# Flat Share...



## mancgary79 (Sep 9, 2008)

Hi everyone,

Having read through a lot of the posts on here over the past few weeks (and very handy they have been!) I just wanted to ask about flat sharing...

I understand that as an unmarried couple you are unable to live together by law. How does this effect flat sharing? I am coming over in a couple of weeks but luckily I have the company villa for two months giving me plenty of time to find a place for the long term. I am wanting to flat share as I deffo won't be able to afford a place on my own in the area I want to live. What are the rules and regulations on sharing a flat with other people? I am guessing that it's fine to share with same sex people as a lot of the ads on Dubizzle state 'ladies only' etc.

Another point on this, if anyone is currently sharing, how does the contract work if for instance you rent a room in a flat and the contract is in one of the other tenants names? Could you find yourself being kicked out and having no legal contract to fall back on??

Any advice would be welcome and any other twenty something (even though I am onyl a twenty something until February ) fellas looking at flat sharing from end of December ish give me a shout!!

Thanks.


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## Ogri750 (Feb 14, 2008)

Sub letting, which ultimately what flat sharing is if only one person's name is on the tenancy agreement, is illegal.

Numerous people do it. Worth taking note of this item of news though, dated 22 September 2008

_Dubai Municipality yesterday announced that tenants sharing villas in the emirate will have 30 days to vacate their residences, reported Khaleej Times. Omar bin Abdul Rahman, Head of the Building Inspection Section at the Dubai Municipality, said there cannot be any bachelors, labourers or more than one family in villas. If landlords failed to comply with the new rules within the deadline, they are subject to fines of up to Dhs50,000 ($13,600). The civic body had already said it would not take the responsibility of making the landlords refund the rents collected in advance. _


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## mancgary79 (Sep 9, 2008)

Ogri750 said:


> Sub letting, which ultimately what flat sharing is if only one person's name is on the tenancy agreement, is illegal.
> 
> Numerous people do it. Worth taking note of this item of news though, dated 22 September 2008
> 
> _Dubai Municipality yesterday announced that tenants sharing villas in the emirate will have 30 days to vacate their residences, reported Khaleej Times. Omar bin Abdul Rahman, Head of the Building Inspection Section at the Dubai Municipality, said there cannot be any bachelors, labourers or more than one family in villas. If landlords failed to comply with the new rules within the deadline, they are subject to fines of up to Dhs50,000 ($13,600). The civic body had already said it would not take the responsibility of making the landlords refund the rents collected in advance. _


Thanks for that Ogri, I thought this may be the case. If it is being stamped down on how can a website (Dubizzle) get away with advertising flat shares? I can't imagine they stamp down on it too much if people are blatantly offering flat shares?


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

The authorities are cracking down on villas mainly because they are supposed to be for families only. Bachelors are not allowed to live in or share villas. One of the reasons that they were cracking down on illegal sharers in villas a few weeks ago was because a lot of the villas had illegal partitions and there were a few fires recently where people sadly lost their lives.

I share an apartment and provided that you stick to apartments (you can still live in a villa), there should not be any problems. The authorities will only come down hard on you if you give them a reason to, such as disturbing your neighbours, being a nuisance, etc!


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## mancgary79 (Sep 9, 2008)

Maz25 said:


> The authorities are cracking down on villas mainly because they are supposed to be for families only. Bachelors are not allowed to live in or share villas. One of the reasons that they were cracking down on illegal sharers in villas a few weeks ago was because a lot of the villas had illegal partitions and there were a few fires recently where people sadly lost their lives.
> 
> I share an apartment and provided that you stick to apartments (you can still live in a villa), there should not be any problems. The authorities will only come down hard on you if you give them a reason to, such as disturbing your neighbours, being a nuisance, etc!


Thanks for this Maz, I was a bit worried about this as I think I'd struggle a bit if I had to rent an appartment on my own! How did you find your room mate and where abouts are you staying if you don't mind me asking?! I would prefer to be in a two bed appartment to be honest so I hope I find a place with someone I actually get on with!!


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

mancgary79 said:


> Thanks for this Maz, I was a bit worried about this as I think I'd struggle a bit if I had to rent an appartment on my own! How did you find your room mate and where abouts are you staying if you don't mind me asking?! I would prefer to be in a two bed appartment to be honest so I hope I find a place with someone I actually get on with!!


I live in JBR and found my flatshare on Dubizzle. There are loads of flatshares available but as you say, it can be a bit tricky finding someone you actually like and get on with. I saw loads of rooms before I actually found something I liked. I'm sharing with girls only. The worse room I saw was with a couple - the husband showed me round and all his sentences started with the word 'NO'! Needless to say, I got out of there very quickly!


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## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

Maz25 said:


> I live in JBR and found my flatshare on Dubizzle. There are loads of flatshares available but as you say, it can be a bit tricky finding someone you actually like and get on with. I saw loads of rooms before I actually found something I liked. I'm sharing with girls only. The worse room I saw was with a couple - the husband showed me round and all his sentences started with the word 'NO'! Needless to say, I got out of there very quickly!


I also found mine through dubizzle. You have to be quick though because they go really quick. To be honest I would only start ringing up people when you're here and can go and visit them that day. You also have to make sure you've got the ability to pay which means either having the money required for a deposit and X months rent in cash or giving them a UAE based cheque. Getting the bank account/cheque book side of things is probably more of a priority because you don't want to find the dream place and it slip through your fingers because you can only draw 300quid a day out on your UK cash card.

HTH


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