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The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
My Dubai Rent: Entrepreneur pays Dh113,000 for one-bedroom apartment in Wasl 51
My Dubai Rent takes you inside a reader's home to have a look at what they get for their money, how much they pay in rent and asks them what they like and don't like Russian entrepreneur Olga Sukhanova, who owns a commercial and hospitality property company, has lived in Dubai for almost four years and has found her dream apartment. She cannot buy it – even though she wants to – because it is in Jumeirah 1, an area where only people from the Gulf can purchase property. However, because she has been paying Dh113,000 a year for three years, she is happy to continue renting for as long as she lives alone and can make the place her own. The National takes a look around. Please tell us about where you live This community is low-rise, with just three levels, and I like the layouts because they're huge. I have a one-bedroom, but the size is 1,500 square feet. I also have a terrace. Why did you choose this neighbourhood? I lived before in Madinat Jumeirah Living, but then I moved to Jumeirah 1 because I really like this area. Before, I worked in DIFC, that's why it was important to live close to my work, because it's just 10 minutes by car. It's also very important to me to live close to the sea, because this is the value of Dubai. The sea is a five-minute walk away. I also like that it is a quieter, more authentic area. How much do you pay? It's Dh113,000 per year. I rent from the developer, which is good because they haven't changed the price in three years. I also have the opportunity to pay monthly because of the developer. We have an app where I can ask all my questions and send my request for maintenance – they solve any problem. What facilities do you have? We have a gym and a swimming pool. There are lots of really modern cafes around the community. It's very modern, for hipsters I think. I like it because I can just walk across the road and there are lots of opportunities to eat lunch and dinner. The quality of the cafes is very good, so you can just sit and enjoy it. How have you made the apartment feel like home? All the apartments here are unfurnished. That's why I've organised everything how I like it. It depends usually on my mood, because I've changed it a few times. For example, I've changed the colour of the walls to make it lighter. That's why I like it unfurnished – I can choose and change and I don't have to ask permission during the rental period. Is there anything you'd change about the apartment or neighbourhood? Actually, no. Sometimes I think, for example, one month before I have to send a request to extend my rental, whether I will move. But then I think, where can I move that I can find the same qualities and the same size for the same price? In my opinion, there is no other alternative in Dubai. Would you consider buying? I would love to buy if I have the opportunity. I would buy this apartment, but it's impossible for foreign people. How long do you plan to stay here? I don't know. It depends on the future. If someone proposes to me and I get married, I will maybe move to a bigger apartment. For now, I will stay here because it's more than enough for a young single woman.
The National
27-07-2025
- Business
- The National
My Dubai Rent: Entrepreneur pays Dh200k for JVT apartment after 20 years in UAE
My Dubai Rent takes you inside a reader's home to have a look at what they get for their money, how much they pay in rent and asks them what they like and don't like Business owner Rebecca Rees has spent almost 20 years in Dubai and lived in at least eight rental properties in that time. While she loved her last property, a town house in Jumeirah Village Triangle that she rented for a decade, a landlord dispute led her to move out. Now, still in JVT, she rents a large three-bedroom apartment that's both her home and office – and has no plans to buy or move in the foreseeable future. The National takes a look around. Where else have you lived in Dubai? I've lived in at least eight properties. I got into this habit that, until 2014, I moved pretty much every year. Sometimes because rents came down massively and I could upgrade. In 2014, I moved to a town house just down the road in JVT, which I stayed in for 10 years. I absolutely loved it, but for various reasons, two years ago, I moved here. Tell us about the property you're in now It's an apartment, so very different, but still in JVT. It wasn't an easy decision, until I saw it. I wouldn't have considered an apartment, because I had dogs, and they were used to the garden. Both of those dogs have passed away now, so I took the decision to come here. I love the space. I love the size. It's a three-bedroom. I work at home, so the third bedroom is my office. I've now got a proper second bedroom, which is basically for the parents when they come. It's very, very modern. There were maintenance issues starting to creep in when I was in the villa. It just became so much hassle and, I thought, I just want an easier life. How much do you pay in rent? Just shy of Dh200,000. It's considerably more than I was paying for the town house. When I left there, my rent was Dh120,000 and the reason I was paying so little is because I'd been there so long, so I was getting a very good deal there. It's not cheap, but the flip side is I work at home, so I don't have commuting costs. And if this was a two-bed in the Marina or somewhere, it would be a lot more money. It's all relative. What facilities do you have? It's got beautiful facilities. It's got a pool, which I never had in the town house. It's got a beautiful gym. It's got a residents' lounge, which is really handy for remote working. I mean, it's just me living here, so noise isn't a problem, but if you are a family and there are kids running around, I'm sure I'd want to escape to these little private offices they've got in the building for people who work remotely. There's a pool table, there's a library. There's also a dog park on site. It's dog friendly. It's like a hotel without the on-site dining. That's the best way to describe it. The security team are amazing and I like the fact that it's seven floors of accommodation. So it's not high rise. It's a genuine, small community of people. Most people who live here are owners, so as a result, it's very much taken care of, really well appointed. Why did you choose this neighbourhood? I can walk across the sand to the Springs. It takes me 10 minutes. I drive to Spinneys in the Meadows. It takes me 10 minutes to get on to Al Khail Road. There was a time, years ago, that JVT was considered remote and inaccessible. But now, it's very, very well positioned. I love it. I wouldn't want to be down in the Marina or somewhere. It's too touristy and hectic for me. You do get a few tourists here now, but nothing like you would in the other areas. What else is around you? In the immediate area, there are a couple of other buildings. It's residential around me. There are padel and tennis courts nearby. There are lots of convenience stores and pharmacies. There are a couple of hotels, which have got restaurants, so there's a Movenpick and a new one called Hotel Local right opposite me. How have you made the apartment feel like home? I haven't bought much in the way of new furniture. In fact, because the town house I had was very large, I did actually offload quite a bit of furniture. I've invested in new couches. I wanted a different feel here, so nice white leather. It's really bright. I've painted some accent walls. I had curtains fitted, added rugs. I've changed the dining table as well. Is there anything you'd change about this place? I miss having a garden, but I can't change that. I'm currently planning a bit of design out on the balcony. It's a very long balcony, it runs the length of the house, but it's narrow, so you can't do a lot with it. I'm just currently thinking I'll put some plant pots out there, and maybe put some fake grass down to make it more of a garden. Why don't you want to buy a property? I should have bought being here so long but I think, for me, like a lot of expats, you sometimes don't know how long you're going to be here. My original plan was to come for a year, but, yeah, how's that working out? So, I kept saying, I'll give it another year … I think, really, I don't want the commitment, and if I suddenly did have to go, I can just go. How long do you think you'll be in this property for? Well, I've no intention of leaving. Put it that way. The landlord is lovely. I'm very, very happy here. I've no plans to leave Dubai at all. I mean, one day I will, but at the moment I have no plans to leave. I don't know what's going to happen with rents. There are hints that rents are going to start to come down, maybe stabilise a bit, which would obviously be welcome news for everyone. But I'm prepared mentally and financially to stay here.
