Signing a tenancy contract in Dubai is only the start. Before you can actually move in, three pieces of admin have to happen in the right order: registering your tenancy with Ejari, connecting DEWA for electricity and water, and deciding how you’re actually going to pay the rent itself. Skip or misorder any of these and you can end up with no power, a stalled visa renewal, or thousands of dirhams tied up in post dated cheques you didn’t need to write. Here’s how each piece works.
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1. Ejari registration: the step that comes first
Ejari is Dubai’s official system for registering tenancy contracts, run by the Dubai Land Department under Law No. 26 of 2007. Every private rental in Dubai must be registered, and until it is, tenants cannot connect DEWA, renew a UAE residence visa, or open a case at the Rental Disputes Centre if a landlord breaches the contract. Registration costs AED 120 online through the Dubai REST app and takes 15 to 30 minutes once both parties approve it, though the landlord’s approval is where most delays happen. A landlord who refuses to cooperate is violating Dubai law, and tenants have a documented path through RERA and the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre to force compliance.
Ejari has to be renewed every time the tenancy contract itself renews, since it never carries over automatically, and this is the single most common mistake among tenants who assume otherwise. The full process, every document required, and what to do about an uncooperative landlord are covered on the Ejari registration page.
2. Setting up your DEWA account
DEWA is the only electricity and water provider in Dubai, and a signed tenancy contract alone will not turn the power on. Applications require a registered Ejari number, so this step only happens once Ejari is sorted. The process is fully digital in 2026 and takes under 30 minutes with documents ready, and connection activates within 15 working hours of payment. Budget for a refundable security deposit of AED 2,000 for an apartment (AED 4,000 for a villa) plus a small connection fee, and know that the fastest way to cut the bill afterward is raising the AC thermostat, since each degree below 24°C adds roughly 6% to 8% to cooling costs.
Every document, fee, and the exact online application steps are laid out on the DEWA account setup page.
3. Paying rent monthly instead of by cheque
Dubai’s rental market has traditionally run on post dated cheques, with landlords charging more to tenants who can only offer several cheques instead of one or two. Platforms like Keyper and Takeem are changing that by letting tenants pay monthly by credit or debit card while the landlord still receives the agreed cheque schedule, or the full amount upfront, for a premium of roughly 3% to 8% of the annual rent. Property Finder is integrating this option directly into its listings in 2026, and paying by credit card can also earn cashback that partly offsets the premium, provided the balance is cleared in full every month.
How the premiums stack up across different cheque counts, and the negotiation tactics this shift enables for tenants, are covered on the monthly rent payment page.
For everything else involved in settling into a new home in the UAE, from visas to daily budgeting, the Expat & Living hub covers the full picture.