My Dubai Rent takes you inside a reader's home to have a look at what they get for their money and how much they pay in rent, and ask them what they like and don't like
For eight of her 15 years working in the country, Jessy Chami has lived in Jumeirah Village Circle, seeing it transform from one of Dubai’s largest building sites into a community hugely in demand.
Since 2020, the Lebanese has rented a one-bedroom apartment where she stays with her golden retriever, Duke, both enjoying the area’s open spaces during their regular walks.
Ms Chami, 36, who is a huge fitness fan, says the district is convenient for her social life, as well as her commute to work in Barsha Heights, where she is a public relations director at the Orient Planet Group.
She took The National on a tour of her third-floor “sanctuary”.
Tell us about your home
It is a huge one-bedroom apartment. I have my living room with a dining table, a bathroom and a half, and an open kitchen.
I have two balconies and used to have a view, but now there is another building across the street and a mosque.
I moved here in September 2020.
Did you get a good deal on the rent at that time?
Yes, as back then it was Dh37,000. I think it is one of the oldest buildings in JVC, with only four floors, but the good thing is the apartments are spacious. Even the studio where I used to stay was big, so I have got the same furniture.
I recently renewed my contract here for about Dh47,000, in line with Dubai's Real Estate Regulatory Agency, which is still fair enough compared to the new apartments. I get it directly from a private landlord.
Where did you live before?
I used to stay in the same building, in a studio. It was hard on me and Duke staying in the studio 24/7 [during the Covid pandemic], but I found this apartment, which is way bigger than where I was for Dh5,000 or Dh6,000 more.
After the explosion happened in Beirut in 2020, I had my brother staying here. Then he found a job and a year later moved out, but he is staying in JVC as well.
Before that, I lived in JLT in a very small studio.
Why this building?
The prices, to be honest, and the space inside the apartments. And there is a nice area on the roof, so we usually sit up there when the weather allows. It is a calm place.
Plus, I cannot live in a tower because of my dog.
Why did you choose this area?
It is close to the park, just across the street. It is also close to my work, so I don’t have to drive for an hour or two.
It is close to everything … the Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Hills. Now we have Circle Mall, which opened recently, a five-minute walk away.
We don’t really have to leave JVC; everything is here, and it’s quiet.
What kind of amenities do you have nearby?
We have a pool on the ground floor and a gym. I literally have a park across the road and we have other nice parks in JVC.
I usually run in the morning, and have my personal trainer every day, but I exercise in the gym when it is too hot to exercise outside.
On the roof, we have greenery and places to sit and have barbecues.
Is it a sociable neighbourhood?
Yes, big time. Sometimes I meet my neighbours in Circle Mall for coffee. There is a bar there and two more in the Five hotel.
My brother is in JVC, my cousin lives in the same area, as well as some of my colleagues and friends.
There are many parks and they have recently opened a dog park, so we all meet there and they (the dogs) can play.
There are a lot of families, sometimes they do kids' birthdays at the park. They also do a lot of community events for the children, on our roof.
Have you made it a home?
I would not really say I personalised it but it feels like home. It’s very cosy, but simple. I’m not into fancy things but I have all my own furniture.
I don’t usually cook as I am on meal plans, so I rarely use the kitchen. I do not have a cooker; I have a wine fridge instead.
There is artwork on the walls, some of which I bought from Lebanon. I have a picture in the bedroom that one of my colleagues drew and a puzzle that my friend worked on hanging on the wall, as well.
A friend of mine bought me a star, believe it or not, so that [certificate] is on the wall with the star's location.
I watch a lot of movies, so I need my living space and everything is in its place. I’m OCD [obsessive compulsive disorder] level 200.
What would you change if you owned your flat?
The kitchen, because it is open. I would rather do it American-style, with an island to split the kitchen from the living room.
Do you think living here offers value for money?
Of course. It now costs at least Dh50,000 to Dh55,000 for a typical one-bedroom apartment in JVC, which comes with less space.
Do you plan to stay?
I hope so as I hate moving. But if I was to move out of this apartment, I would want to stay in this building.
I did not know my neighbours in JLT because it was a tower, so I am much happier here where there are four floors with barely 10 apartments on each.
The roads have got better, the facilities are improving, everything is in place. We didn’t have traffic lights [eight years ago], didn’t have enough groceries, pharmacies, places to go out to. Now, we literally have everything.
Are there any downsides to the location?
Just the traffic. It is a nightmare to use Hessa Street these days – work is based in Tecom [Barsha Heights]. It used to be 10 minutes away, but now a lot of people are staying in JVC, Motor City and Sports City.
if you go
The flights
Air France offer flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Cayenne, connecting in Paris from Dh7,300.
The tour
Cox & Kings (coxandkings.com) has a 14-night Hidden Guianas tour of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It includes accommodation, domestic flights, transfers, a local tour manager and guided sightseeing. Contact for price.
Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club race card
5pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic (PA) Prestige; Dh110,000; 1,400m
5.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic (PA) Prestige; Dh110,000; 1,400m
6pm: Maiden (PA); Dh80,000; 1,600m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship (PA) Listed; Dh180,000; 1,600m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap; Dh70,000; 2,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (PA); Dh100,000; 2,400m
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
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SPECS
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The Bio
Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride
She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.
Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years
Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves
She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in
Pakistan v New Zealand Test series
Pakistan: Sarfraz (c), Hafeez, Imam, Azhar, Sohail, Shafiq, Azam, Saad, Yasir, Asif, Abbas, Hassan, Afridi, Ashraf, Hamza
New Zealand: Williamson (c), Blundell, Boult, De Grandhomme, Henry, Latham, Nicholls, Ajaz, Raval, Sodhi, Somerville, Southee, Taylor, Wagner
Umpires: Bruce Oxerford (AUS) and Ian Gould (ENG); TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS); Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
Tickets and schedule: Entry is free for all spectators. Gates open at 9am. Play commences at 10am
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Favourite film: The Notebook
Favourite book: What I know for sure by Oprah Winfrey
Favourite quote: “Social equality is the only basis of human happiness” Nelson Madela. Hometown: Emmen, The Netherlands
Favourite activities: Walking on the beach, eating at restaurants and spending time with friends
Job: Founder and Managing Director of Mawaheb from Beautiful Peopl
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
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
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Queen
Nicki Minaj
(Young Money/Cash Money)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
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).
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope
Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold
Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph
Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
