Simple steps to safeguarding your tenancy contract Simple steps to safeguarding your tenancy contract Tenants in Dubai should make certain that landlords have paid all service charges relating to the property in question and that lease agreements are clear to both parties to avoid disputes later. They are also are advised to sit down and discuss issues that arise during the tenancy in order to come to an agreement with their landlord before taking the matter to the Land Department, located on Baniyas Road in Deira. Service charges are one of the biggest, most critical and one of the most controversial issues in Dubai. In a tenancy agreement, the landlord’s obligations should be spelt out so it is clear what he is responsible for. Tenants should not assume this – both the responsibilities of the tenant as well as the landlord should be clearly stated in the memorandum of understanding before each party signs. The contract should be all-inclusive. There should be no hidden fees: the language should reflect that. The greater the clarity, the less the surprises the tenant or landlord will face once the tenancy has began. In order to safeguard your tenancy contract, ensure you do the following: 1) Use a registered broker such as FAM Properties. All registered brokers are assessed by the Dubai Land Department and have broker registration numbers that can be verified with authorities. 2) Ask for a certificate from the developer showing that the landlord has paid all service fees. 3) Verify that the tenancy agreement specifies length of lease, landlord’s responsibilities for paying service fees and other related charges, and tenant’s responsibility for paying utilities that he consumes. It should also specify facilities the tenant can use and parking spots to which he is entitled as part of his rent. 4) Register the contract with the Dubai Land Department at www.ejari.ae. This is a government requirement to protect both parties in case of a dispute, to check fraud and to ensure the same property is not rented out twice. At FAM Properties, our rental associates handle all the necessary transaction paperwork efficiently to ensure that your tenancy is hassle free. We will ensure that both the interests of the landlord and the tenant are protected. Simple steps to safeguarding your tenancy contract Tenants in Dubai should make certain that landlords have paid all service charges rel... Read more » 1:08 AM +