A Tenant's Guide to Setting Up Utilities

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A Tenant's Guide to Setting Up Utilities

02/12/2024

One of your responsibilities as a tenant could be to pay your utility bills. It seems to be rather fair as you are the person who is using utility services. Typically, these utility services include:

Electricity
Water
Gas
Air-conditioning
Cable and the Internet

According to common practice in Dubai, such bills will be issued in your name. Therefore, it is essential to know how to set it up.

Usually, the first step here is to select the utility suppliers. However, in Dubai, you have little choice or no choice at all. To clarify, to access the Internet, your options are either Etisalat or Du (Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company, PJSC). And, there is the only supplier of water and electricity – Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA).

Your next step is to prepare all required documents and details. At last, you need to contact the supplier and create your account and activate the services.

What documents/personal details do I need to provide?

According to established DEWA's one step activation scheme (Move-in scheme), they create your account only (and straight) after the EJARI registration. The matter is DEWA has close interaction with Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA). It results in automatic transfer your contract details from EJARI system to DEWA. So, these details are sufficient to create your DEWA account and include the following:

Data of your Emirates ID
Your residence visa details
DEWA 9 digit premises number

If you want to get gas, air-conditioning and/or telecommunication services, you need to submit following documents and personal details to its provider:

Emirates ID copy (both card's front and back),
Your tenancy agreement or utility bill copy.

The last document will not only prove your residency, but also provide the important information of your residing address.

When to Set Up Utilities

One of frequently asked questions is what the best time for setting up utilities is. Answering this question we always recommend accomplishing all these arrangements before your move-in date comes. You don't want to live without water to wash your hands or take a shower, do you? Or, maybe you want to spend your first days in new home forgoing all civilization benefits electricity is able to provide? What about sitting in complete darkness at evenings, with your uncharged devices, and having no means to store your food or cool your drinks? Is this life style not for you? Then, prepare your home for your comfortable staying by setting up utilities long before your move in.

We recommend you to start setting up utilities as soon as you get your EJARI. Of course, a few preparation steps you can perform as soon as you sign your tenancy agreement. For example, you can conduct due diligence of your needs, available utility suppliers, and packages they offer. However, as we mentioned earlier, further steps you can undertake only after registering your tenancy agreement with EJARI.

Is it wise to set it up a few weeks before you move-in date? Definitely! Such a long period will give you a lot of time to complete the task haste free. Moreover, if you delay it to the last day, you can forget to activate these services in a move-in rush. Don't be afraid, the utility providers will charge you strictly from the date you specify as your move-in day. However, if you prefer to complete the task at the eve of your move-in date, do not forget the connection may take up to 24 hours after submitting all documents and paying all deposits.

How to Set Up Utilities

To set up DEWA utilities, you need to follow next five steps.

Register your tenancy agreement with EJARI. As soon as EJARI attests your tenancy agreement, DEWA will create your account and email you with its details.
Check for outstanding bills. Ask your agent to perform the task. If there are any outstanding bills, it is your landlord's liability to pay them.
Pay DEWA refundable security deposit. The exact amount of deposit varies depending on the premise type: AED 2,000.00 for a flat AED 4,000.00 for a villa To pay the security deposit, you can follow the link in DEWA's email or use any of DEWA payment channel. Do not forget to keep your deposit payment receipt safe. If you lose it, you may not be able to get the deposit back.
Pay DEWA connection charges.
Get the connection at specified start day.

To get the cable and Internet connection, you need to contact chosen and available provider (Etisalat or Du) and submit your request. Usually, they include activation charges and security deposit in your first bill. However, you need to choose your payment method. In case of auto-payment with your credit card, you may not have to pay any deposits at all.

How much does it cost to set it all up?

Nothing is done for free. Therefore, you should be prepared for some expenses associated with setting up utilities.

Typically, for DEWA activating utilities you'll have to pay AED 135.50. This activation cost includes following charges and fees:

Electricity and water connection (labor)– AED 100.00,
Registration – AED 10.00,
VAT for connection charge – AED 5.00,
VAT for registration charge – AED 0.50,
Knowledge fee – AED 10.00,
Innovation fee – AED 10.00. It is worth to mention knowledge and innovation fees are the fees charged for every government transaction over AED 50.00. They go, accordingly, to the country's culture and education development and innovation projects.

The sum of AED 130.00 is not extremely huge. Nevertheless, you can cut it in half, if you are a holder of a Thukher or Sanad card.

Connection fee for the cable and Internet may vary. For example, Du charges AED 200.00 as and activation fee. Do not forget about VAT of 5% to pay. So, your activation expenses here may reach AED 210.00.

To summarize, the information we provided in this post is very important for tenant's trouble free move-in. And trouble free move-in appeals to their greater appreciation of the home there are going to live in. That is to say, it helps to establish good tenancy relationships between a landlord and his tenants.

BSO takes all responsibilities for establishing such relationships as long as we are entitled by the property management contract. So, if you are a landlord, contact us for more details about our services.