Emirates Housing Allowance.....
 

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?

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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

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!

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?

EXEZY
 

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?

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:

Single F/O and cabin crew
 

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.

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

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...

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?

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

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.

New minefield... in what respect mate?

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!

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?