# Advice on home business set up?



## CrisBJack

Hi guys I'm moving out in Aug with my wife who's going to work at Gems. I currently have a home business here making Birthday cakes and other treats. Was wondering if its as easy in Dubai to set up or can u not set up at all at home? I had to have my kitchen inspected here but can bot for the life of me find any info about it. And also is it easy to source cake making products out there as I an planning on bringing a few bits and bobs with me as a friend of ours has kindly offered to let us stuck a couple of boxes in there container. Although my beloved mixer will be staying in the UK  as she is very heavy.


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## Lulu110

Hi CrisBJack.....I have no advice, but am in the same situation. We're moving to Dubai in July and my kids will be attending a Gems school in Jumeirah. I had a home cake business till about a year ago....made birthday cakes, cupcakes, cookies etc. I would like to start something from home as well, but remember reading somewhere that you need to buy a license first from the freezone ?! Something like Dhs 20,000 as year....but not too sure.
I have a facebook page Nosh where you can see some of my work.
Any advice from the experts would be appreciated !


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## CrisBJack

Hi 

Tried to find your page but can't mine is jackabelles if u want find me and I will try to find you too


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## CrisBJack

Nobody then lol


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## Mr Rossi

Technically it is illegal to live and work in the same building. I'm guessing it's to stop unscrupulous employers making labourers, factory workers sleep on the floor by their machines. That's not to say many people don't have a home office. I wonder how many people actually use the business premises/hot desks that freezone licenses provide.

That said you are manufacturing food stuffs, there are hygiene laws here and wonder if they would turn less of a blind eye to that than say a graphic designer working from home. However there was an interview on local radio last week with a woman who set up a gluten free bakery from her home so I guess it's not a total brick wall.

Best thing would be to speak to the advisers at the various freezones themselves.


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## Elphaba

The rules on maiking food at home are very lax, but the issue is having a licence to trade. That will start at around AED 22k a year. The other option is to only sell via various craft fairs where you are under their licence.

You can work from home provided you have a registered office or premises somewhere else


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## kisywisy

this is interesting!!

i crystalise shoes over here in the uk and make tutu dresses for little girls, would be interesting to find out if that could continue over there. 22k is a lot though, considering i dont even sell that much lol


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## Elphaba

kisywisy said:


> this is interesting!!
> 
> i crystalise shoes over here in the uk and make tutu dresses for little girls, would be interesting to find out if that could continue over there. 22k is a lot though, considering i dont even sell that much lol


If you sell through the type of fairs organised by www.arteae or the various ones arranged by schools you don't need a licence.


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## fahdfaisal

My wife has a similer business in the uk (actually her part-time hobby) where she bakes cupcakes at home and sells them online. You can trade online in this country, but cannot have a kitchen at home. It took me 6 weeks of research and running from one dept to another to get details... Only because ppl working for the govt depts themselves do not know the rules. It can get quite expensive if you're only planning to do it small scale (like a couple of hundred a month) and depending how much ure gonna charge for it. What we are initially going to do is get a trading license and have a virtual office ( costs about AED 2000/month) as you need a business address to trade, cannot use home address. Then you can have an agreement with a small private bakery or cafe to use their premises (like we did) and pay them a small fee for it. You show on paper tht ure actually buying cakes from them, but in reality ure baking it urself in their kitchen. Yes, it is not allowed, but there is no rule tht says u cannot do this, therefore you cannot be penalised for it (trust me, I've checked with a lawyer). In order for all this to make it worth ur while, you have to make a minimum sales of aed 20,000 a month. If you think this is going to be a difficult number to attain, I suggest u drop the idea as it is definitely very difficult. The only reason we are still going ahead with it is we have bought 35% stake in a bakery and I have a few friends who own cafes and restaurants who are going to help. 
It is really easy to set-up in the UK, too much red tape in this country. I hope my post helps you.


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## readmetwice

kisywisy said:


> this is interesting!!
> 
> i crystalise shoes over here in the uk and make tutu dresses for little girls, would be interesting to find out if that could continue over there. 22k is a lot though, considering i dont even sell that much lol


Try selling through a third party online store first until you prove your business. Depending on their requirements you may be able to put off the licensing off until you get your feet wet and know what cost structure you can support. 

Online stores are not quite as established as in West (ebay, shopify or etsy) but they are getting there. Try "shopgo" dot "me" or "ananasa" dot com. The second one focuses on hand made stuff.


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## CDN2012

Just to put it out there, virtual business are illegal. I know a coupleof people that have them and I was offered one myself but didnt want to risk going to jail in a foreign country even though the chancescof getting caught are very small. http://www.emirates247.com/news/virtual-offices-are-illegal-says-ded-2011-04-10-1.379074

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum


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## expatdxb

CrisBJack said:


> Hi guys I'm moving out in Aug with my wife who's going to work at Gems. I currently have a home business here making Birthday cakes and other treats. Was wondering if its as easy in Dubai to set up or can u not set up at all at home? I had to have my kitchen inspected here but can bot for the life of me find any info about it. And also is it easy to source cake making products out there as I an planning on bringing a few bits and bobs with me as a friend of ours has kindly offered to let us stuck a couple of boxes in there container. Although my beloved mixer will be staying in the UK  as she is very heavy.


Hi CrisBJack, I tooam looking for info regarding baking from home and selling. I see from ur fb page that uv started work in dubai, UAE. could u plz share info with us here regarding how to go about it. Did u get a license n a shop or r baking from home. n how to avoid the heavy fines then. i see that there r many people baking from home in uae . how r they avoiding all the fines. Hoping to hear from u soon.


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## expatdxb

Lulu110 said:


> Hi CrisBJack.....I have no advice, but am in the same situation. We're moving to Dubai in July and my kids will be attending a Gems school in Jumeirah. I had a home cake business till about a year ago....made birthday cakes, cupcakes, cookies etc. I would like to start something from home as well, but remember reading somewhere that you need to buy a license first from the freezone ?! Something like Dhs 20,000 as year....but not too sure.
> I have a facebook page Nosh where you can see some of my work.
> Any advice from the experts would be appreciated !


Lulu110, could u plz gv the link to u page.


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## saraswat

Please do not post using text speak ....


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## VivekSama

Monitoring in Dubai and probably the UAE for licenses is quite thin. A great example is when you do a license for an activity there are lots of sub activities that you need to add however if you don't nobody comes and checks. Really the only hot water you get into is when someone complains to the DED about you and they question your license. I personally would not do baking - its food related - people can get ill. Also the license cost is not that much depending on your business - other costs are more. Also without a license you can't get a premise so it really depends on scale.


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