Dubai rents: Sharing no longer a low budget option

Dubai: Rising rents are driving Dubai residents up the wall yet again including those resorting to shared accommodation.

Several areas in both new and old Dubai have seen a steep rent hike in sharing accommodation, with a room costing up to even Dh7,500 a month.

“I was paying Dh4,500 for a single room in JBR, but my owner told me it will be increased to Dh6,500. I have now moved out to Shaikh Zayed Road,” said a British expat.

A search through online classifieds reveals that a master bedroom with a good view is available for Dh6,000 a month in JLT. In Jumeirah Park a room with facilities is for Dh7,000 a month while in Palm Jumeirah, it can go up to Dh7,500.

A property agent in JBR said: “The average rent for a four-bedroom apartment is Dh220,000 in this area. But the landlord now wants to let it out to four different people at Dh60,000 annually for a room.”

Flexibility

For well-placed expat employees, sharing gives them the flexibility to make monthly or quarterly payments, divide housing expenses with little need to furnish the apartment, while at the same time not really compromising on the comfort and privacy.

Those letting out rooms are either tenants who want to save on housing expenses or, in many cases, landlords themselves, as they can fetch 10 per cent to 20 per cent higher in rentals.

The cost of sharing or bed space has also risen sharply in the old Dubai area. “I was paying Dh2,500 a month for a room in the Old Pakistani Consulate area in a three-bedroom apartment. However, the owner has raised it to Dh3,500, following which I moved into a studio, which I am sharing with one person. It’s working better for me,” said Caroline, a sales executive.