When you move into a new Dubai apartment, your water and electricity are supplied by DEWA — the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority — and connecting (called “activation”) is done almost entirely online through the DEWA website or app using your Ejari tenancy registration. For remote workers this matters more than most: no DEWA means no power, no water and, practically, no home internet, so the smart move is to activate DEWA the moment your Ejari is registered, ideally a day or two before you actually sleep in the apartment.
What You Need Before You Start
- Your Ejari certificate number — DEWA pulls most tenancy details from this automatically.
- Your Emirates ID and a copy of your passport with visa page.
- The DEWA premises number, usually shown on a sticker on the meter or the apartment door, or available from your landlord or agent.
- A UAE mobile number and email address for the account and bills.
- A bank card to pay the refundable security deposit and activation charges online.
If the previous tenant has not closed their account, activation can stall. Ask the landlord or agent to confirm the previous account is deactivated before your move date, and chase it if the portal shows the premises as still occupied.
Activation, Step by Step
- Register your tenancy and get the Ejari certificate from your landlord, agent or a typing centre.
- Go to the DEWA website or smart app and choose the activation (move-in) service.
- Enter the Ejari number and premises number; the system will display the property details for you to confirm.
- Add your contact details and choose your preferred activation date — you can usually schedule it slightly ahead.
- Pay the security deposit and activation fee by card. As a guide, the deposit for an apartment is typically around AED 2,000 and the activation charge is a smaller amount on top; villas carry a higher deposit. Always check the DEWA portal for current fees, as these change.
- You will receive confirmation by SMS and email. Supply is typically switched on within hours on the chosen date, and often the same day.
Setting Up for Remote Work
Once power is on, your next priority is internet. Home broadband from du or Etisalat (e&) usually needs your Emirates ID and tenancy details, and installation slots can take a few days, so book the appointment the same day you activate DEWA. In the gap, a 5G home router or your phone’s hotspot will keep you working. Ask the provider which network has stronger coverage in your building — tower flats in areas like JLT, Marina and Business Bay vary a lot floor by floor.
Also register for DEWA’s app alerts so a payment problem never becomes a disconnection surprise mid-workday. Bills are monthly and based on meter readings; setting up autopay through your bank or the app is the easiest way to protect your work routine.
Understanding Your First Bill
Your first bill combines the monthly consumption with one-off items, so it looks higher than later bills. Alongside electricity and water charges you will see housing (municipality) fees, which are calculated as a percentage of your annual rent and split across the year, plus sewerage and any chiller charges if your building bills cooling through DEWA. Keep your deposit receipt safe: the deposit is refundable when you deactivate the account on moving out, minus any final bill balance.
To keep bills down while working from home, run the AC at a steady 24°C rather than blasting it on and off, and check whether your building’s chiller is included in rent or billed separately — that single detail changes your monthly costs more than any gadget.
While you wait for activation, plan the move itself around the supply schedule. Book your movers or furniture deliveries for after the confirmed activation time, not before, and keep a torch and phone charger handy for the first evening — lifts, corridor lights and the apartment itself all depend on the same connection. If you are moving in during summer, the same applies double: an apartment that has sat empty with the power off will be extremely hot, and the AC needs an hour or two to bring it down to a comfortable working temperature. Remote workers moving mid-week should also warn their team about a possible half-day offline; most employers understand move days, but a surprise disappearance from calls on your first morning in a new home is easily avoided with one message.
FAQ
Can I activate DEWA before my Ejari is ready?
No — the Ejari number is the key to the online activation. If your move is urgent, press your agent to register the Ejari the same day the contract is signed.
How fast is supply switched on?
Once payment is confirmed, activation is usually completed the same day, often within a few hours of your chosen time.
What if the previous tenant left an unpaid bill?
Outstanding balances belong to the previous account holder, not to you. If the portal blocks activation, contact DEWA with your Ejari and tenancy start date and they will separate the accounts.
Get DEWA and broadband booked in the right order and your first working week in the new flat will feel calm instead of chaotic. For more move-in help, visit DXB Talk and browse our How-To guides.
