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How to negotiate rent in Dubai

How to negotiate rent in Dubai

Old Nov 4th 2008, 9:39 am
  #16  
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Default Re: How to negotiate rent in Dubai

Originally Posted by Blue Cat
no idea the e mail was only about a 2 bed
Have heard a couple of people saying that they are being asked for both the 1st and 2nd year rent cheque up front. Could this be a sign that even landlords are starting to think we may see a turndown?
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Old Nov 4th 2008, 10:02 am
  #17  
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Default Re: How to negotiate rent in Dubai

friend of mine has a 3 year lease, with three post dated cheques
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Old Nov 4th 2008, 10:41 am
  #18  
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Default Re: How to negotiate rent in Dubai

Originally Posted by andyjock
Em.............no cause they are going to ask for a years rent up front generally anyway im afraid
actually i haggled my accomodation price down by AED 5k by offering to pay a year's up front, as oppose to 6 monthly....so YES you can haggle.
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Old Nov 4th 2008, 10:47 am
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Default Re: How to negotiate rent in Dubai

Originally Posted by Hello.Kitty
yup... I won't bore you with my story, but take the first thing that you like and don't expect that handing over all the money in record time will seal the deal.

The way it works here is that the tenant is over a barrel and the contract is not a contract until the landlord has signed - which is the very last thing that happens.

The first place we went to see had another couple looking round it at the same time as us.

The second had another couple looking round it as the agent was phoning the landlord to say we'd take it (this fell through because the landlord decided that he didn't want to rent it after all... after we'd paid the year's rent, deposit and commission).

The third place was all agreed and then the landlord stopped answering his phone when the agent wanted to confirm.

The fourth (and last) place was actually the first we viewed - a week later and 5k more - and we snapped it up, not quite understanding why the other couple hadn't. Turns out, the landlord took 2.5% of the agents' commission as part of the deal. He's a really nice chap too.

Anyhow, agents are jackals and will procrastinate, lie and double-cross you rather than tell you the truth. You have no bargaining power (apart from maybe paying in cash). Some landlords are lovely, some are greedy monsters who don't give a fig about you.

Such is the way of things... for the moment.

i gotta say i had none of this hoop-la....i went to Better Homes...they showed me several places....one of which i took....everything was more or less signed, sealed and delivered within 5 working days....AND my landlord was in Kenya at the time. So i reckon the rest of you probably just had bad luck
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Old Nov 4th 2008, 12:29 pm
  #20  
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Default Re: How to negotiate rent in Dubai

Originally Posted by mission
i gotta say i had none of this hoop-la....i went to Better Homes...they showed me several places....one of which i took....everything was more or less signed, sealed and delivered within 5 working days....AND my landlord was in Kenya at the time. So i reckon the rest of you probably just had bad luck
yeah, i think so too! I mean, you hear horror stories all over the place, but never expect it to happen to you. The agents we used were part of a respectable company too... it's just that lots of various things combined to make it the biggest balls-up we've ever been part of!
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Old Nov 4th 2008, 4:05 pm
  #21  
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Default Re: How to negotiate rent in Dubai

I don't think it matters which company the agents work for, you need to find an individual you think you can do business with and ask him/her to find you a place. I've never had to rent (thank God!) or buy on the secondary market but when selling I've put a lot more emphasis on the individual agents than the company they work for. Some of the best and worst agents I've found have worked for the same company......
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Old Nov 4th 2008, 4:09 pm
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Default Re: How to negotiate rent in Dubai

Originally Posted by diablo
I had some discussion with IndieG and Blue Cat a while ago about this rent issue and it seems that they were right and I was wrong. Anyhow, here is my dilemma now ... what are the thoughts:

I believe my tennants and I will have to go through RERA to check it - I want to sell my apartment and apparently non-occupied apartments are easier to sell. I don't know what the new owner would want to do with it - nor is my business. So when our contract expires I'll ask them to leave (giving them 3-6 months of notice). This is end of the 2nd year.

If we go to RERA I'll tell them that I do not want to rent it any more. RERA can make sure that I don't rent it by imposing any bans etc. - and I will not; so I am not playing around any rules. I just want to sell it - full stop.

Non occupied properties are much easier to sell. That is because it is almost impossible to get the tenants out if they don't want to go. Selling the property is not an acceptable reason for not renewing the tenancy. I know, I tried with an apartment the tenant had been in for 3 years and was paying less than half the market rate for. The rent committee gave her another year and I just delayed selling the place. Once it was empty it went straight away but similar properties with tenants (but cheaper!) were sticking.

Well, they were the rules earlier this year but it all changes weekly.
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Old Nov 4th 2008, 4:27 pm
  #23  
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Default Re: How to negotiate rent in Dubai

Originally Posted by mission
i gotta say i had none of this hoop-la....i went to Better Homes...they showed me several places....one of which i took....everything was more or less signed, sealed and delivered within 5 working days....AND my landlord was in Kenya at the time. So i reckon the rest of you probably just had bad luck
We just rented through Better Homes too - had a few problems but generally they were pretty good. Our agent even paid for a maid service (out of his own pocket) today to come and clean our place because it was an absolutely pigsty when we moved in (and it's brand new). He also organised for the loo's to be ripped out and new piping put in so that we can actually use loo paper without blocking them up.....but I think I'll be out that day.....gross.
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Old Nov 5th 2008, 2:22 am
  #24  
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Default Re: How to negotiate rent in Dubai

Originally Posted by Border Reiver
Non occupied properties are much easier to sell. That is because it is almost impossible to get the tenants out if they don't want to go. Selling the property is not an acceptable reason for not renewing the tenancy. I know, I tried with an apartment the tenant had been in for 3 years and was paying less than half the market rate for. The rent committee gave her another year and I just delayed selling the place. Once it was empty it went straight away but similar properties with tenants (but cheaper!) were sticking.

Well, they were the rules earlier this year but it all changes weekly.
it has changed, it is 3 months now, read about it on EW
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