Dubai, Guide, UAE

Tenancy Contract Checklist: Things to Think About Before Signing a Tenancy Contract

The majority of tenants are eager to sign the tenancy agreement and move in when they finally find the ideal rental property. A tenancy agreement will contain terms and restrictions that will limit what you may do as a tenant. Therefore, it is important to thoroughly read the tenancy contract before you become very happy.

To address this, we have created a tenancy contract checklist that contains all pertinent details that must be taken into account before to signing the contract.

INCLUDED IN A TENANCY AGREEMENT

The following significant information is contained in the tenancy agreement.

landlord and tenant names and contact information
All information about the property
Information regarding the use of the property’s facilities
Amount and mode of payment for rent
Security deposit amount
The duration of the contract’s validity
The obligation to repair and maintain

These are the standard conditions that need to be in the tenancy agreement. In addition, extra conditions may be included in accordance with the agreements made by the parties. The tenancy agreement checklist is now available as we move on from the general terms.

CHECKLIST FOR TENANCY CONTRACTS IN THE UAE

The following are all the considerations that must be made before to signing a tenancy agreement.

CONFIRM BROKER

UAE has strict laws and policies prohibiting unregistered businesses and individuals from using their services. Therefore, be careful to confirm their registration with the government if you need assistance from a real estate agent in the UAE. On RERA and the Dubai Rest App, agents with offices in Dubai are listed. While other Emirates grant real estate agents a broker licence. Before using the agent’s services, request any of the aforementioned registration proofs from them.

VERIFY THE LANDLORD'S HISTORY

Check the landlord’s rental history before taking any action toward signing the contract and finalizing the agreement. This will aid in seeing any red flags relating to the landlord, such as bankruptcy, a case that is currently being litigated over the property, or a tax lien, helping to prevent any future problem.

To ensure the person signing the agreement is the true owner of the property, pay particular attention to the name spelling on the title deed and on the passport or Emirates ID.

Ask your landlord for a DLD-issued Rental Good Conduct Certificate if you are renting a home in Dubai.

ASK FOR EVIDENCE OF MAINTENANCE CHARGES

Building management may forbid tenants from utilizing the building’s amenities and common spaces if there are outstanding payments. As a result, it’s crucial to confirm that the landlord has covered all maintenance and other associated costs. In order to prevent any legal complications in the near future, it is advised to request printed evidence of the cleared invoices.

GO VISIT THE PROPERTY IN PERSON

It’s not a good idea to rely on images or videos of the property that the owner or agent provides. Plan a visit to the property and carefully assess its physical state. Verify that all the facilities you paid for are in good functioning order. Before signing the contract, request that the landlord have any items that require repair made.

CHECK THE LIST OF PROPERTIES

one of the biggest real estate platforms in the area with reliable real estate listings. However, the verified property listings on the web allow you to confirm if the home is indeed available for rent in the UAE or not.

READ THE CONTRACT CAREFULLY

Both landlords and tenants are required by law to abide by the tenancy agreement’s terms and conditions. This denotes carefully reading the contract that is printed on the paper in a legible typeface. Search the contract for any oblique terms that you have not agreed to. Additionally, be wary of asterisks (*), writing in small fonts, and footnotes to prevent consenting to a condition that is unfavorable to you.

WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN.

After carefully reading the contract, confirm that it contains all the terms you and the landlord have agreed. Don’t rely on verbal conversations with the owner because they are not legally binding.

DISCUSS PAYMENTS FOR DAMAGE AND REPAIR

The most important item on the checklist for the tenancy agreement is discussing upkeep and repairs. Until both parties agree otherwise, the building’s maintenance and repairs are the landlord’s responsibility. Discuss the procedure for the repair, who will pay, and who will watch over the property during maintenance if the landlord is the only party accountable for it.

This is due to the fact that landlords occasionally require their tenants to maintain the property and subtract such costs from the annual rent. Having said that, it is preferable to discuss maintenance-related issues before to signing the agreement for a positive tenant-landlord relationship.

RENT AND PAYMENT TERMS NEGOTIATED

In the United Arab Emirates, rent is paid in advance through postdated cheque or another method that works for both parties. These post-dated cheques’ expiration dates are determined by mutual agreement between the parties. Negotiate the yearly rent and the length of the postdated cheques since renters may be required to pay a penalty if the rent is not paid on time.

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EARLY CONTRACT TERMINATION

Real estate law requires both parties to fulfill their contractual obligations, and one party is not permitted to end the agreement without the consent of the other. mutually agree on the circumstances that will end the contract automatically.

Short-term rentals are preferable if you travel frequently or are unsure of how long you will be staying in the rental. The UAE’s short-term rentals allow tenants to move in and out as needed without having to sign a lease, saving them time and hassle. Furthermore, breaking a lease early in Dubai might teach you the entire process if you intend to leave the apartment before the agreement expires.

Before entering into a signed contract with the landlord, tenants must follow the tenancy contract checklist.

This article is only offered for educational purposes, providing a general understanding of its material, including relevant laws and regulations, and is not meant to provide specific legal advice. The Blog is not meant to take the place of qualified guidance from a licensed professional.