Choosing between a furnished and an unfurnished home in Dubai is not just about whether you like the sofa in the photos. It affects your budget in the first month, who pays when the washing machine fails, and what you have to remove, repair or replace when you leave. In Dubai, unfurnished rarely means completely empty, and furnished can mean anything from a few basic pieces to a fully styled apartment. Reading the inventory list carefully matters more than the label in the advert.
What Unfurnished Usually Includes in Dubai
Most unfurnished apartments and villas come with a fitted kitchen and built-in wardrobes, and many also include white goods. That term covers the larger appliances: fridge, oven and hob, washing machine, and sometimes a dryer and dishwasher. Villas may have curtain rails or tracks already fitted, but not curtains themselves. Light fittings are usually in place, though they can be very basic in older properties.
There is no single standard, so ask before you sign, check appliances, water heaters and AC at handover, and note their condition with dated photos.
What Furnished Really Means
Furnished properties should come with an itemised inventory signed by both sides. At its best, it lists beds, sofas, dining table, curtains, lamps, kitchenware and appliances with notes on marks or wear. At its loosest, it can mean a bed, a sofa and a television that have seen better days. Shorter leases, hotel apartments and homes aimed at newcomers are more likely to be genuinely ready to live in.
Before you agree a rent, check these practical details:
- Are curtains and blackout linings included, and do they fit every bedroom window?
- Is there enough storage, or will wardrobes already be partly filled with the landlord’s items?
- Are small appliances such as a kettle, vacuum and iron included, or only large furniture?
- Who pays to service the AC and appliances during the tenancy?
- Can you store or remove an item you do not want, and where would it go?
Curtains deserve special attention. Strong sun bleaches fabrics quickly, and many windows are floor-to-ceiling, so off-the-shelf curtains often do not fit. Made-to-measure curtains can cost more than expected, typically a noticeable four-figure sum for an apartment depending on fabric, so confirm whether they are supplied.
Who Replaces What When Something Breaks
Responsibility usually follows ownership and fair wear and tear. If the landlord supplied the fridge or washing machine and it stops working through normal use or age, the landlord is generally expected to repair or replace it. If damage is caused by misuse, for example overloading a washer or cracking a glass hob with a heavy pan, the tenant may be asked to pay. For tenant-owned appliances in an unfurnished home, repairs and replacement are normally yours.
Many Dubai tenancy contracts add a minor maintenance threshold, often around AED 500, though the exact amount varies by contract. Under a typical arrangement, small jobs below that figure, like replacing a tap washer, a light fitting or a remote battery, fall to the tenant, while larger repairs above it fall to the landlord. Always check your own contract wording rather than relying on what an agent says, and keep requests in writing so there is a record of when a fault was reported.
Built-in items need clarity too. Curtain tracks, wardrobes and AC units are usually the landlord’s concern if they fail structurally, while items you supplied are yours to fix.
Making the Money Work
Furnished homes typically carry a higher rent, and they suit people on a one-year posting, newcomers testing a neighbourhood, or anyone who does not want to buy furniture they may ship or sell later. Unfurnished homes usually work out cheaper over two or more years, and they let you choose your own bed and sofa, which matters in a city where you may spend a lot of time indoors in summer.
Whichever you choose, insist on a detailed inventory, dated handover photos and a clear maintenance clause before you get the keys. That paperwork, not the advert label, is what protects you when a white good fails in August or a curtain rail comes loose, and it makes handing the home back far less stressful.