What does a rental estate agent actually do?
A rental estate agent (or letting agent) is a professional who manages the entire rental process for a landlord. This includes marketing the property, finding and screening tenants, handling all the legal paperwork (like the Ejari in Dubai), and often managing the property for you.
Using professional rental estate agents is crucial. They are responsible for verifying tenant documents and ensuring the tenancy contract is RERA-compliant, which protects you from legal disputes and non-payment.
- RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Agency) Guidelines
🤝 What is the difference between 'letting' and 'property management'?
This is a key difference. 'Letting' (or 'tenant finding') is the one-time service of finding a tenant. 'Property management' is the ongoing monthly service *after* the tenant moves in. Many landlords, especially overseas investors, hire rental estate agents for the full management service for a completely passive income.
| Service | Lettings-Only Agent | Full Management Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Tenant Finding | Yes | Yes |
| Contracts & Ejari | Yes | Yes |
| Rent Collection | No (Landlord does it) | Yes (Agent does it) |
| Maintenance & Repairs | No (Landlord does it) | Yes (Agent handles it) |
💰 How much are rental estate agents' fees in Dubai?
The fees are very standard. For tenant finding ('letting') only, the most common fee is 5% of the annual rent. For a full property management service (which includes the letting fee), a rental estate agent will typically charge 7-8% of the annual rent. This is a small price to pay for a fully managed, passive real estate investment.
- Tenant Sourcing (Letting): 5% of annual rent
- Full Property Management: 7-8% of annual rent
- Renewal Fee: A small admin fee (e.g., AED 1,000) for renewing the contract with the same tenant.
🔍 How do I check if rental estate agents are RERA-certified?
You must verify them. Just like sales agents, all rental estate agents and their company must be licensed by RERA. You can ask for their RERA Broker Card and verify their status on the 'Dubai REST' app. This ensures they are legitimate and accountable, which is essential for handling your money and property.
Avoid Uncertified Agents
Using an uncertified agent is a major risk. They cannot legally register your tenancy contract (Ejari), which can lead to legal issues. A professional real estate company ensures all its rental estate agents are fully compliant.
- Hayy.AI Compliance Team🏠 How do rental estate agents find good tenants?
A good rental estate agent doesn't just put an ad on Bayut. They have a multi-channel strategy. This includes advertising on major portals, using their own database of pre-qualified tenants, and marketing to other brokers. The most important step, however, is tenant screening. They should perform background checks, verify employment/salary, and check references to ensure you get a reliable, long-term tenant.
Data-Driven Tenant Matching
At Hayy.AI, our agents use AI to match your property with a pre-vetted database of tenants, reducing vacancy time by an average of 40%. Finding a tenant is easy, but finding the *right* tenant requires data.
- Hayy.AI Platform Data