Worth mentioning with the
Emirates Utility Allowance the company has
ignored previous
increases in real terms of water, electricity, Real Rent Prices and for several years the Municipality Tax.
Do not see this policy changing.
Try renting a similar Villa to that which the Accommodation department will place you in as well as pay the Municipality Tax (5% of your rent) plus Water and Electricity. No way does the Company Allowance cover this.
Then compare this to what is now being offerd at Silicon Oasis for a reality check and also compare this with how quickly Dubai continues to expand and grow.
The Tax made front page news in the Gulf News Paper yesterday April 12th for those who want to do a Google. In short you pay 5% of what you rent to the Government who have you now over a barrel as its tied in with your Electricity and water Bill. The
calculation of the rates is controversial; however, in Dubai shifting the goal posts is not just confined to EK.
Don't get sucked in and think that you can pocket the Utilities Allowance as you are able to locate "Cheap Housing" At the recruitment stage I was shown a "dream villa" but the reality bore no resemblence was run down,noisy so I opted for the Utilities Allowance. No regrets other than the company not keeping up its end of the agreement ( EK will not make real term adjustments to the cost of living to the U.A.)
Heres an article from todays Gulf News paper
Housing fee 'is a big burden'
By Mariam M. Al Serkal Staff Reporter
Dubai: Dubai residents offered mixed reactions to the move by Dubai Municipality seeking to enforce a five per cent housing fee for all residents and commercial establishments.
They felt that it would either not make a difference to the city, or that landlords should bear the cost, or that it was a wise decision that came at a necessary time.
The move, which seeks to implement the housing fee through all real estate agencies providing data about their tenants, will affect more than 250,000 tenants.
"The monthly electricity bill is already too high, more than Dh700. Now I'll only have more bills to pay off," said Ramesh B., an Indian accountant who has lived here for 10 years.
"I live with my family, and I don't think it's fair that they have to pay extra," said Jonalyn Yabut, a saleswoman from the Philippines, who thinks that the cost of living will always rise in one aspect or another.
John Smith, who has been living in Mirdif for the past few years, hopes that the government will use the funds wisely, and hopefully remove all the rubbish that is found around certain villa compounds. "I'm paying premium rent, and even though I get a housing allowance, it doesn't cover it, and I have to pay out of my pocket. If the municipality is going to charge me extra, I hope that they could get rid of the rubbish that is usually found on the floor after neighbours throw it out of their windows," said the Briton.
"I don't think that there should be any fee charged, everything is already expensive as it is," said Richard Harting, a tourist from the US.
"It's a very good move," said Dr Victor, who is from the Philippines and has been living in the UAE for five years.
"The roads need to be improved, and much of the city's infrastructure needs to be developed, and so this is the way for that to happen. But I am lucky that I don't have any children, because otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford the rising costs," he said.
"The housing fee should be recovered from the landlords," declared Remy D'Souza, a deputy manager from India who has lived here for 10 years.
"I agree that the tenants should not have to pay, but the landlords should," said Siraam Subbaraman, an accountant from India, who found the housing fee an unnecessary burden. "My wife and I don't own our home, it's rented. So I feel that the municipality should make the landlords pay the fee since they own the property," he said.
"I appreciate the jobs Dubai has given us, but they don't have a plan for low-cost housing," said Lindy B., a Filipina secretary, explaining that costs in every aspect of life have gone up, and that this new action only increases her burden.
"It's very unreasonable because it will give people more reason to change the location of where they live. Rent is always going up, and if the utility bill also goes up, we are all going to feel its effect in our daily lives. We cannot spend as much as we used to," said Syrian supervisor Dia'a Youness, who has been living in the city for a year and has noticed the high cost of living.
"There were no taxes in this country before, and now with this fee it will put a burden to us," said Indian retail manager Asif Siddiqi, from India.
"It will affect me a lot because my salary is only Dh1,500 and I don't think I will be able to afford it," said Filipina Christine Alterado.