Emirates Housing Allowance..... [Archive]

BritishGuy

12th Aug 2010, 02:24

I know Emirates provide housing to their Pilots. If single then an apartment and if married a villa.

I also know that if you opt out of the Emirates housing plan you can NEVER revert and go back into Emirates housing.

The one thing I'd like to know if exactly how much of a housing allowance do Emirates give you if you decided not to take their housing? How much for a singleton and how much for a married guy with kids?

Anyone have any idea?

Mango

12th Aug 2010, 02:47

Good question as I have been wondering the same thing after reading the Emirates accommodation entitlements:

"You will be entitled to either furnished or unfurnished company villa OR in both cases the utilities allowance of DHS 152,160 pa."

What it does not mention is the utilities allowance, in this case for the FO, for singles, married with kids, villa or apartment?

If I may also add to BritishGuy's query. Where are new pilots being located for the company allocated villas/apartments? As I understand it there is a lot more accommodation available in Dubai since the GFC.

Kittty125

12th Aug 2010, 05:01

Cannot say where you'll be accommodated because that's luck of the draw in most cases. However, I can tell you that the live-out allowance that you mention includes everything. Nothing more for utilities / housing fee etc. There is no difference for married / single, only FO / Capt.

Payscale

12th Aug 2010, 06:22

UA doesnt change if you are married or not. It goes with rank. FO about 150K and Capt about 170K.
Pilots with depending children get a villa. Pilots with no children get apartments. So if you are married but no kids, it off to an apartment. Mind you some of these apartments are very nice!

dustyprops

12th Aug 2010, 09:03

New guys with kids are going out to the desert into cedre villas or al waha etc....Without kids you get put wherever there is space, could be good, could be not so good.

Mango

18th Aug 2010, 12:45

New guys with kids are going out to the desert into cedre villas or al waha etc

As I understand it from looking at google earth. Al Waha is south of Arabian Ranches and Cedre villas is kind of NE of Silicon Oasis but looks like its part of Silicon Oasis?

Wonder if anybody could comment or PM me their views regarding the EK company accommodation in this area.

Thanks,

Mango

thatwasclose

18th Aug 2010, 16:54

The villas at al waha are actually nice. The location is not grand but more shops etc are developing near by. I think though that area is now full though. Not sure though

MarcelDXB

19th Aug 2010, 11:50

Mango,

Cedre Villa's are vey nice. They are band new and close to the airport and shopping centers. Luxury villas, beter then te Ranches!

EXEZY

19th Aug 2010, 13:33

How much is the housing allowance per month? As an aside, what would you lot say about the wisdom in moving from CX to EK?

dv8

19th Aug 2010, 13:55

The Housing Allowance for Captains is 14,240 AED and 12,680 AED FOR F/Os per month.

Can anyone confirm current location of apartments being allocated?

Mr Good Cat

20th Aug 2010, 05:58

Apartments can be literally anywhere south of the creek. Just depends on which ones are free at the time. It seems at the moment that the newer buildings are being filled, maybe to keep transport costs down as they can put 2 pilots with similar report times in transport together.

The newest buildings are the new Manazel next to Mall of the Emirates (not to be confused with the older but grander Manazel in Bur Dubai), and TECOM near The Greens (Marina end of city).

Manazel is only 2 bed apartments and is for single / unmarried FO's.

TECOM is mostly 3-bed, for married FO's and admin management etc.

Both very nice locations.

If you're extremely unlucky you may end up in 21st Century which are small apartments with the world's smallest kitchens, albeit with the worlds wildest cabin crew parties. (If that's your thang)...

All the villas are generally very nice now, albeit some locations are a bit remote. AL Waha villas are big but in an area that will be still be relatively undeveloped for a few years. The Cedre Villas in Silicon Oasis are excellently finished and the location is slightly better.

If you're very lucky you may get a older villa in a small development by the beach in a traditional leafy neighbourhood, of which there are a few. Just don't boast about it or there'll be a contract out on your head :ouch:

km5

20th Aug 2010, 14:10

Can anyone name the different apartment blocks they give to single FO's and cabin crew. Also a rating out of 10. With the location and a short description. Thanks.

dustyprops

20th Aug 2010, 20:43

km5, there are loads, and you will be allocated, some good some not so. Thats about it, otherwise contact your local estate agent.:E

Mr Good Cat

21st Aug 2010, 01:45

Can anyone name the different apartment blocks they give to single FO's and cabin crew. Also a rating out of 10. With the location and a short description. Thanks.

