rent Committee.
For rent complaints against landlords including excessive rental charges 04-2215555 (Dubai Rent Committee)
If a dispute happens between a tenant and landlord on the price increase, the issue should be taken to the Municipality's Rent Control Committee to settle and will take normally between a few weeks or months before being summoned to appear before the committee. If the case is won, then the fee paid to file a case will be paid for by the landlord.
Dubai's Real Estate Regulatory Authority (Rera) will soon come up with by-laws on the tenant-landlord relationship as the new rules are being prepared by them to determine how much rents to be imposed in different localities and what facilities to provide to tenants when they rent properties by the landlords.
Dubai has concluded a survey of various communities and their prevailing rents. An index with a minimum and maximum rent limit for different localities will be announced soon to guide the residents on how much they should pay for their properties. The community rent index will bring transparency to the rental market in Dubai.
Tenant rights
Tenant has the right to a decent place to live. The law says that your rental apartment must be livable. By law, for a place to be unlivable or "un-tenantable," the problem must be substantial and may include: A lack of waterproofing and weatherproofing (broken windows, for example), Poor plumbing, Insufficient hot and cold running water for bathing and cleaning, Electrical lighting that is not in good working order, Unclean grounds and building, Roaches and rodents, Too few trash cans for your garbage
Owner's rights
The owner has the right to expect Tenant to follow the rules of the rental agreement. Tenant should, for example, pay the rent on time and keep the apartment or house clean. And Tenant should avoid bothering other tenants with noisy parties or a television set turned up full blast.
In addition, use the apartment or house only as it is meant to be used. For example, don't run a dry-cleaning business out of a residential rental apartment.
The owner also has the right to expect Tenants to fix anything they damage. If tenant break a lamp in a furnished apartment, for instance, they should repair or replace it.
If tenant don't follow the rules, the owner may have a good reason to ask tenant to move. And if tenant do not move, the owner can sue to evict the tenant.
Also, although no one can refuse to rent to people with children, the owner can limit the number of people living in the apartment.
The owner also has the right to sell the property. If the property is sold, your lease will not change. The owner must either transfer the deposits to the new owner or refund them plus any outstanding rent. If the deposits are transferred, the owner must tell tenant in writing and give tenant the new owner's name, address and telephone number.
Types of Houses
1) Studio - Studio apartments are single apartments have sufficient room for one or two persons.
2) One bedroom apartment - One bedroom is separate room from the rest of the apartment. It has one bedroom, living room and kitchen
3) For 2, 3 bedrooms and so on there will be one more bedroom and rest is the same.
4) Loft Apartments - are generally built into industrial buildings. They generally have one open room having the bedroom in loft while the kitchen and living room comprise first floor.
5) Condominium apartment - Condominium apartment consists of units in a multi unit dwelling where each unit is individually owned and the common areas like hallways and recreational facilities are jointly owned by all the unit owners in the building.
6) Duplex - Duplex apartment refers to a single dwelling unit spread over two floors connected by an indoor staircase.
7) Triplex - Triplex apartment refers to an apartment spread out over three floors. These properties are very expensive.
8) Penthouse - Penthouse apartment is a special apartment that is unique to the building and is on the top floor of the building. It may have exclusive features such as a private entrance or elevator and often occupies the entire floor. Penthouse apartments are generally expensive and associated with a luxury lifestyle.
9) Villa - Villas are often independent structures linked by their enclosed courtyards.
10) Townhouses - townhouse as a home that is attached to one or more other houses. The townhouses can be duplexes as well as triplexes.
11) Single Family home - are built on lots larger than the structure it self, adding an area surrounding the house which is commonly called a yard.
12) Semi-detached house - consists of pairs of houses built side by side as units sharing a wall and usually in such a way that each house's layout is a mirror image of its twin.
13) Detached house - same like single family home
14) Mobile homes - They are housing units built in factories, rather than on site and then taken to the place where they will be occupied.
15) Hotel apartment - It is a type of accommodation described as serviced apartment complex that uses a hotel style booking system.
16) Cottage - cottage is usually found in rural areas or semi rural location.
17) Bungalow - such houses are traditionally small only one storey or one and half stories thatched and has wide veranda.
18) Furnished apartment - A fully furnished apartments comes complete with linens and cutlery.
19) Executive Suite - they are shared offices with services provided by the management firm
20) Garden Homes - Form of multiunit housing, usually a townhome that includes a small enclosed yard or patio.
By: Shabina Sanad
GOWEALTHY.COM © 2008
For comments: editor@gowealthy.com
