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11. Living in Dubai

Dubai at a Glance

Living in Dubai

Hotels are often the only option for expats on a temporary visitor visa.

Expats living in Dubai used to experience a booming metropolis with a prosperous economy, but the economic crisis of 2008/2009 also affected life in Dubai, of course. However, Dubai remains the economic centre of the UAE. The city state and second largest Emirate is divided by a creek into the Deira district in the northeast and Bur Dubai in the southwest.

Living in Dubai: Culture and Religion

As in the rest of the UAE, life in Dubai is dominated by the Islamic religion, with a mosque in almost every district. The most famous and most beautiful, the Jumeirah Mosque, is an integral part of life in Dubai. The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding organizes visits to this mosque for non-Muslims living in Dubai. The intention is to further the understanding of expats and tourists for cultural and religious heritage of the locals living in Dubai.

With these and other activities, the government aims to portray the experience of living in Dubai as fascinating and the city as the number-one location for tourists and expats in the Arabian Gulf area.

Life in Dubai: Housing

Expats living in Dubai will soon find out that only legal residents can rent an apartment and have utility services connected. If your residence permit has not been issued yet, ask your employer to give you proof that your permit is being processed.

The tenancy agreement should contain all relevant information and has to be registered with the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA). This agency also passed a law for tenants and landlords, creating a framework for living in Dubai’s rented properties, including obligations of both parties, eviction, general rules, and final judgment. The law is supposed to protect citizens and expats living in Dubai from high costs, unlawful evictions and other issues.

Living in Dubai: Renting Accommodation

If you want to rent a place for living in Dubai, you should only use brokers or agents which are officially registered and hold a Broker’s Registration ID card. Their office must have a license issued by the Department of Economic Development. An official real estate agent receives a payment of 5% of the annual rent. This fee is paid when signing the lease.

If you should be living in Dubai on a temporary visitor visa, you cannot sign a fixed-term tenancy agreement. However, some brokers offer short-term lease accommodation for those who want to experience life in Dubai in a more private setting than a hotel room. Due to short supply, this option is rather expensive. Regardless of the duration of your tenancy agreement, make sure you never use an unregistered broker or agent when renting an apartment.

The documents expats living in Dubai are required to present for renting a place include a copy of their passport, a copy of their residence permit and a statement of income from their employer. A formal tenancy application and a security deposit are required as well. Moreover, most contracts require you to pay one year’s rent in advance when living in Dubai.

Life in Dubai: Utilities

Established in 1992, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) supplies households in Dubai with adequate and reliable utilities supplies. Their customer care center is always willing to assist expats living in Dubai. There is also the option to do it online -  a convenient method for people leading a stressful life in Dubai’s business world.

When you contact the DEWA to activate your utilities connection, you will be asked to pay a deposit. This fee is usually about AED 1,000 for a normal apartment and AED 2,000 for a villa. Once you have submitted all the paperwork and paid the fees, your supply will be activated immediately.