# Rental contract registration by Landlord



## amitambika (Jul 6, 2011)

Hi, Just wanted to check with you all if you know what is the process to register the rental contract on Ejari if the Landlord is not based in U.A.E.


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## Yoga girl (Oct 19, 2008)

the landlord can register for Ejari online and create an account. He does not physically need to go to an office whether or not he lives in the UAE.
However, most landlords do not register anything which means you will need to do it yourself as a tenant, and unfortunately you need to go in person. 
You will need passport and visa copies for both of you (he can have a visa as an owner if his property is worth over a certain amount, this has changed in recent laws so not sure what that is now), original tenancy contract, title deed of the property and a DEWA bill.


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## Chocoholic (Oct 29, 2012)

Actually it's the obligation of the tenant to register the contract, not the landlord.

You can go to a typing centre like the one at Mazaya centre, with all the documents and fees - take 10 minutes - easy.


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## Yoga girl (Oct 19, 2008)

Actually the law requires all landlords to register the contracts, but allows for tenants to do so in case the landlord/estate agent does not. This is why the onine system is fully functional for landlords and not for tenants!


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Chocoholic said:


> Actually it's the obligation of the tenant to register the contract, not the landlord.
> 
> .


Not true


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## amitambika (Jul 6, 2011)

Yoga girl said:


> the landlord can register for Ejari online and create an account. He does not physically need to go to an office whether or not he lives in the UAE.
> However, most landlords do not register anything which means you will need to do it yourself as a tenant, and unfortunately you need to go in person.
> You will need passport and visa copies for both of you (he can have a visa as an owner if his property is worth over a certain amount, this has changed in recent laws so not sure what that is now), original tenancy contract, title deed of the property and a DEWA bill.


Actually I am the landlord here not the tenant. The online registration process mentions that after putting in the details you have to take the documents to the Ejari office and they will schedule a training class for you which needs to be paid and attended and only after that you will be allowed to register your contract online. These things are not possible if the landlord stays outside. So I dont know what is the other oprtion.


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## w_man (Apr 16, 2010)

amitambika said:


> Actually I am the landlord here not the tenant. The online registration process mentions that after putting in the details you have to take the documents to the Ejari office and they will schedule a training class for you which needs to be paid and attended and only after that you will be allowed to register your contract online. These things are not possible if the landlord stays outside. So I dont know what is the other oprtion.


Another wonderful reason why RERA doesn't need to change anything as the system is working perfectly well. 

My understanding is that it IS the landlord's responsibility to register the contract but if RERA has made this so difficult then it's best to simply provide the tenant with the documents he/she needs to register themselves. Of course, it's becoming a necessity for the tenant to have a registered contract in order to hook up du/etisalat or even sponsor spouse, kids. So a tenant shouldn't have any problem getting it done themselves, as long as landlords provide all the documents needed. 

If you are a good landlord and realize that 'by law', it is your responsibility to register the contract and the tenant is helping you out by registering the contract for you, then reimbursing your tenant for the registration cost would be a wise decision.


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## Chocoholic (Oct 29, 2012)

So that representative from RERA that we interviewed last week is wrong then - my bad!

Plus:

Ejari accepts 500,000 Dubai lease contracts since 2010 | GulfNews.com

And I quote "The Ejari registration fees are Dh160 plus any printing charges; they should be paid by the tenant, Bin Hammad said."

Given that many LL's are not resident in the UAE, it is impossible for them to do it, so by default it falls to the tenant. IF you get a kind LL who will do it, then fine, but they are by no means obligated to do so.


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## w_man (Apr 16, 2010)

Chocoholic said:


> So that representative from RERA that we interviewed last week is wrong then - my bad!
> 
> Plus:
> 
> ...


That's the beauty of the laws here. Not long ago, there was a story on how landlords can be fined up to 50k AED for not having their contracts registered and now we have another article saying it's tenants responsibility.

That's why it's doesn't really matter. As it's in tenant's best interest to have the contract registered, tenant should do it. It's the wild west out here - 4 articles will come out with 4 different opinions and no one will know the truth or the real law. There's always a loop hole for someone to get away with a law or to be held accountable - depending on who you are.

