New Company Accommodation Evictions

[SubsonicMortal]

A pitfall with the 6 month "advance" is that's only an advance the first time. Let's say you start renting Jan 1, and you have to pay your rent in two cheques, Jan 1 and July 1. You apply for the advance and get it paid out in Dec expecting to get the next 6 month's lumpsum in June, in time for the July payment. You don't... it is now paid out with the July salary on July 26 so you will have to find a way to clear the cheque on July 1.

To circumvent the issue above, I've had some very kind landlords over the last 5 years. Both agreed, after the contract was signed (and I subsequently realized the problem), to accept rent payments when EK paid out the allowance at the six month interval. Both landlords were of nationalities that are sadly so often indiscriminately stereotyped in the Middle East by some. Therefore, discuss the issue with your prospective landlord and you would most likely find the "issue" above to be a non-issue.

[springbok449]

I do exactly as above, my cheques are dated 2 days after the allowance is paid, if the landlord is decent he will accept/understand... If not it's probably best to find another landlord as in my view if he doesn't accept that, you have no hope with any important matters...

[ruserious]

Feel better now Ozone?

[JAARule]

Trees take time to grow Many of us have planted trees. Shade is quite easy to organise - shouldn't be beyond the wit of most pilots. Then again, maybe it is

Privacy? Again, see above about doing something for yourself

You are right about the weird garage roof... But again, shouldn't take long to organise a cover (like the tenants of the 3 bed villas at Arenco/DIC who managed to do it without crying a river)


Personally I do not know of anyone who, since moving here, doesn't actually like the place............... etc etc

Somewhat disingenuous, W Knight, however you are known for gilding your lilies for the purposes of furthering an argument. They who control the evictions are swimming in money, there is no reason whatsoever that the expat should have to plant his own frigging trees or rig up a sun shade over the garage or whatever it is you're proposing. You seem to forget that people come to the middle east from the civilised world in order to be paid a premium, both in salary and conditions, for leaving their homelands. The company is trying to undo this arrangement and those ignoramuses with mindsets like yours ("Many of us have planted trees") are helping them to succeed in making this just another job. Big picture, Old Boy.


They build a bunch of concrete boxes to house their pilots, formerly considered and known as "management", YES MANAGEMENT, but too tight and givva****less to plant some lawn and a few trees and need to have the employees stump up the cash....- f-ing shameful if you ask me. And some people lap it up. It boggles the mind.

[fatbus]

Mate chill. DIC 3 beds roof same as MS all with no doors. DSO covered no doors, Leyan(sp) same as DIC.
No need to go on. You dont like ? you know options. BTW some people like MS and some like MH.

[Fuzuma]

Gents/Ladies,

Please excuse me if this has already been covered, or is an ignorant question. Why would one choose to remain in company accommodation for years, worrying about being moved around as the company feels fit, putting in your own "improvements" at your expense, only to have to remove these improvements when moving. Why would one not take the allowance offered and put it towards your own property in DXB, that way at least you're not living in fear of being uprooted, are using your own cash to improve your own home, and have something to show in an investment for the years spent in DXB?

[120feet]

Because you need $200K US (minimum) for a down payment and fees to buy a villa. Most people either do not have that kind of cash or are unwilling to invest it in the Dubai market.

[Mr Good Cat]

Originally Posted by Fuzuma

Gents/Ladies,

Please excuse me if this has already been covered, or is an ignorant question. Why would one choose to remain in company accommodation for years, worrying about being moved around as the company feels fit, putting in your own "improvements" at your expense, only to have to remove these improvements when moving. Why would one not take the allowance offered and put it towards your own property in DXB, that way at least you're not living in fear of being uprooted, are using your own cash to improve your own home, and have something to show in an investment for the years spent in DXB?

At the risk of upsetting most people:

Why not invest in a property of your own? Because you have to put a deposit of your own money into a property in a 3rd world country in the most unstable region on earth. The quality is terrible and the materials worth nothing. The price of the property is pure speculation not true value.... Sure, you could double your money as happened in the early part of the century - but you could also lose everything - the bubble has burst and the huge risks outweigh the benefits these days... Most guys don't have spare cash for high-risk ventures unfortunately...

If renting, a family villa will set you back more than your allowance and you also have bills on top plus the threat of eviction still exists.

It's a double-edged sword I'm afraid. You stick with company accommodation and get shafted, or you risk your own hard-earned savings in a false economy.

