Question: I live in a middle-income community in Dubai, where rents are not very high.
I have a reasonable landlord who has not increased rents arbitrarily in the past.
However, I have been reading about rampant rent hikes across the city. I am worried that at my next renewal, my landlord will use the readjusted Dubai Land Department rental index to increase my rent.
Is this update the reason for rent increases across the city? What does the updated rental index mean for me? Does it benefit me or the landlord? MM, Dubai
Answer: The DLD rental index has been recently updated to reflect the increases in the rental market and takes into consideration all of Dubai.
The index is a barometer of values, taking into consideration average rental amounts to give an indication of what similar units are valued for tenanted properties, whereas the rental property portals advertise vacant property values (market rent).
Your landlord has the right to request an increase in rent, if necessary, based on the current market index. This adjustment will be reflected in your next lease renewal.
However, it is important to note that any changes to a contract have to be communicated in writing, giving 90 days’ notice of the same.
So, to answer your question, the index benefits both of you. Firstly your landlord, because it gives a more accurate figure for the rent, given it has been updated, but you are also benefiting because the index is still much lower than the market rent charged if the unit was vacant.
Q: I rent an apartment in an old building in Dubai. When I signed the tenancy contract, a clause said that the landlord is in charge of property maintenance.
I have been facing a few maintenance issues in my unit. When a technician comes to resolve the problem, he insists that I pay him and says the landlord does not.
How is this fair? When I called the landlord’s property management company, I was told that I’d have to foot the bill for maintenance issues below Dh500 ($136), while he would pay for those above.
There is no such clause mentioned in the tenancy contract. Since it is an old building, I am sure there will be frequent maintenance issues and am afraid I will be tasked with paying for them.
The landlord refuses to pay, but I want to keep the property in good condition since my family lives in it.
What is the way forward? I just signed the lease, so have many more months to go before I can terminate the contract. Please advise. AM, Dubai
A: In general terms, maintenance of a rented property is the responsibility of the landlord, but to break this down, I can confirm that the normal practice is that any amount below Dh500 is normally paid by the tenant and above this is the responsibility of the landlord.
If, however, there is no such clause in your tenancy agreement, the default answer is that the landlord is responsible for maintaining the property in exchange for the rent.
Given the property is in an old building, you are right that there could be frequent episodes of continuing maintenance, so my advice to you would be to organise a meeting with the landlord in order to explain your position and to come to some sort of an agreement.
Perhaps a reduction in the rent could help if you continue to have to pay for maintenance issues that are the responsibility of the landlord.
If the owner continues to not co-operate, you would have no alternative but to file a case at the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee, who will inform the landlord of his responsibilities.
Mario Volpi is head of brokerage at Novvi Properties and has worked in the property sector for 40 years in London and Dubai. The opinions expressed do not constitute legal advice and are provided for information only. Please send any questions to mario@novviproperties.com
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
At a glance
- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years
- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills
- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis
- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector
- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes
- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester
Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)
What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
