Holiday home management contract in Dubai: what to check
Most surprises with a holiday home company come from the contract, not the guests. Ten things to get in writing before you sign.
Fee basis
Is the percentage charged on the booking value, after platform commission, or after cleaning? Get one worked example on paper.
Costs passed on
List every cost you pay: cleaning, linen, consumables, utilities, Tourism Dirham, repairs, furnishing. Ask which are fixed and which vary.
Permit and licence
Whose operator licence the home runs under, who renews the permit, and who pays for it.
Payouts
How often you are paid, on which date, in what currency, and what statement you get with each payout.
Owner access
Whether you can see every booking and its price yourself, for example in an owner portal, rather than a monthly summary only.
Your own stays
How you block dates for yourself or family, how much notice is needed, and whether cleaning is charged.
Damage and deposits
Who claims from guests or platforms, what insurance covers, and who pays the gap.
Maintenance limit
The amount the company can spend on repairs without asking you first.
Term and exit
Minimum term, notice period, exit fee if any, and what happens to future bookings and the permit when you leave.
Furnishing
If the company furnishes the home, who owns the items and what happens to them if you leave.
Comparing companies? See the management fees each company publishes and our guide to the holiday home permit.
Our pick
Ask fäm Living for its terms in writing
fäm Living runs apartments and villas as licensed holiday homes across Dubai, with its own team for check-in, cleaning and maintenance, an owner portal, and terms agreed per property in writing. Part of the fäm Properties group.
Talk to fäm Living- Licensed holiday home operator in Dubai
- Permit, furnishing and photos handled
- Pricing, guests and cleaning by our own team
- Every booking and payout in the owner portal
Questions
Contract questions owners ask
What should a holiday home management contract in Dubai include?
The fee and what it is charged on, every cost passed to you, who holds the holiday home permit, how and when you are paid, how you block dates for your own use, who pays for damage, and how either side can end the agreement.
Who should hold the holiday home permit?
The licensed operator usually registers the home under its own licence with the Department of Economy and Tourism. Ask in writing whose name the permit is in and what happens to it if you change company.
Can I leave a holiday home management contract early?
That depends on the notice clause. Read how much notice is needed, whether there is an exit fee, and what happens to bookings already taken for dates after you leave.
Is the management fee charged on total income or after costs?
Companies differ. Some charge on the booking value, some after platform fees, some after cleaning. Ask for one worked example in writing using a real booking.