Knowing Landlord Rights in Dubai: 7 Things Never to Hide from Landlord

Finding the perfect place to live in is no mean feat. After weeks of pouring through listings and trudging along to numerous viewings, you zero in on the perfect home. It might be quite tempting to keep some secrets from your landlord after this ordeal, just so you don’t end up losing out on your dream rental in a densely populated city like Dubai. But steer clear of that path. It’s important to respect landlord rights in the city and be upfront with them. You would like that if you were a landlord, wouldn’t you?

Of course, this doesn’t mean you need to divulge all the details of your life and tell them about your dinner plans every day. But here are some things that you absolutely cannot keep a secret from your landlord.

Hiding Your Furry Friends

Landlord rights in Dubai clearly says that you shouldn't keep your pets a secret — Choose a pet-friendly neighbourhood so you and your pooch are not homeless

Anyone who has ever had a pet will tell you how difficult it is to imagine your life without them. Therefore, it’s only natural that you would want to keep living with your canine, feline or feathered roommates. It’s also true that many landlords may object to you having a pet. But some won’t. So if you have a pet and you are hesitating about revealing it to your landlord, don’t. Sneaking your pets in your property for rent in Dubai to avoid this conversation is not going to work in the long run anyway. Look for a pet-friendly neighbourhood if you already own a pet. If you decided to adopt a cat after you moved in, tell your landlord about your decision. In fact, you need to make sure that this is mentioned clearly in your tenancy contract so that you can’t be evicted on these grounds.

Having A Roommate Or Subletting

It's part of landlord rights to be informed about roommates or subletting — It’s fun to live with your best friend, but remember landlord rights

If you are planning on inviting a roommate (the non-furry kind this time) or subletting your apartment in Dubai when you are away, it’s important to check with your landlord first. We have all been there. Your friend tells you they are looking for a place to live. The lovely friend that you are, you extend a helping hand and invite them to share your apartment. But before your friend or any other roommates move in, inform your landlord. Homeowners obviously want to know who is living in their property. Some might even do a background check.

It’s therefore important your landlord is aware and that they agree. This is in fact, one of the basic tenets of landlord rights in Dubai that you sign up for while registering a tenancy contract through Ejari Dubai. Thus, tell them and save yourself the trouble of having to hide your roommate every time your landlord is in the vicinity. The tenancy rights guidelines by RERA specifically says that you need written permission from your landlord when subletting. We recommend that you keep your landlord informed if you have friends or family staying for a long time also so that later it doesn’t become a problem.

Damage to Fixtures and Fittings

Seek permission from your landlord to make repairs — Don’t try to fix anything yourself

It can be a little daunting to inform your landlord if anything breaks or stops working in your house. Often, you may be worried that you will have to pay to fix a broken window or replace a light fixture that’s come off the wall. But keeping such secrets from your landlord could lead to bigger problems and incur more expenses in the future. You might even lose your security deposit over a broken cabinet! If you have been thinking of fixing anything yourself instead of telling your landlord, please don’t. You may end up causing more damage, or worse still, hurt yourself!

Pests And Infestations

Landlord Rights: Is Pest Control something a landlord should do in Dubai — Pest control is something you simply cannot hide from your landlord

Have you been having sleepless nights thanks to bed bugs sucking the lifeblood out of you? Roaches running amok in your kitchen? Tell your landlord. It’s important to deal with pests and infestations as they can be serious health hazards. You may be tempted to try DIY methods to get rid of pests, but sometimes what your house needs is some good old pest control. There are many companies offering pest control services in Dubai. Before taking the plunge, make sure to get approval from your landlord.

Maintenance Issues

Are you seeing large patches of moisture on your ceiling? Is there some unsightly mould in the bathrooms? All maintenance issues have to be reported at the earliest to the landlord, so no secrets here! And as per the law, the homeowner has to bear maintenance costs, so you have tenancy rights on your side in this scenario. However, the important thing to understand here is that you simply cannot wait to inform your landlord.

That patch of moisture may soon turn into a pile of rubble and a giant gaping hole in your ceiling if you put off this conversation. And we don’t want that, do we?

Changes To Your Rental Home

One of the basic landlord rights is to be made aware of any changes to their home — Don’t make any changes to the property without consulting your landlord

So you don’t need to call your landlord if you are changing the sheets. But if you are putting in a new sink, or putting up a partition in the living room, you need to tell your landlord. According to Dubai law under the RERA guidelines, you have to inform your landlord, and they need to procure explicit permissions for you. This too will fall under one of the basic landlord rights in Dubai and they can evict you if they find any unauthorised changes. So do yourself a favour, and don’t keep this one a secret from your landlord!

Losing Your Keys

If you have lost your keys, inform your landlord. Don't keep this a secret from your landlord — Changing your lock is something your landlord needs to approve

This is probably the toughest conversation on the list. You know you have messed up so instead of hiding this highly crucial information, immediately inform your landlord that you have lost your keys. Even if you have friends who have spare keys and you can make copies off them, still tell your landlord. Unless someone who knows where you stay has deliberately picked up your keys, or you are one of those people that keeps your keys with your address printed over it, there is a very small chance that whoever has your key will be able to locate your house and break into it. So some landlords may choose to not change the locks at all and will simply get a spare key made.

Practice these 7 golden nuggets of wisdom when it comes to keeping secrets from your landlord. It will go a long way in building their trust in you. Landlord rights and tenancy rights are in place so that you can find the right balance in your relationship with your homeowner. So always think before you make a decision that could jeopardise your comfort or theirs. If you are still on the lookout for that dream rental, don’t forget to check out some of the popular areas to live in Dubai.

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