For one you can move out of company accom anytime you want. All you need to give them is a point where the driver picks you up, you don't even need to live in Dubai, the company does not care where you live.
If you elect to stay in company accom you can change the locks and nobody will ever enter your appartement without you being present except in emergency (Fire, smoke etc.). Locks are 25dhs at Dragon Mart, changing them takes 5 minutes.
If you pay cash, nobody can trace where or how much alcohol you buy or consume (There are stores who sell alcoholic beverages without a liquor license).
Observing FDT limitations and tighter rosters is the same at any airline, it's not exclusive to EK.
Sure, CID keeps a close tab on everyone, but that comes with the trerritory; you are in the middle east after all, and any terrorist attack would finish Dubais reputation as a safe haven. I'd think that surveillance is even tighter in the UK, there are CCTV's everywhere.
Just be realistic about it and you'll be fine.