Legal Way How to Rent a Property in Dubai

The first time you rent a house, you should arrange a site visit with your real estate agent. Setting it up on a weekend will help you get a better sense of the area.

Make sure you arrive at least an hour early, so you can explore the neighborhood. You might even talk to some neighbors. People are usually happy to exchange a few words.

When you visit the apartment to rent, you should check the following:

• Cameras, a security guard, and an intercom are all part of the security system
• Condition of the apartment – tiles, air conditioning, kitchen chimney, water faucet, etc.
• Check who is responsible for maintenance – is it the landlord or the tenant?
• Make sure the water tanks are cleaned every six months.
• Do the rooms have enough space? It will come in handy when you furnish the apartment if you take a measuring tape along.
• Parking facilities are important to check
• Nowadays, most places have gyms and swimming pools. However, make sure they are clean and well maintained.
• Make sure your real estate agent is registered with the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA). Get their brokerage number.

Step 3

You need to negotiate the annual rent after you are satisfied with all this. You can bargain. So, don’t be afraid to be assertive.

Many landlords will lower the rent if you agree to pay with fewer checks.

Also available are furnished and unfurnished apartments, which could save you the cost of buying a washing machine, microwave, and cooking range.

Ensure that your route to work is manageable and won’t get clogged when you travel. You should test it out beforehand.

Furthermore, if you have a pet or plan to get a rescued dog or cat, you should check with your landlord/building owner/management.

Consider all your options carefully before signing a tenancy agreement. If you cancel a contract before it is completed, you may incur losses.

If you are uneasy, you can always look for short-term rentals, such as hotel apartments.

The security deposit reserves the villa or apartment you wish to rent.

You will need to pay a refundable security deposit (usually one month’s rent) to your landlord in order to reserve the property.

The landlord will retain the security deposit if you back out of the deal for any reason.

The following documents are required to begin the tenancy contract process:

• Passport copy
• Residence Visa copy

Important note:

In order to claim the security deposit amount in full at the end of your tenancy contract, take pictures of the vacant property. Once you pay the security deposit, ask for a receipt. 

You will need a copy of the title deed for Ejari in Dubai.

If the property is in a gated community, make sure all pending service charges have been settled. Otherwise, you might not receive garbage collection services.

Your agent will share the tenancy contract with you after the security deposit is paid. Please check it and submit the tenancy contract along with the rent checks and the agent’s payment. Always ask for receipts. A copy of the tenancy contract will be given to you by the landlord along with house keys, access cards, and anything else you need.

Upon receiving your tenancy contract, you need to register with Ejari.

Renting tenants and landlords are required to register their rental and lease contracts with Ejari, a web-based electronic registration system. The objective of this regulatory system is to protect the rights of all parties involved in rental transactions: https://ejari.gov.ae/

Upon completing the registration process, the applicant will receive the Ejari Attestation consisting of three parts:

Ejari tenancy contract: 

In this part, we translate your private rental agreement into a standard format that is accepted by Ejari.

Ejari registration certificate: 

The evidence listed here demonstrates a rental agreement was successfully entered into Ejari’s information system, thereby giving the terms of the agreement legal validity.

Ejari fees payment receipt: 

This part consists of a receipt that has been issued after the Ejari government fees and typing service fees have been paid to RERA.

Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah

The Ejari system also applies to Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi. You can then set up your water and electricity.

The Abu Dhabi government uses a system called Tawtheeq. It is a register for leases in the city.

It is intended to protect and support both parties involved in renting a property within Abu Dhabi city or the surrounding areas. Once your tenancy contract is legally registered, Abu Dhabi municipality will set up your water and electricity accounts.

Tawtheeq uses technology to simplify the rental process and make it easier for landlords and tenants to communicate. Its main goal is to regulate the local real estate market.

The interconnected systems save time and effort for everyone involved as well. When you register with Tawtheeq, your water and electricity accounts with ADDC (Abu Dhabi Distribution Co.) will be set up for you, so there’s no need to submit a separate moving-in application.

The Tawtheeq E-form can be downloaded from the Abu Dhabi Municipality website. For more information about how to set up Tawtheeq, visit: https://mservices.dma.abudhabi.ae

For people who prefer to register in person, you can visit the Customer Service Centre at the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City (Head Office), or one of the Municipality’s affiliated external centers or customer service outlets.

You will need your passport, a copy of it, your Emirates ID, and a copy of the signed rental agreement to register.