Property consultant Alan Kaye answers more of your questions
Q. Do I need to sort out buildings and contents insurance for my new apartment?
A. Buildings insurance (which covers the structure of the building) is the responsibility of the landlord and contents insurance (covering everything inside it – basically anything that can be moved) is the responsibility of the tenant.
If you have any concerns about this, ask to see the buildings policy and confirm that it is paid up for the period that you are living there.
Q. I pay my rent in four cheques, but the first one bounced because the bank did not like the signature. My landlord is trying to charge me a penalty for the returned cheque. Can he do that?
A. You need to read your lease contract, but generally there will be a clause stating that if a cheque is returned for any reason then the landlord can indeed charge a penalty. Exactly how much would normally be stated too.
Maybe you could speak to your bank and see if they will refund you the penalty amount?
Q. How do I know that my estate agent or broker is genuine? I have heard stories about people being scammed.
A. Unfortunately there is no association or regulated group of real estate agents in Abu Dhabi, and there’s no requirement that agents have to be licenced or approved.
Your best bet is to speak to friends or your company for recommendations, check out the Facebook pages and groups for the areas and buildings you’re considering, and see what you can glean from the agents’ websites. The companies that regularly advertise in Abu Dhabi Week are all reputable, as far as I am aware. (We don’t take advertisements from companies that don’t pay their bills or about whom we receive serious complaints – Ed.)
But you can also use common sense to cover yourself. Do not do anything that you would not do in your home country, such as hand over cash without a proper receipt.
Always ask for the agent’s emirates ID, and take a copy of it. And if you’re in any doubt, walk away from the deal.
Q. I want to make my apartment look like home. Can I paint the walls and hang up pictures?
A. You probably can, but you should ask the landlord’s permission – he shouldn’t say no, provided you’re not proposing to demolish walls and install a dancefloor, and it would be good policy to keep him informed.
In any case there will probably be a condition in the lease requiring that the property is returned in a similar condition to its handover state, allowing for fair wear and tear.
Remember that the landlord has your security deposit and will use this to rectify any alterations or damage that you make; so if you want to get back your money in full, it’s best to make as few changes as possible.
Q. We live in A tower where BBQs are prohibited on balconies, but at least one tenant is visibly defying this. Who can we complain to?
A. Tell the management company of the building. This tenant is clearly in breach of the lease.
Q. I was happy with the apartment when I saw it and there were other people interested in it, so I rushed to pay a deposit. But now I have seen the contract there are things I am not happy with. How do I negotiate?
A. It is easy to feel pressured into making a quick decision, particularly with the current shortage in Abu Dhabi of many types of property. Ideally you should ask to see a copy of the contract before you pay over any money, of course, but sometimes you just have to take the chance.
The truth is that many landlords will not refund a deposit if you simply change your mind; and it is unusual for a landlord to change any of the clauses in a lease contract.
This is a situation where a good real estate agent could help and try and negotiate with the landlord. We often have an ongoing relationship which can help get over the hurdles.
Alan Kaye, our property advisor, is a consultant with DISTRICT Real Estate (www.districtuae.com) in Abu Dhabi
