Dubai's climate and building stock create a specific set of things worth checking that would not matter as much elsewhere. Most of them take two minutes at a viewing.
Cooling and utilities
- Is cooling district-supplied or building-supplied, and is it included in rent?
- Is there a fixed capacity charge payable regardless of usage?
- Run the air conditioning in every room during the viewing.
- Check water pressure and hot water at the taps and shower.
Noise and orientation
- Which direction does the unit face, and how hot does it get in the afternoon?
- Is the unit above a road, promenade, loading bay or plant room?
- Are there active construction sites next door, and for how long?
- Visit at the time of day you will actually be at home.
Building and management
- How many parking bays are allocated, and where are they?
- Are the lifts working, and how many serve your floor?
- Do common areas look maintained? This is the best proxy for management quality.
- How are maintenance requests logged and how quickly are they handled?
Contract terms
- Number and timing of payments.
- Which maintenance obligations sit with the landlord and which with you.
- Early termination terms, and any penalty.
- Whether pets, sharing, or home working are permitted under building rules.
- Who registers the tenancy and who pays for it.
Before you sign
Confirm that the person renting to you is the owner or has authority to act for them, and that the property details on the contract match the unit you viewed. Ask for the tenancy registration to be completed promptly after signing.