AS already said, there are too many to mention.

The one to avoid, I would say, is 21st Century Tower...

It's party-central for the cabin crew which may suit single F/O's as well as being located smack bang in the middle of the financial district with some nice restaurants etc, but the apartments are old and battered and very small when compared to other EK accommodations.

For single F/O's the Manazel Building (new one in AL Barsha, not the old one in Bur Dubai) is nice and located right next to Mall of the Emirates.

Also TECOM has a few 2-bed apartments for single FO's, excellent location and very big apartments.

The there are are a couple of older buildings on SZ Road with big apartments that are popular too.

Lastly, there are some duplex apartments in the style of villas in Al Safa called the Garden Apartments, mostly occupied by single Captains who've given up their villas I am led to believe...

jkl

30th Aug 2010, 09:22

Lots of info on here about company provided accomodation but do many new joiners opt out & take the housing allowance to find their own accomodation?

There must be lots of villas to rent for the value of the housing allowance & would it not give more choice as to location?

Aussie

30th Aug 2010, 09:43

Also, is it viable to take the housing allowance and buy ya own place and use the housing to pay off the loan?

BigGeordie

30th Aug 2010, 09:48

jkl- most people remain in company housing because it is the easiest option. Everything is taken care of and most of the property is okay or good. If moving out you have to worry about the municipality housing "fee" (5% of the annual rent), utility bills and the possibility of rent rises in the future. Once you are out of company housing you can't move back in.

Aussie- Yes. But mortgages in Dubai are a whole new minefield.

Aussie

30th Aug 2010, 09:54

New minefield... in what respect mate?

BigGeordie

30th Aug 2010, 12:00

A lot of the banks got a huge fright when the property bubble deflated so mortgages are now not easy to come by. Not all lenders will lend on all developments. Indeed there are some developments which nobody will lend on.

Deposits are large-typically 25 or 30% of the bank's valuation, which in itself is likely to be 10% or more below the market value of the property. The banks are covering themselves in case prices fall any more.

Interest rates are also much higher than you are used to in Europe. 7% to 9% is typical. Some (but not all) mortgages are Sharia compliant rather than the traditional repayment type you are used to back home. I'm willing to bet nobody on this website really truly understands how they work.

Repayment penalties tend to be larger than you may be used to, possibly up to 5% although 2 or 3% is more common. That is sometimes for the lifetime of the mortgage, not just the first couple of years. "Hidden" fees for arrangement, property registration and other things tend to pop up out of nowhere.

With all that doom and gloom out of the way, I took out a new mortgage about 12 months ago and am reasonably happy with the deal I got so it can be done but it is a lot of work. The utilities allowance covers my monthly repayments as well as my electricity and water bills, but I did have to put down a 35% deposit. If I stay at Emirates 20 years(!) the company will have effectively bought me an apartment. Has to be a better bet than the provident fund!

jkl

30th Aug 2010, 15:03

BigGeordie- Thanks for the info, I have read lots of info about EK on here but not many people seem to opt out of the provided accommodation. For me I can see the hastle/risk of moving away from provided accommodation i.e housing fees, utility bills, rent rises e.t.c but I am just trying to find out if it is a feasible option for a new joiner!

For us a villa would be preferable hence the reason to opt out. Do many people live in provided accommodation for a few years then either purchase or opt out & rent once they are used to life in Dubai?

Saltaire

30th Aug 2010, 15:49

There is a renewed interest in opting out as the allowance, because of the major housing correction, has become a very reasonable option. As a family, I would be consider it but still a little wary, but as a single person, there is no doubt it is probably worth having a serious look. Once you opt out, you are out for good, and you could be squeezed like some in 2007- 2008, but to be honest Dubai will likely have an over supply for years to come. The fees and costs with paying on your own are always a consideration and to be honest the less stress you have in this place, the better. There is tremendous comfort in having the company looking after everything, and again, the less stress you have in this place, the better ! Read that again... Many people rode the wave on the property ladder in the boom years, just to be stuck with a very long term investment, with little option but to grin and bare this place-like it or not...as i look in the mirror :ooh:

The hassle and expense dealing with the mortgage companies are staggering. The mortgage rates are grossly inflated in the middle of a property implosion. The reason is the lack deposits, risk spread, defaults and market liquidity; high rates are really the last thing this place needs, but it's a sad reality.

