19 month lease?
 

Hi all,

Has anyone negotiated, or heard of anyone negotiating, a longer rental (in the knowledge that they will leave the UAE then)?

We arrived in September last year, and our plan is to move back to the UK in April 2017 (to make the most of the winter but leave before summer hits).

Our lease expires this September, and I'm trying to establish whether it would be worth trying to get my landlord to agree to a 19 month rental, over three cheques (we currently pay via two) - without falling foul of any two-month fine for leaving early and so on.

However, I don't know how this would affect the agency fee (do you have to pay that each year?) and so on...

Thanks

Re: 19 month lease?
 

agency fee is only paid if you use an agent. So if you're dealing with the landlord directly, then you shouldn't have to pay it. I'd be surprised if the landlord didn't bite your hand off at a longer commitment of 19 months versus the standard 12.

Re: 19 month lease?
 

Also, agency fee is normally only paid the first time you rent a property, not on renewal (unless you have used unscrupulous agents who have inserted some sort of renewal clause also). Some leasing agents do charge renewal fees, but it should be only a tiny fraction of the original agency fee.

Re: 19 month lease?
 

No agency fee per se, although some agencies do charge for a renewal. Why not negotiate direct with your LL? Typing centres do the standard municipality rental contract, you register for Ejari yourself.
I have done a 16 month renewal to coincide with my return to UK on 6th April next year.

Re: 19 month lease?
 

Thanks - good to know :) I'm having trouble contacting my landlord at the moment (the only number I have for him, he hangs up when I try to explain who I am... not a great sign!) but if it's not going to exempt me from any rights or support if something goes wrong then I'd much prefer to deal directly.

Re: 19 month lease?
 

Your rights are the laws of Dubai but RERA will usually only support you if you register EJARI. Does not matter about agents, they do very little and offer zero support.

Re: 19 month lease?
 

not sure RERA step in for Abu Dhabi leases...

Re: 19 month lease?
 

AD is the wild west in comparison to Dubai for Renting Laws.

Re: 19 month lease?
 

yup, AD is actually moving backwards!