My Dubai Rent: this Dh180,000 family villa is just a short walk from Jumeirah beach

My Dubai Rent takes you inside a reader's home to have a look at what they pay each month, see who they live with and ask what they like and don't like

Harry Tregoning has lived in a four-bedroom villa in Jumeirah, off the Sheikh Zayed Road, for more than 10 years.

The reason the 46-year-old from the UK has stayed there for so long is simple. He loves the property as well as the location.

The owner of Tregoning Property and Tregoning Maintenance shares the home in Al Safa 2 with his wife and two young children, aged 9 and 4.

Why did you move here?

We moved here because we wanted to live in this area. It actually turned out to be incredibly convenient for us.

Before we lived here, we were in The Springs but we were keen to move to this part of town.

A lot of our friends were living around here, so it made sense for us to move as well, even though I loved The Springs.

It’s right in the centre of town and there are schools and nurseries so close to where we live.

There is a metro station not even 600 metres away and we are right beside the Sheikh Zayed Road on one side, and the sea on the other.

Interestingly, we can hear the sound of people using their jet skis on the water, but the sound of the Sheikh Zayed Road gets completely drowned out.

How much do you pay in rent?

We pay Dh180,500 [$49,140] over four cheques. That’s not the most we’ve paid for the property.

Around 2014, we were paying around Dh230,000 for the villa. We’ve always paid four cheques though.

When we lived in The Springs, we were paying Dh100,000 a year in rent for a two-bedroom villa.

What makes the place so special to you?

The area is just fantastic. We are members of the sailing club, which is a really popular place in this area.

We have a lot of hotels and restaurants around here as well, so if you want to go out, there are a lot of options close by.

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Jumeirah's street art: in pictures

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There are 11 families here as well who are living in the same area — there’s a strong sense of community and we share a gym and swimming pool.

We are not even two kilometres away from the sea, so that’s a huge draw.

There is also a lovely mix of expats living here in the community, there are people from so many different countries, which really adds to the atmosphere of the neighbourhood.

Is there anything you would change?

Like most people who have children, when they get to our age, we want to put down roots and buy our own home.

Unfortunately, you cannot buy a property here in Jumeirah unless you are from the GCC.

That’s about the only downside for us if I am totally honest.

What have you done to put your personal touch on your home?

My wife does most of the decorating and choosing the furniture. One thing we have done is had a new AC unit put in on the roof.

My Dubai Rent: Couple's first family home has 'everything you need' for Dh81,000

This has helped to reduce the air conditioning cost by around 33 per cent, which is a huge help.

We’ve just had the kitchen wrapped as well, which makes it look a bit more modern.

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme

Priority access to new homes from participating developers
Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
Flexible payment plans from developers
Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates

While you're here

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Maryam AlMheiri: 'Some people believe media regulation is about restriction ... it's not'

Rhodri Marsden: Bloggers or floggers: social media moves to wise up on influencers

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

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So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?

Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.

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Abu Dhabi card

5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,400m

5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 2,200m

6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m

6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m

7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m

7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m

The National selections:

5pm: Valcartier

5.30pm: AF Taraha

6pm: Dhafra

6.30pm: Maqam

7pm: AF Mekhbat

7.30pm: Ezz Al Rawasi

Dates for the diary

To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:

September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

On Women's Day

Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action

Shelina Janmohamed: Why shouldn't a spouse be compensated fairly for housework?

Samar Elmnhrawy: How companies in the Middle East can catch up on gender equality

Justin Thomas: Challenge the notion that 'men are from Mars, women are from Venus'

Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

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