If you plan to spend more than 5-7 years, I would look buying or renting. A single person can rent or buy a great two bedroom, in a good location within the allowance. A hot topic among most of the single FO's now.

Having said this..... the less stress the better. Don't forget :ok:

Gulf News

30th Aug 2010, 17:56

Whilst taking the allowance and buying something is a good use of the opportunities presented and has worked for many of us purely because we were lucky enough to get in at the beginning before prices took off, it was a risk but has paid off so far. The big uncertainty is the EK utilities allowance. There is nothing to say that the company can not or will not reduce it to match market conditions. This will leave you significantly out of pocket if you have taken on a mortgage based on the premise that EK will pay off your bond if you stay long enough.

My advice to any new joiner would be to take the company housing for at least a year, Sit tight and do your research once you have settled in. Even a year might not be enough to suss out exactly how things work here.

Good Luck

Trader

30th Aug 2010, 18:33

One other consideration: at the moment you may be planning 10-20 years but circumstances change. It may well happen that after 3 years, 5 years, whatever you or your family may decide that it is time to leave. Owning a property means that may be difficult. Can you sell it? For how much? How quickly?

I've noticed that many guys here find themselves fed up after about 5-7 years. Some leave, some stay.

Others have mentioned the high interest rates, higher downpayment, etc. The other issue is maintenance fees. Most properties have monthly fees. Those fees are controlled by the developer and, since they are not making money selling at the moment those fees have been going up. It is not uncommon to see increases of 50% or more!

This business (and country) are essentially unregulated!! The big firms set policy, have the ear of the government (if not owned by the government) which leaves you and the rest of us at their mercy. This is not me being negative but telling the way it is. The corruption is a fact of life.

As an example, in one of the big developments here the owner will be taking over the maintenance and operation (basically the condo corp). But guess what---the developer designed the initial contract, signed by the buyers, which states that the developers maintenance company is the only company that can contracted.

Anyway, once here you will see what we are writing about.

In the end, based on the research I have done it would take a good 15 years (closer to 20) to make a purchase worth it. For that time frame most people are better off staying in housing!

Aussie

30th Aug 2010, 23:30

Thanks for the info and insight mate.

Macaroon

31st Aug 2010, 05:39

Having been thru the various cycles definately take the company accom when you join as it makes things easier .. as someone pointed out less stress the better!

I eventually opted out and used the allowance to pay the mortgage on a villa which I saw as EK paying my mortgage ... nice!

The comments about difficulties with banks and developers is so true. Whilst owning I have had to deal with estate agents, banks, developers, housing/land authorities etc. which have all been mildly annoying to totally infuriating. The worst being 3 trips to the land department in Deira to complete 1 transaction :ugh:

If you come here take the time to decide whether you want to stay and see how life is before committing to house purchases etc. If you do want to leave the less ties you have the better as that process is also long winded and bound in red tape:rolleyes:

Good luck.

Kamelchaser

31st Aug 2010, 08:45

Don't be at all surprised if EK assists as many as possible to take the allowance, and then at some stage in the near future, they'll reduce it significantly.

Ask yourself, why would EK continue to pay above market rates when rents have dropped 40-50% percent? Once you're out, you're out..unable to move back to company accomodation unless there are exceptional circumstances.

I could see EK dropping the allowance by 20-30% in the coming months.

..but then I'm the eternal optimist.

The allowance works for some, but only in certain circumstances. I would certainly not commit myself to a mortgage or tenancy agreement that requires the current full amount to meet my commitments.

SANDBLASTER

31st Aug 2010, 11:56

Anyone interested in using the allowance to rent a 2 bed apartment on Palm Jumeirah please PM me

halas

31st Aug 2010, 15:55

Can you still rent on the allowance?

I thought the last requirement was buy only?

halas

SANDBLASTER

1st Sep 2010, 15:37

I think you maybe able to rent with the allowance again now as EK accomomdation is getting filled up so they're quite keen for people to move out.

wingflex

10th Apr 2011, 06:23

hi guys,

I am a single F/O joining EK in August. During the accommodation visit, the HR staff showed us the 21st century building, which appeared to be a bit cramped. From the previous posts, it seems like they are the not-so-nice F/O apartments.
Would some kind soul have more info on the other sites where the F/Os stay. Are all the apartments with windows that can't be opened? I guess windows which open are not much help during the summer, but come november, some "fresh" air might not be a bad idea. Any of them have a sit-outs outs at all.
Are daily needs within walking distance from most of these apartments? Thanks all for any info at all.

