Renting your first place

Signing for your first flat, whether in Dubai, London or anywhere else, is exciting and also a legal commitment. Know what to check before you sign, how your deposit is protected, and how to leave on good terms.

Before you sign: questions to ask

• Who is the landlord, and is the agent licensed? In Dubai, check that a broker is registered; the UAE portal notes that some brokers charge a commission of up to 5% of the annual rent.
• What exactly do you pay upfront: rent, deposit, agency fees, registration fees? Get it in writing.
• How is rent paid (in the UAE, often by post-dated cheques covering the lease), and what happens if a payment is late?
• What is included: furniture, appliances, air conditioning maintenance, utilities, internet?
• Read every page of the contract, including notice periods and rules on guests, pets, subletting and repairs. Never sign anything you do not understand: ask a parent or an advice service.

Renting in the UAE

• Registering a tenancy contract is compulsory and is needed to connect water, electricity, gas and telecoms.
• Each emirate has its own system: Ejari (Dubai Land Department) in Dubai, Tawtheeq in Abu Dhabi, and the municipality in Sharjah and the other emirates.
• In Dubai, Ejari registration can be done through the Dubai Land Department website, the Dubai REST app or a Real Estate Trustee Centre, and a fee is charged. Keep your Ejari certificate safe.
• To sign a lease you will typically need a passport copy, a valid residence visa, an Emirates ID and post-dated cheques. If you are under 18, ask the landlord or agent whether a parent or guardian must sign.
• Tenants in Dubai pay a housing fee of 5% of the annual rent to Dubai Municipality, added to DEWA bills. In Abu Dhabi, a similar 5% municipality fee is added to utility bills over 12 months.
• Disputes go to the Rental Dispute Centre in Dubai, the Rent Dispute Settlement Committee in Abu Dhabi, and the relevant municipal department elsewhere.

Renting in England (as many students do)

• Since 1 May 2026, most private tenancies in England are assured periodic tenancies: they roll on weekly or monthly with no fixed end date. University students renting from a private landlord usually have one; halls of residence have different rules.
• Before the tenancy starts, a landlord can usually ask for no more than one month's rent in advance (or 28 days' rent for weekly tenancies).
• A holding deposit is capped at one week's rent. The security deposit is capped at 5 weeks' rent if annual rent is under £50,000.
• The landlord must protect your deposit in a government-approved scheme (Deposit Protection Service, MyDeposits or Tenancy Deposit Scheme) within 30 days, and return it within 10 days of you agreeing the amount.
• Landlords must have gas appliances checked every year by a Gas Safe registered engineer and fit a smoke alarm on every floor.
• Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rules, so check the official guidance for where you are going.

Move-in day: the inventory

• Go through the inventory (a list of the contents and their condition) room by room before you sign it. Add anything missing, broken or stained.
• Take dated photos and videos of every room, including marks on walls, floors, mattresses and appliances.
• Photograph the meter readings for electricity, water and gas on the day you move in.
• Test the smoke alarms, the taps, the shower, the air conditioning and every appliance, and report problems in writing straight away.
• Keep a folder with your contract, inventory, deposit details, registration certificate and receipts.

Moving out and getting your deposit back

• Give notice in writing as your contract requires, and keep proof of when you sent it.
• Keep paying rent until the end of the tenancy. Do not hold back the last month's rent expecting the deposit to cover it.
• Clean thoroughly, remove all your belongings, take final photos and meter readings, and return every key.
• Try to attend the final inspection. If you disagree with deductions, use the deposit scheme's dispute service (England) or the official rental dispute body (UAE).