The answer to whether AC is free in Dubai depends on the specific rental agreement.
Chiller-Free vs. District Cooling
In Dubai, you'll typically encounter two main types of AC systems:
-
Chiller-Free: In this arrangement, the landlord covers the entire cost of air conditioning. Tenants only pay for their general electricity consumption, which excludes AC usage. This is the type where AC is essentially "free" because there are no separate AC charges.
-
District Cooling: In this system, tenants are charged separately for their air conditioning consumption.
| Feature | Chiller-Free | District Cooling |
|---|---|---|
| AC Cost | Landlord pays, tenant doesn't pay separately for AC | Tenant pays for consumption |
| Other Costs | Tenant pays only electricity usage. | Tenant pays for electricity and cooling. |
What This Means for Tenants
- Chiller-free is beneficial: Tenants in chiller-free apartments experience no additional fees for AC and only pay for their standard electricity.
- District cooling adds cost: Tenants in district cooling arrangements face an extra monthly bill for cooling usage.
According to the reference (27-Jul-2024), in chiller-free arrangements, the landlord bears the entire cost of air conditioning. So, while technically the cost is always there, in the chiller-free setup, it does not appear as a separate charge on the tenant's bill.