WF

BigGeordie

11th Apr 2011, 07:56

Wingflex, 21st Century probably isn't the greatest tower block. A lot of the F/O accommodation is in Al Barsha which is a bit away from the city centre but very handy for Mall of the Emirates. Also good for the restaurants/beaches at the Marina.

Most of the apartments for F/Os, wherever they may be, have windows that open and balconies. However, you get what you are given and if you happen to end up with welded shut windows, though!

My suggestion, take the allowance and rent a nice big one bed apartment for about 55,000 a year. Or a two bed for about 75,000. You can keep the change.

Gulfstreamaviator

11th Apr 2011, 10:11

Seriously, the rental prices are SOOOOO low, and the travel time is 1hr.

look up du Bizzle and see for your self.

glf

BigGeordie

11th Apr 2011, 13:12

I thought the only people living in RAK were the ones who had bought off plan and have discovered to their horror that they property is now unsaleable?:E

wingflex

18th Apr 2011, 13:59

Thanks guy for the info. I am hoping to get an apartment with some open windows and a balcony. Taking up my own apartment seems like a good option, but i will first need to live there for a bit to decide. Cheers !
WF

SandShovel

18th Apr 2011, 18:09

Hi guys, need some info on housing for married with kids f/os. As i understood it is either in Al Waha villas or in Ceder Villas. Any info on how many bedrooms, any garden? Any good schools in the vicinity of those?:rolleyes:

45N30W

19th Apr 2011, 18:55

Hi guys,

Same here need some info on housing for married with kids f/os, and specially if you can PM me some photos ...

Thanks,

BigGeordie

20th Apr 2011, 08:40

Well, you might end up in Al Waha, or Silicon Oasis (Cedar Villas) as that is where most of the new accommodation is. On the other hand you might end up in Satwa, Jumeira or anywhere else in Dubai. You will be put where the company has space and won't have a choice so I wouldn't start stressing about schools until you know where you will be living.

If you want to see some typical villas try Dubai Silicon Oasis Community (http://www.siliconoasis.org)

Wizofoz

20th Apr 2011, 11:33

Also, several vacant villas in Semmer at DSO at the moment.

altocu

5th Nov 2011, 04:28

Starting in a few weeks time, and wondering if anyone can provide more names of the buildings that married F/O's are put in.

It seems like Century is one worth avoiding if at all possible.

Cheers

donpizmeov

5th Nov 2011, 08:49

I am not sure that next century will be much different. The local paper shows the year as 1432, I would wait until the 1960s if I had a chance as they seemed like a scream.

The Don

Jordan_01

31st Aug 2013, 19:53

Gulfstreamaviator

1st Sep 2013, 03:50

Big Gordie: sorry for the delay in replying.

You might be right about RAK, there are a LOAD of rental villas, apartments and studios, at VERY low rentals.

There is a good side to everything.

Been too busy paying my mortgage to read PPrune...

glf

Mr Good Cat

1st Sep 2013, 07:33

If you work for emirates do you still get housing allowance?for example if I lived in Manchester or London,United Kingdom.

Also can the housing allowance be used to pay off a mortgage for a house you have bought?

Emirates is based in Dubai.

You cannot live overseas and work for Emirates. Commuting is not an option and is not practical. It is also very risky since Emirates standby travel is very difficult to guarantee due to constantly high load factors (you get bumped for cargo weight too don't forget).

You can use the allowance to pay for a mortgage if you like but realistically you would need to rent in Dubai whilst paying towards your mortgage back home. The rents here will almost certainly take up most of your allowance.

You can choose to buy here but with that comes many risks and you should investigate everything thoroughly and with mature attitude before committing yourself to such a bond. You can't just walk away from debt in this country if you lose your job, lose your medical, resign or whatever.

Al Murdoch

5th Sep 2013, 10:41

Not sure that's entirely true - my allowance pays my rent here and mortgage back home with spare change (admittedly the spare change is literally that).

Emma Royds

28th Sep 2017, 19:14

Just as a heads up, the allowance is not officially available for those not making use of it already. If I can recall correctly, the 'freeze' started in December last year and was renewed this summer. I don't expect it to change soon but I am sure some colleagues may beg to differ, as I am merely giving an informed guess!

In order to avoid any surprises, I would be planning on the allowance not being available, should you wish to join.