My Dubai Rent takes you inside a reader's home to have a look at what they pay each month, see who they live with and ask what they like and don't like
When Poonam Nnabuogor moved to Dubai with her husband and two children four years ago, space and convenience was at the top of their list when looking for a new home.
Having moved from a five-bedroom detached house in the UK with a private drive, it was a tough task finding something appropriate.
They eventually settled on a large, three-bed property in Jumeirah Park, complete with its own double garage.
Originally paying Dh190,000 ($51,728) a year in rent for the property, Poonam, a procurement specialist at Dubai Airports, managed to negotiate lower rent before and during the pandemic, knocking the family’s yearly bill down by more than Dh20,000.
Here, she invites The National into her home to take a look around.
Where do you live?
We’re in Jumeirah Park, and we have lived in the same property since we moved here in 2018.
Tell us about the property
It’s a large, three-bedroom villa and it’s really spacious. We have a huge open-plan lounge area downstairs, which opens up into a dining area, and the kitchen is a great size, too. We have a separate storage room or larder on the side of the kitchen, as well as a big utility space and maid’s room.
Upstairs is a separate open lounge area on the landing, which doubles up as my office, and all the bedrooms have an en suite. The extra space is a godsend when you have two growing boys who like to fight over the bathroom.
Outside, we have a large garden which is big enough for the boys to play football or basketball and we have a double garage, too. It doesn’t really compare in size to our family home in the UK but it’s great for what we need here.
How much do you pay for the property?
When we moved here in 2018, we paid Dh190,000 a year for the villa and the following year I negotiated the price down by about Dh10,000. Then Covid-19 hit in 2020 and I managed to further bring down the price. I’m a procurement professional, I negotiate for a living, so I used my skills and managed to get a really good deal.
Right now, I am paying Dh167,500 a year but I know the landlord wants to put the rent up.
Why did you choose this area?
Convenience for the boys, to be honest. It all came down to the location of their school. I have two boys, aged 10 and 13, and when we moved here in 2018, Dubai British School in Jumeirah Park was the only school that had space for both the boys.
When we toured the school, we liked the community and the feel of the area.
I work far from home, over at the airport, and I didn’t want to stress about them commuting to and from school on a bus. I wanted the comfort of knowing they could get to and from their campus easily. It’s about a three or four-minute walk from the front door, which is great.
I think the one downside about the area is that it doesn’t have any communal pools or gyms. One did pop up recently in one of the other districts but it’s a paid-for service.
What I do like about Jumeirah Park is the pavilion, which has a big supermarket and a few restaurants and shops. It’s got everything you need in one place.
Is it a sociable neighbourhood?
I have tried to integrate more with neighbours, I really have, but people tend to keep themselves to themselves. I’d like it to be more sociable but it’s not the end of the world.
The boys have a good set of friends that live nearby, so it’s good for them at least. And although it’s not a gated community, I feel safe to let them go out and play with friends.
Have you made any changes to the property?
I chose not to do any cosmetic changes to the villa because it’s not my house, I only rent it.
I’ve added cosy furniture to make it more homely but I haven’t painted any walls or upgraded any of the fixtures or fittings. I had some customised curtains made, which I love, but that’s been it really.
I’m quite a minimalist, I don’t like clutter, so the house is tidy and serene. I also bought a La-Z-Boy chair for the corner of the dining area and I’d say that’s my favourite place in the house. It’s where I go for some peace and quiet.
My husband is living back in the UK now, and although it’s just the three of us and the nanny at home, the house can be quite loud at times with two growing, boisterous boys.
Do you plan to stay in the property?
I’m on an unlimited contract so plan to stay in the UAE for as long as I can. It’s a nice life here and it’s important for me that the boys finish school here.
It’s a better education system for them. In terms of staying in the villa, time will tell.
If I can keep the rent at a reasonable rate then yes, I will stay. I was looking to buy somewhere but rents have skyrocketed this year, so I might just invest my money in the UK.
Dubai rents Q1 2022: in pictures
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UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
More on Quran memorisation:
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Things Heard & Seen
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton
2/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,000mm, Winners: Mumayaza, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winners: Sharkh, Pat Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep - Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Gold Cup - Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nibras Passion, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ismail Mohammed
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
Get inspired
Here are a couple of Valentine’s Day food products that may or may not go the distance (but have got the internet talking anyway).
Sourdough sentiments: Marks & Spencer in the United Kingdom has introduced a slow-baked sourdough loaf dusted with flour to spell out I (heart) you, at £2 (Dh9.5). While it’s not available in the UAE, there’s nothing to stop you taking the idea and creating your own message of love, stencilled on breakfast-inbed toast.
Crisps playing cupid: Crisp company Tyrells has added a spicy addition to its range for Valentine’s Day. The brand describes the new honey and chilli flavour on Twitter as: “A tenderly bracing duo of the tantalising tingle of chilli with sweet and sticky honey. A helping hand to get your heart racing.” Again, not on sale here, but if you’re tempted you could certainly fashion your own flavour mix (spicy Cheetos and caramel popcorn, anyone?).
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Last 10 winners of African Footballer of the Year
2006: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2007: Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla and Mali)
2008: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal and Togo)
2009: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2010: Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan and Cameroon)
2011: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2012: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2013: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2014: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2015: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund and Gabon)
2016: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City and Algeria)
More on Quran memorisation:
Isle of Dogs
Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Liev Schreiber, Ed Norton, Greta Gerwig, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson
Three stars
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