The National
27-06-2025
- General
- The National
UAE Property: ‘Can my landlord charge a maintenance fee when I vacate?'
Question: I am writing to raise a concern regarding my recent experience with a property I vacated in the Al Jaddaf area in Dubai. When I first moved in, I submitted a security deposit of Dh4,000 ($1,089) for a unit measuring about 970 square feet. The rent was initially Dh80,000, then increased to Dh85,000, and was most recently raised to Dh93,000 following a change in building management. Due to the continuous rent increases, I decided not to renew and chose to vacate. During my two-year tenancy, the apartment experienced significant issues, such as cracks on the walls, the AC was never cleaned or serviced, the building's alarm system frequently rang at night, and the gas provider disconnected the alarm because it rang for no reason. Additionally, I personally paid to fix the shattaf and door, as maintenance requests during my tenancy were consistently ignored. Despite all this, I have now been charged more than Dh1,400 for 'maintenance' on vacating. I have asked the agent for a clear breakdown, and in response, I received unrelated images. What is more troubling is the pattern of discrimination I encountered. As a 30-year-old Somali woman, I often felt treated unfairly. There were instances where agents openly said that they do not rent to Nigerians or Sudanese, and when confronted, they deflected responsibility by blaming the landlord. I would appreciate your advice on how to escalate this matter. TA, Dubai Answer: It is common practice to give back a rented property in the manner it was given at the start of the tenancy. If it was painted and cleaned before, this would need to be done while returning the property. This will ensure your deposit will not be withheld. Some landlords describe this work as maintenance but in reality, it is just presentation. You mention a few points such as cracks appearing and that the AC was never cleaned. Unless the cracks were significant and you reported them, it is the landlord's responsibility to sort these out, but again, unless they were structural defects, these cracks would normally disappear when the apartment would be decorated. The AC cleaning would be done only if there is a contract to do so or by request from yourself and should be done at least once a year. It is not clear from your email if you complained about this. The building alarm going off is unfortunate but does not constitute a financial loss. I have reviewed the list of maintenance charges against you, but find them to be reasonable. If you do not want them to charge you, your choice would be to sort out the cleaning and painting yourself. I have not seen your tenancy agreement, but the common practice on maintenance issues is that if there is any issue below Dh500, this would be the tenant's responsibility and above this sum is on the landlord. I can only assume the shattaf and door came to less than the Dh500. Q: I want your guidance regarding a property transaction in process for a unit I am selling in Dubai. On May 15, I signed form F with a buyer, with the help of a registered broker. The contract is valid for two months from the date of signing. Before the signing of form F and payment of the 10 per cent security deposit, the buyer had obtained mortgage pre-approval. However, the initial pre-approval has lapsed and a subsequent reapplication was unsuccessful. As of June 20, the broker is working to obtain a new pre-approval through a different financial institution. As the contract is nearing expiry, will form F be at risk of breach due to the buyer's inability to secure financing so far? Also, if the transaction fails to proceed due to the buyer's financing situation, would I be eligible to claim the 10 per cent deposit or would this be subject to specific conditions or dispute resolution processes? I want to understand the correct procedures and options available to me under current regulations. KK, Dubai A: I only have the information given in your email, so I must make a few assumptions. I can only confirm your first question if there are certain clauses to confirm this in form F. Sometimes, it is mentioned that if the buyer cannot get final approval on finance for whatever reason, the deal can be considered null and void without penalties. If this clause is present, the buyer can walk away from the deal without repercussions. For your second point, the answer should be straightforward, but unfortunately it is not. Unless the buyer confirms in writing that they are in breach of the deal, you can only lay claim to the 10 per cent by filing a case at the Dubai courts. This will take time and be subject to fees. The end result should be to sell the property but sometimes, things go wrong or take a while to sort, so I would organise an addendum or extension to form F to finalise the deal. If things take too long or it is clear the buyer cannot purchase the property, only then should you seek legal recourse.
