Renting a house is always exciting but challenging, and this may even be more so for an expatriate living in Abu Dhabi.
Hence, it is important to have accurate information and direction, especially when there are many options and the real estate business is growing.
This post contains many useful tips and tricks to ensure your expat rental journey in Abu Dhabi is as smooth as possible.
When to Start Finding Property
When to begin searching for your property in Abu Dhabi. Finding the property or an apartment should be done a month to three weeks before the time when you want to relocate. What you’ve caught may not exist before this time. Most landlords do not allow you to book a property more than two weeks before the start of your tenancy especially if the apartment is in high demand for tenancy (unless you are willing to pay a higher rent). Some Sheikh’s Offices allow you to book only the parking unit about 10 days before the start of your renting so you will be forced to search again nearer the actual renting time.
Abu Dhabi real estate sells quickly, so be ready to act swiftly when you see something you like. Visa: If you are planning to stay in the country, you should know that this may come as a shocker but to enter into a Tawtheeq contract which is a legal contract that enables you to connect power and water to your house, you need a visa. Real estate in Abu Dhabi is very popular, so when looking for a property for rent, you either have to have your visa beforehand or at the very least, have it at a more serious stage than looking for one.
What to Have Ready to Start Looking in Abu Dhabi
Things to Prepare to Begin Knowing what you want is often useful when looking in Abu Dhabi. House, flat, building or independent, terrace, fitness center, swimming pool, close to work or university? You keep saying that you want such and such, think of what you require and look at your pocket. Again, individuals can never have a spare bedroom for guests; yes, you could be investing a fortune in rent by removing one bedroom and installing a guest room but what of whenever you need to accommodate a guest?
Time
Another prerequisite is time. Observing at night is challenging because rental housing units do not have electricity (it is switched off when a tenant leaves), and businesses are closed on weekends. Discuss with your realtor the right time to view the selected properties from the list.
A Budget
Why will you spend the money? Almost all landlords expect first months’ rent in one or two checks and the second check to be post-dated by six months. But to get three checks or more you get very rarely though this is not impossible at all.
Although it doesn't have to, your company's housing allowance will frequently determine how much you wish to spend. Ask your HR department how much your housing allowance is, what happens if you don't use it all, and whether you can contribute the additional cash if you locate a fantastic place that exceeds your allowance. In the UAE, people's employers essentially define what kind of housing they should live in. In most other countries, employers offer their employees cash as part of their pay, which they can use for anything they choose, from a mansion to a studio.
Please be aware that combining your housing allowance with your spouse's is prohibited in Abu Dhabi. Only one housing allowance may be claimed by a couple. Talk to your employers; in certain cases, they may agree to include your housing allowance in your pay. In this case, one of you will receive cash that you can spend for rent, while the other will use your housing allowance.
For more information on how to be ready to move into the home of your dreams, please see What to Have Ready to Rent below.
House-sharing (The Law)
By Article 17 of Tenancy Law, the tenant does not have the right to assign or sublease the property wholly or partially without the landlord’s consent. Although you are an official subtenant and require the landlord’s permission if your name is on the head lease and other tenants pay you rent. House-sharing provisions are regulated by Federal Law No. 1 of 2011. In any villa, there can only be no more than 6 strangers allowed to live there while in an apartment or villa, each room can contain not more than 3 unrelated people as dictated by the municipality. Unlike apartments and villas can only be let to one family not to several families. Unrelated males and females can live apart.
What to Have Ready to Rent in Abu Dhabi
You have to be quick before some of the best commercial plots of land in Abu Dhabi are out of a homebuyer’s reach. Be ready. Before leasing a property, you must
I have talked with your Human Resources section. Although this is a crucial step, not many people consult their HR departments to find out:
i) If tenancy agreement shall be made in your name or the name of the business you intend to carry out.
ii) What your business will pay which will include your deposit, the agent’s commission, and any other charges that the landlord thinks fit (like contract charges, insurance charges, etc).
iii) Will your business cash the checks or will they offer to give you the money and would like you to cash them?
iv) For how many days shall your business take to issue the checks? If it requires more than three days to issue a check then you have to write the check by yourself and get the amount reimbursed (at least the landlord should be informed of any long delay). Unfortunately, when you have reserved a property, it will be held for a maximum of 3 days and during this time you are required to give them a deposit. Find out.
v) What does your business need from the landlord to write checks in their name? For instance, some businesses want landlords to be listed as "vendors." If this is the case, the procedure must begin right away because it will delay payment.
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