Emirates housing allowance
 

Hi all,

Can anybody confirm if Emirates are no longer offering the housing allowance as part of their package?

Thanks.

My understanding is that it's frozen until further notice for people employed wanting to take the allowance. There's no change for people who are already living outside of company accommodation and for new joiners I believe it is also still available but you must let them know before your date of joining.

This has been done to death, but there still seems to be a lot of confusion about it. If you are a new joiner, you can take the allowance regardless whether you rent or buy. If you are already here, you will only receive the allowance once you have purchased a property in the UAE. There is no option to rent and probably never will be again I imagine.

If you want it that badly just buy a cheap studio somewhere, live in it for a while then move out. The rental returns on it are good.

All correct.

Just to add, When you are evicted from company accommodation you are also given the opportunity to opt out - to rent or buy as you wish.

Is it possible to get a loan from the bank to buy a property and then pay the propeety with the allowance ?!!

Yes it can be done

If you don't mind me asking; Surely it would make sense to take the allowance and rent a place where you have control of where you stay and how long you stay as opposed to taking the supplied accommodation and risk being placed in a bad apartment in a less popular part of town for the period of your contract where you cannot move out unless you buy? From what I can see on sites like dubizzle.com etc... one can get a decent 2 bedroom apartment in a good part of town within the housing allowance that is provided of 14325 AED/month. Am I missing something?

Unfortunately in Dubai, if you rent you own place, you absolutely don't get to decide how long you'll stay and where as almost every (greedy) tennant will try to increase the price every year, regardless of the rera rules and if you don't agree, you move...Simple as that !! They'll try everything to get more money including sending you away after advising you with a written letter (sent just in time ) that they want to come back and live in the apartment you're in.
Dubai living is fine only if you'r brave enough to buy your own place.

Shirley Schumm mishtake there Jack? I'm sure the tenant would be be doing their damndest to reduce the rental cost base and not increase it 🤑

It very much depends on the individual since if you are happy where the company has put you, then many (including myself) can't justify to simply move for the sake of moving and moving is a pain in Dubai! If the company was to move you then there is still the option to take the allowance and move to somewhere you would prefer.

When I joined you could change your mind shortly after you arrived and opt out, if you found your company accommodation was not to your liking, thereby keeping your options open but I am not sure if this is still the case? Worth checking before you make up your mind. If you can't do this then opting out is the only way to give you some control over ending up in a place you like.

You must have had a bad experience. As much as I hate living here my landlord didn't increase my rent one bit. He is a super nice guy that gives ne zero trouble and tries to help me save as much as possible.

FACT PILOT

99% of expats in Dubai do not live in company accommodation !! If you want to control your own live, have your freedom, get a live outside EK or wanna make some extra cash its actually a no brainer to take the allowance. You are very well protected by rental laws. It has actually come to a point where the rules are as strict as for example Germany. Thats why I decided to get out of my Landlord role:uhoh:

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated!

It gets better. The leading estate company in Dubai is now offering Buy one, get one free!! :rolleyes:

Eaassy payment plans on your new villa which will be paid off by EK AA, and then get a second investment property totally free (the rent from which could cover your first loan).

Is it just a co-incidence it happens to be April 1st:D