Renting is a popular option for many Abu Dhabi residents but it’s not always as stress-free as it could be. We sought some expert advice from Jon Yarrow, property manager in charge of leasing for Emirates Property Investment Company (EPICO)
Just stepped off the plane?
For new Abu Dhabi residents, what is the first step they should take to find their new home?
Talk with colleagues about their experiences and decide how far or near to work you want to live. There is always a trade-off between location, price, drive time, villa or apartment. Decide your priorities and what is important to you. Once you’ve done that, ask around for reputable real estate companies by flicking through the classifieds in Abu Dhabi Week.
Where are the best places to find quality maintained, spacious flats?
The current hotspot has to be Al Raha Beach, closely followed by Reem Island and Al Reef downtown.
Money matters
How can renters make sure that the landlords are charging a fair price?
Talk to people in neighbouring properties and find out what they are paying. Do some research on the internet to see what other properties in the building or location are leasing for.
What is the average price of a two-bedroom and a three-bedroom flat in Abu Dhabi?
On-island you should expect to pay anywhere between AED 75,000 and AED 110,000 for a two-bedroom, and AED 120,000 and 180,000 for a three-bedroom. On the other hand, off-island prices are a little lower, with the exception being Al Raha where prices are actually rising.
What is the main concern that people have when they are renting and what’s the solution to that?
Normally it’s price, closely followed by maintenance. However, people now need to ensure that their landlord has registered their property with Abu Dhabi Management (ADM) and can issue a Tawtheeq. Ask for a contract, which is required to connect basic services and also renew visas. Ask to see evidence that the building has been registered with ADM.
What are my rights as a tenant when it comes to maintenance of the flat or rent increase?
Check the small print in your contract. Most landlords still use very generic ‘over the counter’ contracts. Check the wording carefully. You can always ask the landlord to spell out exactly what maintenance is provided by adding it in the contract. The law governs any increases in rent – landlords are currently able to increase the rent by five percent every year. Seek advice from the Rent Committee if a landlord attempts to increase your rent by more than five percent.
For further information visit www.epico.ae
The expert’s view
Property Management is a popular topic at the moment with new handovers by individual landlords of property in the investment zones taking place. So lets take a look at what property management in these circumstances means.
Firstly, people commonly confuse facility management with property management. Facility management is the provision of services to the building as a whole, for example common area cleaning and maintenance.
Property management is the management of individual unit(s) on behalf of private landlords to ensure a smooth experience for the tenant whilst taking the headache away from the owner. This is especially relevant for someone who is not a resident in Abu Dhabi, as trying to deal and coordinate with third party service providers from a distance can be challenging to say the least! The tenant has paid his rent and therefore rightfully deserves a prompt response to any maintenance issues.
So if you decide to outsource the management of your property what should you expect from your agent? If you have already bought a property in Abu Dhabi you will be familiar with the challenges in getting things resolved quickly so you need to have realistic expectations, however your manager will have built up relationships with the facility managers and other service providers like painters, workmen etc which obviously eases the way.
Your service agreement will normally include the drawing up of a tenancy contract, collection of all rental and deposit payments, coordination of connections and all the coordination between the tenant, yourself and maintenance contractors until any issues are resolved. A six monthly property inspection is preferable, but not all agents provide this service. Do your research and make sure you compare apples with apples – a cheaper service may not add any value at all!
Our contributor:
Jane Irvine is Director of Business Development for real estate agency LLJ Property in Abu Dhabi