This isn't rocket science but somehow it's become more complicated than sending a man to mars.


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## Chocoholic (Oct 29, 2012)

w_man said:


> That's the beauty of the laws here. Not long ago, there was a story on how landlords can be fined up to 50k AED for not having their contracts registered and now we have another article saying it's tenants responsibility.
> 
> That's why it's doesn't really matter. As it's in tenant's best interest to have the contract registered, tenant should do it. It's the wild west out here - 4 articles will come out with 4 different opinions and no one will know the truth or the real law. There's always a loop hole for someone to get away with a law or to be held accountable - depending on who you are.
> 
> This isn't rocket science but somehow it's become more complicated than sending a man to mars.


I think there might be some confusion here about registering the TITLE DEEDS - which have to be registered with the Land Department, and Ejari. Don't confuse the two. Every agent will tell you the tenant has to register their tenancy contract.

Let's face it, it's easy to do, took 10 mins to do mine - no hassles. So people need to stop moaning and just get on with it.


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## w_man (Apr 16, 2010)

Chocoholic said:


> I think there might be some confusion here about registering the TITLE DEEDS - which have to be registered with the Land Department, and Ejari. Don't confuse the two. Every agent will tell you the tenant has to register their tenancy contract.
> 
> Let's face it, it's easy to do, took 10 mins to do mine - no hassles. So people need to stop moaning and just get on with it.


No confusion ... yet there is so much confusion.

Dh50,000 fine if rent contract is not registered on Rera's Ejari - Emirates 24/7

Specifically states the 50k fine will apply to landlords for NON-REGISTRATION OF RENTAL CONTRACTS.

No one is arguing that it doesn't take too much of an effort but one of the reasons why landlords here bully tenants and break the law is because some people simply like to roll over and not 'moan' as you call it.

As I have said before, the law as per the media is confusing and it's not complicated to state the official rule. That way everyone knows who's responsibility it is. AED 195 might not mean much to you but to some it does. It's worth clarifying the law and knowing your responsibility.


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## Chocoholic (Oct 29, 2012)

Well I actually checked and that's what I was told. So what to do. Agents try to rip people off and charge 400 - 500dhs for doing it.

As I said before, if someone has a kind LL that will do it, then fine, but most won't.

That article is dated 2010 - so well out of date.

And the reason they originally implemented the fines, was because so many people weren't registering with the LD to get their title deeds and were getting out of paying thousands. This way they had to pay to get the title deeds.

So now it's come full circle, as you need a registered tenancy contract to connect services, which you can't get or do without the title deeds. It's tightened up the mess.

Plus from a personal point of view of someone that will in the not too distant future own their own propety - the sheer costs invovled in handing over a property, maintenance fees etc - the rent doesn't even cover that right now - so would I pay for it? Nope.


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## w_man (Apr 16, 2010)

Chocoholic said:


> Plus from a personal point of view of someone that will in the not too distant future own their own propety - the sheer costs invovled in handing over a property, maintenance fees etc - the rent doesn't even cover that right now - so would I pay for it? Nope.


Exactly why this needs to be clarified. I agree with everything you say - That's why I blame the law and the agencies responsible for upholding that law to do exactly that! uphold the law by making it clear!

If they actually implement the 50k fine to landlords, landlords WILL get the title deeds and they WILL register it. If this means it's too costly for landlords, then don't become a landlord. On the other hand, if this is a responsibility of the tenant, then make it extremely clear and also make it a LAW for landlords to provide all the paperwork required eg: title deeds. 

There are at least 2 threads I can think of right now where multiple people are complaining about not having the title deed to register the contract. Does that sound like a law/system which works? If it's the responsibility of the tenant to register, why setup an online system where only landlords and agents can register the contract?

All I'm saying is that the system is broken so we all need to do what works for us. I registered my own contract too and I will continue to do so until I know the system works. I don't trust anyone for doing it for me - that's a problem.


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## Canuck_Sens (Nov 16, 2010)

funny you say that. I lost count on how many properties I saw where Landlords had no title deed. The worse part is that the Agents did not know either this is because I told them upfront must have TITLE DEED.

Glad I am renting free. No dewa No internet bills & Free house cleaning.


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