Guides · Move-In
Most move-in checklists only cover inspecting the property — checking for cracks, testing the AC, photographing the walls. But getting a Dubai home actually livable also means registering your tenancy and your utilities, and that side gets skipped almost everywhere. Miss it, and you can move in to a unit with no power, no water and no cooling on day one, even though the apartment itself is in perfect condition.
The single biggest mistake new tenants make in Dubai is treating registration as something to sort out after they've collected the keys. Ejari registration, DEWA transfer, district cooling registration (if your building has it) and internet setup should all be arranged before your move-in day, not on it — each one depends on paperwork or an appointment that can take longer than expected, and several of them depend on each other. Most tenants also book a deep cleaning for the unit before move-in, since it's far easier to do while the apartment is still empty and there's no furniture in the way.
A realistic order looks like this: get your signed tenancy contract, register it on Ejari, use the Ejari certificate to activate DEWA, confirm and register with your building's cooling provider if it uses district cooling, and book your internet installation appointment — all in the same one-to-two-week window before you actually move your belongings in. Treat this as a checklist in its own right, separate from the room-by-room inspection checklist you'll use once you're physically in the unit.
It helps to think of these steps as dependencies rather than a simple to-do list. You generally can't activate DEWA without Ejari. You can't confirm which cooling provider serves your unit without knowing the building, which you'll usually only find out from the landlord, agent, or building management once the lease is finalised. And internet providers need a working address and, in some buildings, a completed Ejari or tenancy contract before they'll schedule an installation. Lining these up in the right order in advance avoids a lot of back-and-forth in your first week.
Ejari is Dubai's mandatory system, run through the Dubai Land Department (RERA), for registering a tenancy contract. It's not optional paperwork — it's usually the document that unlocks almost everything else that follows: activating a DEWA account, updating the address on your Emirates ID or visa, and enrolling children in school all typically ask for an Ejari certificate.
Because so many other steps depend on it, Ejari needs to happen early rather than as an afterthought once you're already living in the unit. Landlords or agents often handle the initial registration, but it's worth confirming it's actually been completed and getting a copy of the certificate yourself before you rely on it to open other accounts.
Your unit needs an active DEWA account before power and water are switched on — this doesn't happen automatically just because you've signed a lease. New tenants typically need their Ejari certificate, a passport and Emirates ID copy, and the tenancy contract to activate an account in their name. A refundable security deposit is also usually collected as part of the activation, separate from your tenancy deposit, so budget for it as a distinct move-in cost.
Do this before your move-in date, not on it. DEWA activation can often be same-day or next-day if your paperwork is ready, but treating it as instant and starting on moving day itself is how tenants end up spending their first night with no electricity or water. It's also worth checking whether the previous tenant's account has actually been closed out — if it hasn't, there can be a short delay before a new account can be opened at the same address.
Many Dubai towers, especially newer developments, use district cooling instead of individual compressor-based AC units. Providers like Empower or Tabreed chill water at a central plant and pipe it to each apartment, where it's used to cool the air — no outdoor condenser unit required.
This is billed and registered completely separately from DEWA, which is easy to forget because it doesn't feel like "electricity." Confirm with your building management which cooling provider serves your tower, and register with them before move-in — otherwise you can end up with a fully active DEWA account, lights and water working fine, and still no AC on day one because cooling was never switched on for your unit.
District cooling registration typically asks for the same documents as DEWA — Ejari certificate, ID, and tenancy contract — plus proof that your DEWA account is already active, since cooling billing is often linked to it. If you're not sure whether your building uses district cooling or standalone AC units, check your provisional lease documents or simply ask the building's facilities management office; it's a five-minute question that can save you a very hot first week.
Setting up du or Etisalat can take longer than people expect — scheduling an installation appointment often takes several days to a week, especially in busier buildings or new developments where technicians are booked out. Book this at the same time as your other registrations, not after you've already moved your belongings in and discovered you have no connection.
Once the utilities side is sorted, the second half of a proper move-in is the part most checklists actually do cover — but it's worth doing properly. Always carry out a joint inspection with the landlord or agent at move-in, not just at move-out. A move-out-only inspection has nothing to compare against, and any existing damage can end up attributed to you even if it was there before you signed.
Be specific when describing anything you find — "5cm hairline crack on the bathroom sink" documents far better than "damaged." Take wide shots of every room, plus close-up photos of any issues, and consider recording a narrated video walkthrough as you go, describing what you see room by room. Check walls, ceilings and floors for cracks or water staining, test every AC unit for cooling and noise, run every tap and check for leaks under sinks, open and close every window and door, and verify security features like locks, the intercom, and CCTV where applicable.
Don't skip the less obvious spots — inside kitchen cabinets and under the sink for water damage, behind large furniture the landlord may have left in place, and the balcony or laundry area if the unit has one. These are exactly the places where pre-existing issues get discovered months later, at the worst possible time to be raising them for the first time.
Both the landlord or agent and the tenant should sign and date the inspection report, and the tenant should keep a full copy — photos, video, and the signed document. This is what actually protects your security deposit if there's a dispute later about whether damage was pre-existing or caused during your tenancy. A verbal agreement or a mental note of "it already had that scratch" carries no weight months later at move-out.
Rather than trying to remember every room and item, run through the free Apartment Move-in Maintenance Checklist below — it's an interactive, room-by-room list you can tick off, flag issues on, and print or save before you sign.
Quick Answer
Common Questions
Ejari is Dubai's mandatory system for registering a tenancy contract with the Dubai Land Department. It's usually required to activate DEWA, update your Emirates ID or visa address, and enrol children in school, so it needs to be sorted before or right at move-in, not weeks later.
If you have Ejari and your documents ready, DEWA activation is often same-day or next-day, but it's safer to start the process a few days before your move-in date rather than assuming it will be instant.
District cooling (from providers like Empower or Tabreed) chills water centrally and pipes it to individual units instead of using a compressor-based AC per apartment. It's billed and registered separately from DEWA electricity and water, so tenants in towers using district cooling need a second registration or their AC won't work even with DEWA active.
Yes. Even a freshly renovated unit can have existing issues — hairline cracks, a slow drain, an AC that doesn't cool properly. Documenting the condition on day one protects you from being blamed for it later, regardless of how new the place looks.
Photograph it with a description of exactly what and where, note the date, and get it in writing with the landlord or agent before you sign off on the handover. This is your evidence if there's a deposit dispute when you move out.
Book du or Etisalat at least a week before move-in — installation appointments can take several days to schedule, and you don't want to be without internet in your first week.
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