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Dr Louise Lambert, a researcher in positive psychology who has been in the UAE for 20 years, has lived in her one-bedroom Business Bay apartment since 2020, which has resulted in her rent being among the lowest in the building.
The property in Churchill Tower costs her Dh65,000 annually, having risen from about Dh40,000 over the past few years.
For as long as it stays that low, she has no intention of leaving – not when it’s such a nice place to live.
The National takes a look around.
How long have you lived here?
I moved here during the pandemic. I got super lucky, as it was the price of a song.
Why did you choose this place?
I didn't take it because it was cheap. I just took it because I like the layout. I saw others that were about the same price, and I felt like a little bird in a cage.
It's in Business Bay, so I cycle every morning. I literally take my bike, go straight down and I'm right on the canal, so I love that about it. On one side, I can see the [Godolphin Racing] stables, so I see the horses every morning. I see them training and the jockeys going around. And then on the other side, I see the boats going by on the canal.
I have a little balcony, and I grow random things like little tomatoes and, at the moment, dying sunflower seeds. It’s just nice.
What do you pay for it?
I got it for Dh40,000 to Dh44,000 and now I pay Dh65,000. I have one of the lowest rents in the city, I’m sure. It does go up every year, but it can’t go up more than 5 per cent, so if you’re starting from Dh40,000 it’s not much. The new rent will be Dh68,000.
How have you made it your own?
I've got this lovely artwork. I have paintings all around and lots of plants. Greenery just adds life, and it has paid off, because every year I get a little family of birds. They're beautiful songbirds, and they come in and build a little nest in my bougainvillaea.
I get a little dose of nature and it's really bright.
What amenities do you have?
There is a gym downstairs. There’s a pool. There’s a daycare, which I don’t use, but there’s a few things for families. Then, when there are holidays, like Diwali, they do little celebrations outside and fireworks.
The municipality has done loads of really nice things on the canal. They put outdoor gym equipment, they’ve lined it with tresses. It’s really nice.
The other thing that’s really great is New Year’s Eve. I literally walk downstairs and Burj Khalifa is right across the water, so we can see the fireworks right there. It’s close to the downtown, I can see downtown, I just don’t need to live in it.
During winter I also walk across the bridge to the Zaha Hadid building, the Opus, that’s full of restaurants now. Everything’s close by. It’s perfect.
What would you change about it?
Traffic has been a big issue. It’s one of the things I hate about it. Nobody was living here before, but now it’s really bad. At 10.45am, there’s gridlock. It’s becoming really disastrous.
On this street, there’s now a new hotel, a new grocery store, new apartment buildings. It’s great, but I realised the secret’s out and now everybody’s coming in and the traffic is showing. I get stuck in my car park sometimes for 45 minutes.
Have you thought about buying?
I've thought about it. I have a few friends who did. If I were still working at the Canadian University Dubai, I might, just because I had a regular income. But, working for myself, it's high and then low and then high. It's just too unpredictable. I don't want to take the chance.
In hindsight, I've been here 20 years, so if I had bought back then my mortgage would have been paid off by now.
How long do you plan to stay in this apartment?
Even if the rent goes up, I'm staying because I'm seeing other people's rent and they're in the Dh100,000-plus for smaller or the same. So, as long as it is less than anywhere else, I'll stay. But the way Dubai is going now, where would I go that doesn't have traffic?
I will stay as long as I can. I've been here 20-some years. I've got my golden visa. All my friends are here. This is home, so I don't want to leave.
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
The UAE's journey to space
