Living In UAE

Paying less rent for the same home? Here’s how you can pay less for your electricity, too.

How you can reduce the housing fee, which is calculated within the monthly utility bill

Published: April 27, 2021 16:37 Huda Tabrez, Living in UAE Editor

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If your landlord has recently reduced the rent of your apartment or villa in Dubai, you won’t just be saving up because of the lower rent. You could also ensure that your water and electricity bill is slightly lower. — Enjoying a drop in rent? Your electricity bill can also go lower. Image Credit: Anas Thacharpadikkal/Gulf News

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The bill generated each month, which you receive from the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) also includes charges from Dubai Municipality. — Understand your Dewa bill - gulfnews.com/1.1578401259966 Image Credit: Gulf News

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One of these charges is the housing fee, which is five per cent of your annual rent, paid over 12 months. So, the formula to find out your housing fee would be: Annual rent x 5 per cent ÷ 12 (months in a year) — How to calculate your housing fee? Image Credit: Gulf News

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For example, if you had been paying an annual rent of Dh35,000, your monthly housing fee would be Dh145.84. However, if your landlord reduced the rent by three thousand dirhams, the housing fee would come down to Dh133.33. — The reduced rent would lead to a reduced housing fee. Image Credit: Gulf News

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As government systems are interlinked in Dubai, as part of the emirate’s smart city initiatives, any reduction in the house rent should be reflected on your housing fee automatically. — The amount is usually updated automatically. Image Credit: Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

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However, if the housing fee has not been updated, Dubai Municipality also allows residents to update residential data on the municipality systems, through the following steps: — You can also update the rent details online, with Dubai Municipality. Image Credit: Pexels

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1. Visit the Dubai Municipality website for updating housing fee – housingfee.dm.gov.ae 2. Enter your residential details, including your account number and premise number. Click on ‘Continue application’. — You can find the information like your account number and premise number on the first page of your Dewa bill. Image Credit: Gulf News

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3. The next step requires you to provide additional details of the residential unit, like the Makani, street and plot number. While these details are not mandatory, you can provide as much detail in the address as you have at hand. — Don’t know how to find your Makani number? Read this: gulfnews.com/1.1606302505909 Image Credit: Gulf News

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4. Finally, you will be asked to attach your Dewa bill and latest Ejari contract. Click ‘Submit’. You will then receive a five-digit reference number and an email, which you can use to follow up on your request. — It is important to ensure that you have the updated Ejari, which is renewed every time the lease contract is renewed. Read more here: gulfnews.com/1.1574419812432 Image Credit: Anas Thacharpadikkal/Gulf News

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