What to Look For When Renting an Apartment (Dubai Guide)
Inspect the home, verify landlord and representative authority, agree maintenance and payments, and check current Ejari and renewal requirements.
Ownership and authorised representation: Use the contract’s agreed and verified payee and keep receipts. Obtain a signed condition report and follow the official Ejari and utility activation sequence. Do not assume possession of a DEWA bill proves ownership.
Condition and usable amenities: Inspect the unit and building, test accessible equipment safely, and record existing damage. Verify the landlord’s identity and ownership and the agent’s authority. A permit or platform badge is a useful check, not proof that all tenancy terms are suitable. Confirm included parking, common-area access, building rules and moving terms.
True cost and payment schedule: Confirm annual rent, cheque or transfer schedule, deposit amount, deductions and refund process, commission and any applicable VAT. Payment schedules and deposits are contractual terms; neither a fixed deposit percentage nor a single-cheque discount is guaranteed. Add the first rent payment, agreed deposit and commission, Ejari charges, utility/cooling deposits and activation, moving and any building access charges. Distinguish refundable deposits from expenses. Ask each provider for current terms; a percentage of annual rent can seriously understate the first-cheque cash requirement.
Maintenance and renewal: Document responsibility for AC, plumbing, appliances and emergency work. Do not assume a universal AED 500 minor-maintenance rule. For renewal, consult DLD’s current rental increase calculator and applicable tenancy law, including notice provisions and any valid agreement. Eviction, non-renewal and rent changes are different matters; obtain advice from the Rental Disputes Center for a dispute.
Registration and providers: Review the tenancy contract and addenda before signing. Confirm who registers Ejari, the documents needed and the current fee for the selected channel. DLD’s Ejari service and DEWA’s move-in service explain the registration and activation process; do not reuse an old fee as a universal current quote.
How much can rent rise on renewal? Use DLD’s current rental index and applicable tenancy law, including notice provisions and any valid agreement. Do not assume the older area-only bands apply unchanged.
Can I leave early? Review the termination clause and applicable law, and agree any settlement in writing. No universal two-month penalty or unconditional right to end the lease is assumed.
Last reviewed 2026-10-19 by PropertyConnect Editorial
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