My Dubai Rent takes you inside a reader’s home to have a look at what they get for their money, how much they pay in rent and asks them what they like and don’t like
After almost eight years living in Dubai, marketing manager Sheeraz Shaikh, who studied for his Master’s at Wollongong University in Knowledge Village, says it’s time for him to buy a property.
For the moment, he’s living with his wife and two daughters, aged three and one month, in Ajmal Sarah Tower in Dubai Land Residence Complex.
He loves the building and aims to buy there eventually, as they’re fast outgrowing the one-bedroom apartment they’ve been renting for the past four years.
The National takes a look around.
What’s your place like?
It’s really good. Someone recommended it to me, as it can be very difficult to get an apartment in this building.
The property management company is good. If you request anything, a person will visit within an hour. If anything needs fixing they will fix it for free, unless there’s equipment to buy.
I also love the closed kitchen and we have three balconies, which are a really good size. We use one for laundry, another for plants and the third for sitting and barbecuing.
The room sizes are good – the whole apartment is 1,100 square feet, which is unusual for a one-bedroom. Usually they are 600 sq ft to 800 sq ft.
What do you pay in rent?
The rent is very good. I’m paying Dh40,000. If you go for a new rental, it will cost you Dh50,000 in this area. So I’m paying less because I’ve been here a long time.
Why did you choose this area?
There’s not much traffic – not like JVC or other areas. The best part of this community is that you can connect with three highways easily. There’s Al Ain Road, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road.
What facilities do you have access to?
There’s a kids’ play area, which we use a lot. Then there’s a swimming pool and a gym, and a steam room is also there.
There is a restaurant downstairs and a bakery, where you can get Dh1.5 fresh bread, which is amazing. There’s a car mechanic, so I get my oil changed there, and a barber's shop.
There’s a children's park close to our building. Right after our building, there are two parks, and a third has recently been made. They’re all pet-friendly and great for kids.
How have you made the apartment feel like home?
My parents visit a lot – two or three times a year, although they stay in a hotel.
We’ve decorated our balcony well, and sometimes we have barbecues or just a cup of tea or coffee outside, so we can enjoy the view.
How have you decorated?
It’s very minimalistic. Not too much wallpaper or many pictures. Nothing fancy – it’s all simple, clean and neat. We try to keep things as minimal as we can.
What would you change about your place?
I wouldn’t change anything in the building, but the apartment layout is very irregular. My lounge is tilted, my bedroom is rectangular rather than square. It feels like there could be more space if this was fixed.
Where else have you lived in Dubai?
I was renting a studio in Business Bay before, when I was single. I was there for almost a year.
I lived in Discovery Gardens from 2016 to 2020. I would live there again.
I was renting a studio with a friend, because my university was nearby in Knowledge Village, so it was easy for me to get there, and my office was in Jebel Ali. Parking was also not an issue. I really liked that community.
Are you considering buying a place?
I would love to buy and I would love to buy in this building, but I would buy a two-bedroom here as they’re very big. On the third floor they have terraces and two-bedrooms can be 1,800 sq ft to 2,000 sq ft, while some also have maids’ rooms.
The price is also reasonable, as they are around Dh1 million, which is negotiable. But we are still thinking that mortgage rates are about to go down. If they do, we will arrange a down payment and consider buying.
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Samaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Company%20profile
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'Hocus%20Pocus%202'
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Switching%20sides
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RESULTS
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner: Najem Al Rwasi, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
2.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Fandim, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
3pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Harbh, Pat Cosgrave, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
3.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Wakeel W’Rsan, Richard Mullen, Jaci Wickham
4pm: Crown Prince of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Jawaal, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
4.30pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup (TB) Dh200,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
The%20specs
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The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km
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PETER%20PAN%20%26%20WENDY
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
GREATEST ROYAL RUMBLE CARD
The line-up as it stands for the Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia on April 27
50-man Royal Rumble
Universal Championship
Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns
Casket match
The Undertaker v Rusev
Intercontinental Championship
Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
SmackDown Tag Team Championship
The Bludgeon Brothers v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship
Sheamus and Cesaro v Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy
United States Championship
Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
Singles match
Triple H v John Cena
To be confirmed
AJ Styles will defend his WWE World Heavyweight title and Cedric Alexander his Cruiserweight Championship, but matches have yet to be announced
UAE Team Emirates
Valerio Conti (ITA)
Alessandro Covi (ITA)
Joe Dombrowski (USA)
Davide Formolo (ITA)
Fernando Gaviria (COL)
Sebastian Molano (COL)
Maximiliano Richeze (ARG)
Diego Ulissi (ITAS)
SPECS
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Company%20profile
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S23%20ULTRA
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TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos
Rating: 2.5/5
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm
Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: From Dh1 million
On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022
Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series
All matches at the Harare Sports Club:
1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10
2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
