Check list for people looking to rent in Dubai

Case 1: John S, a British expat, rented an apartment in Palm Shoreline last year and paid the annual rent in a single cheque.

In November, he was barred by the master developer from using any of the common facilities (gym, swimming pool) since his landlord had not cleared the service charge arrears. Despite several attempts, John’s landlord failed to pay the dues. He still can’t use the common facilities. Left with no option, John has decided to vacate the apartment once his lease expires this July.

Case 2: Rakesh Kumar, an Indian expat, has shifted to a new apartment in JLT from Al Karama. He did serve the two-month notice to his landlord before vacating the apartment. He was expecting his landlord to return his deposit (one month’s rent), which he had paid in cash. His landlord has, however, refused to return him a single penny, citing repair and renovation needed on the apartment.

The standard rental contract in Dubai is a single page document, mentioning a few clauses referring to the lease period, payment, etc, but quite often landlords add riders to the contract to safeguard themselves of any losses. Tenants hardly ever raise any objection.

Here is a checklist from Afridi & Angel, a Dubai-based law firm, that will help you be vigilant while renting an apartment.

Ownership check

Is the landlord the owner and is the property mortgaged? The landlord should exhibit the original title deed to the tenant. If the tenant has concerns, the landlord and the tenant can attend the Land Department to have the department confirm the landlord is the owner and the property is not mortgaged. If the property is mortgaged, the bank's consent is necessary before the property is leased.

He isn’t a dodger!

Has the landlord paid all outstanding service charges? The landlord should exhibit a current statement from the developer/the owners association confirming payment. This is important so the tenant has more comfort that the developer/owners association will not try to restrict the tenant's enjoyment of the ancillary services (eg the gym and the swimming pool).

Move in ASAP

Is the property in an acceptable condition? Ideally, the period between the tenant inspecting the property and the lease being signed should be as short as possible. This reduces the risk that the property will have been damaged in the interim period.

Penalty clause

What is the term of the lease, and does the tenant have the right to terminate the lease prior to the expiry of the term? Often the lease will state that the tenant may terminate the lease at any time, but subject to payment of two months' rent to the landlord.

Register your lease

After signing the lease, the lease ought to be registered at the Dubai Land Department through the www.ejari.ae.

Deposit refund

Prior to the tenant vacating the property at the end of the lease, the landlord and the tenant should both inspect the property to agree on how much deposit should be returned. If the landlord is unable to attend the inspection, the tenant could take photographic evidence of the property and submit that to the landlord. Based on the photos, the landlord may be willing to return the deposit to the tenant.