Buying and investing in property for short term/holiday lets is becoming increasingly popular around the world including here in Dubai.

Airbnb, HomeAway, TripAdvisor and other platforms are seeing extraordinary growth - with more and more people listing their properties to meet the guest demand. Dubai benefits from continuous increases in tourists and business travellers - all looking for alternative accommodation. 

Unlike some markets, however, Dubai still has some red tape to jump through before a landlord can list their property on homestay platforms. With new regulations put in place in 2016 - every property listed as a Holiday Home, must receive a permit from Dubai's DTCM (Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing). The costs range from AED 370 (1 Bedroom) to AED 1,200 (3+ Bedrooms) per year. The property must contain certain features in order to comply with the law - bedsheets, towels, working WiFi, kitchen items, etc. The property must be classified as either Standard or Luxury - depending on its features. Each guest staying at the Holiday Home must be registered with the DTCM, and their passport copy must be uploadedvia the Holiday Homes portal. There is also a Tourism ‘Tax’ applied for each night the property is rented which is 10-15 dhm / room/night - depending on the classification of the property.

Since Dubai is trying hard to regulate the Holiday Homes market - listing a property without a permit is illegal and the fines are considerable. 

With the hassle of setting up, and the ongoing logistics of managing a short-term let in Dubai - many people are deterred from doing it themselves. For this reason, the optimal solution is to work with a credible, licensed Holiday Homes operator - such as Frank Porter (www.frankporter.com). 

Frank Porter takes the hassle out of the whole process. They deal with DTCM and comply with the regulations - as a licensed operator. They take care of styling and professional photography. They list and market on multiple channels and deal with all guest communication/exchange of keys. Maintenance and cleaning are also part of the service - ensuring the landlord/owner doesn’t have to lift a finger. The service works especially well for international property investors - that cannot be physically present in Dubai to manage the process and need someone they can trust to handle things. 

The short-term solution is perfect for owners that wish to use their own properties whenever they want - whether for personal trips/holidays, or direct bookings to friends. This flexibility is one of the main reasons why short-term lets have taken off in Dubai. With the right partner on the ground, short-term letting in Dubai has never been easier.