Move-in week, sorted.
DEWA, internet, district cooling, gas, Ejari. International buyers and renters lose a week of their first month to this — here's the actual sequence, with documents, deposits and timelines.
DEWA — Electricity & water (Dubai)
Dubai Electricity & Water Authority. Your single account covers both. Activation typically takes 3–5 business days from application.
DEWA Smart App / dewa.gov.ae- 1 — Gather documents
Emirates ID (or passport for non-residents), Ejari tenancy contract (renters) or title deed (owners), recent move-in date.
- 2 — Apply online or via the DEWA app
Use the 'New Connection' service. Upload Ejari or title deed. The unit must have an existing meter — new construction needs developer authorisation.
- 3 — Pay the security deposit
Apartments: AED 2,000. Villas: AED 4,000. Refundable when you disconnect. Non-residents pay the same.
Deposit refundable on disconnection - 4 — Activation
Most accounts activate within 24 hours of payment for occupied properties; up to 5 business days for new connections requiring a meter reading.
District cooling (Empower / Tabreed / Emicool)
Most new Dubai buildings use district cooling, not building chillers. Your AC bill comes from the cooling provider, not DEWA.
- 1 — Find out who serves your building
Empower (Downtown, Business Bay, JBR, JLT). Tabreed (Dubai Mall, Yas Island). Emicool (Motor City, JVC, Dubai Sports City). Ask your agent or check past tenants' bills.
- 2 — Move-in registration
Upload Ejari / title deed via the provider's portal (Empower: empower.ae / Tabreed and Emicool also online).
- 3 — Capacity charge
All district cooling providers charge a fixed monthly 'capacity charge' even when AC is off. Typical: AED 300–800/mo for apartments. Factor this into your monthly running costs.
Always pay even with AC off
Internet — du and e& (Etisalat)
Two providers. Coverage is split by building — your building is wired for one, sometimes both. Check before you choose.
- 1 — Check coverage
du: du.ae/personal/home-internet (enter address). e&: etisalat.ae/eshop/home/internet. If both serve your building, du tends to win on price, e& on customer service.
- 2 — Pick a plan
Most apartments get 250 Mbps for AED 389/mo or 500 Mbps for AED 489/mo. 1 Gbps plans (AED 689/mo) are widely available in newer towers.
- 3 — Installation
Standard wait: 3–7 days. Bring Emirates ID + Ejari + your DEWA reference number. Installation is free; the router stays yours while the contract is active.
Gas
Many UAE apartments are all-electric. Villas and older townhouses often use piped gas (Emirates Gas, AFTSA) or cylinder gas delivered.
- Piped gas (villas, older townhouses)
Provider varies by area. Emirates Gas covers most of Dubai. Application: emiratesgas.com — same documents as DEWA. Connection fee typically AED 200–500.
- Cylinder gas (smaller villas, some older buildings)
Brands: Emarat, ENOC, AFTSA. Call for delivery; typical cylinder AED 90–110, lasts 4–8 weeks for an average family.
Ejari — Tenancy registration (renters only)
Before DEWA accepts your application as a renter, your tenancy must be registered with RERA via Ejari. Landlord or agent normally handles this; confirm.
Ejari portal / app- Who pays
Standard practice: landlord pays the AED 220 Ejari registration fee. Always confirm in writing before signing the tenancy contract.
- Documents needed
Signed tenancy contract, title deed copy of the unit, landlord's passport copy, tenant's Emirates ID + passport copy, recent DEWA bill (if available).