Bailey13

Discovered this site a few days ago & have taken some great advice - Thank You.

Just been offered a job in Dubai & would very much welcome any feed back from the Dubai residents:

Project Manager - Building Services:
22KDhs/mth.
100KDhs accomodation for year.
Company car + family medical + family flight once a year + 30KDhs to furnish premesis.
Kids school fees covered.

Is this a reasonable offer in line with cost of living in Dubai.

Ideally would be looking for a 3 bed villa in reasonable area - I know the 100K would not cover & dont want to dip in to salary. What are the decent areas for familiy that would be reasonable?

Would be moving over with wife + 2kids (oldest 4 in Feb. Yougest just turned 1).

Is schooling a real issue for a start in sept. 08 with waiting lists etc. Anyone got an idea on how best to get list of schools contacts etc.

Wife is a nurse in mental health - does any one know if such positions exist.

Do nurseries/child minding exist that could take the kids before they start school if wife wanted to work etc.

Finally - from anyone who has brought a young familiy over - has it been difficult to adapt & any advice.

I know I have gone on - but any advise would be greatfully recieved.

Inselaffen

the accomdation allowance is very very low. Where will your company be located. With that info people on here should be able to advise you roughly how much rent is going to cost you.

MataHari

Hi...and welcome
there have been numerous threads on packages lately...might be good if you did a search first, that will answer most of your questions I am sure...

You will need to establish first where you'd live...which would idealy be near where you will work...then start looking at schools in that neighbourhood...then take it from there. I wouldn't worry too much about the schools...

There are nurseries, but they are generally not that flexible as in Europe...a lot of them are only open till 1 pm or 3 pm, they close during all the holidays...but a few are offerening more extended services. Madam Medusa recently posted a very useful link with nurseries, lets see if that can be digged out...

About moving over here as a family.....I'd say that is largely up to your own attitude towards life...plus the package you are on...most would agree that taking money out of your own salary to pay for housing is a no no...
oh and 30k to furnish a villa from scratch is meagre...

Madam Medusa

ok, i'll save you the search and post the link again, this time, lol... http://www.dubaikidz.biz/nurseriesdubai.html Nurseries don't in general operate in the same way that they do in the uk, most only run in the morning. But, there are a few now which are open all day...the afternoon session is more like a creche though than the british curriculum they follow in the morning (though to be frank at that age, i can't see it makes that much difference). For children under about 14 months, there are again only a few nurseries available...and i think they do have waiting lists so get on the case asap...

waiting lists will be the same for schools for your eldest ...

i moved here when my kids were 2 1/2 and 6 months...and have loved it, no problems settling in at all...in fact, i imagine it must be much easier when they are younger cos they don't really have the friends issue...sure you will be fine...

welcome to the site, btw...

MM, xx

Border Reiver

Now, I don't really understand this. Surely what matters is your total income and how much money you have left at the end of the month (or how much month you have left at the end of the money). Why does it matter if your salary is large compared to your accommodation allowance and you have to use you "own money" to pay for your own accommodation? It is all your money anyway!

MataHari

maybe because your salery won't increase as much as the rent...or if you are unfortunate that you have to move after year for what ever reason, and you have to go to a more expensive house...or when the whole rent cap thing is not done anymore...
It's a bit of a gamble...and with 22k per month, with 2 kids...paying maybe 60k a year out of your own pocket....but hey, it's up to everybody to do what they want...
In our case, we get whatever our house costs...so every increase is paid for.

shakh your bootie

Hi Bailley,

Welcome to the Board. If you want a 3 bed villa in a "nice area", then you really need to go back to your employer and tell him that you need at least double the housing allowance that he's offering.

You aren't being forced to move here, after all - hold out for a better deal.

Good Luck.

Live for now

Everyone keeps going on about asking for more, now I am not saying I disagree and of course they can only say no. However does anyone know what the going rates are for eg the position of Building Services Project manager, is the deal that Bailey13 has been offered the going rate or less, of course only by people asking for more and achieving it can the rate be pushed up, as with rents, they will of course keep increasing rents if people pay them, thats the market trend. Its when one the proposrtional reprtesentation increases in either that a problem exists especially in cost of living being out of proportion to the annual salary increases. A package of 360k plus school fees doesn't seem bad compared to other examples given, but again its a case of breaking down your costs and seeing what you have left at the end of the month.

I have looked at the cost of furnished/unfurnished cost comparisons and the better value option seems to be a furnished flat/villa, of course you don't get to pick and choose your furniture then.

When you get salary increases is it usally different %ages on the basic and rent or across the board, if its across the board then Border Riveira is quite right what does tit matter as long as the total fig adds up, howver of you say get the going rate of oncrease on your rent and a fixed col increase on your vasic then thats a different matter.

beebee

Believe me, it not.

Live for now

Lookin on Bhomes seems to be about 3k per month difference for 2 bed plus maids with everything in, unless of course those deals are not there when you ask!

beebee

For the same apartment?..I very much doubt it.
Landlords usually charge an extra 10k for a 1 bed.. 20k for a 2 bed...etc..

Inselaffen

You are better off just going unfurnished. the furnished villa/apartment market is very small here and will really limit your choice.
Just do a big session at Ikea to furnish a place. They will deliver it and even put all the stuff together for you! no messing with flat packs.

nottmbantam

Whats the score when your employer is due to sort out the accommodation? Does that tend to happen far quicker , do they have their own compounds and therefore a shorter waiting list?

At my interview, I was told that there is a waiting list for family accommodation, so will have to have single accommodation to start with, and they had not idea how long for.

Potentially, there is only my wife and her daughter coming out, so we wouldn't need anything big, just a 2 bed apartment / villa....

TIA. ( and another apology for hi-jacking another thread..... Its the second time in a few mins. I'm getting worried I may be a serial hi-jacker of posts by other people )

beebee

There may be a waiting list for family accommodation in a company complex.. but not in the open market

Blue Cat

Original Poster - try and get more housing allowance, even to get a two bed apartment you are looking at 140 ish.