Personally I would stick with the company accommodation and send as much cash home as possible. Good luck whatever you choose.

[donpizmeov]

Like good cat says. It's horses for courses. We got sick of EK accommodation department so purchased to get away from them. We are approaching the point where the mortgage is paid and the allowance has paid back the deposit.
I haven't met anyone who bought to live in a house that has been burnt. Doesn't mean it hasn't happened though.
We have friends that would be unable to sleep at night here if they bought. So best deal for them is to stay in company accommodation. Apart from the odd move, the price is certainly right.
Pros and cons to both options.

[EK-or-bust]

Opted out in 2003, rented since then - never looked back.
Won'tpizyouov is probably right - have not heard of anyone get burned buying to live in it. EK pays for the mortgage over time. Even if you sell for half the price or less, still money in your pocket. Not the case for the sad sausages in Meydan Heights or South.
Why on earth would I let my employer dictate where I live??

[CamelRustler]

Not the Same

EK-or-Bust


In 2003 you could buy a villa for the what would now not even be the required cash down payment. 2003 and 2016 is apples and oranges. Glad you got in when the getting was good though.

[ballyboley]

Originally Posted by EK-or-bust

Opted out in 2003, rented since then - never looked back.
Won'tpizyouov is probably right - have not heard of anyone get burned buying to live in it. EK pays for the mortgage over time. Even if you sell for half the price or less, still money in your pocket. Not the case for the sad sausages in Meydan Heights or South.
Why on earth would I let my employer dictate where I live??

Not being a smart ass here, but how would selling at half price or less still leave money in your pocket? What happens to paying off the mortgage when you sell? Or the deposit? As someone who is genuinely looking at this, it's a very different game to 2003 and I'm still not sure we've found the bottom yet.

[donpizmeov]

Ek or bust says he is renting right? I would think he has seen a few cycles of the rent price in that time.

I have been told the market will bottom in a few years since expats were first allowed to buy. What's that saying about time in the market vs timing the market?

If you buy a place to live in. And stay a year, you might be out of pocket. Stay longer and things seem to work out.

[Kobus Dune]

If you have some money spared, invest in a normal and secure place abroad - not here where rules-changing is the national sport....
And just try to dig as a matter of curiosity, what will be left of it to your family - especially your wife - if by chance you happen to simply ... die.
But you may not care, after all.
Personally I find embarrassing that so many people seem to enjoy MS - then you look at them differently after they made such a statement (where on earth did they grow up ? what is their actual social extraction, after all ? do we know them really ? maybe in their home countries such a collection of boxes would be considered as a plush district .... )

[Buford]

Kobus Dune, we felt the same as we drove past MH today. It's looks like a minimum security prison. We felt sorry for the inmates driving out on their day pass.

[nakbin330]

Originally Posted by Kobus Dune

If you have some money spared, invest in a normal and secure place abroad - not here where rules-changing is the national sport....
And just try to dig as a matter of curiosity, what will be left of it to your family - especially your wife - if by chance you happen to simply ... die.
But you may not care, after all.
Personally I find embarrassing that so many people seem to enjoy MS - then you look at them differently after they made such a statement (where on earth did they grow up ? what is their actual social extraction, after all ? do we know them really ? maybe in their home countries such a collection of boxes would be considered as a plush district .... )

There's the rub though ... apart from the deposit, the company gives you >$3000 per month towards the mortgage, and if like anywhere else in the world, one dies, then insurance takes care of it. Assuming one has it.

Everybody who lives in, IS paying rent but the company chooses the location and sorts the bills. Those who opt out have the choice to live where they want and possibly recoup some of the cost when they eventually head home.

[sluggums]

... and be at the mercy of all those morally and ethically minded landlords, who always follow the rules...

[nakbin330]

Originally Posted by sluggums

... and be at the mercy of all those morally and ethically minded landlords, who always follow the rules...

As it is at the moment with one's current landlords then.

[sluggums]

Fair point. However in the company accommodation, there isn't the financial angle to consider, although I do agree that the current eviction policy stinks.

[OzoneAddict]

We are using the Ek staff for our project called Meydan.
District 11 will be your new home. Please be encouraged to make it as good as DSO and support the Meydan Project - Thank you for you support and see the link for your contribution to this worthy Dubai project.

District 11

http://www.thenational.ae/business/p...pilots-village