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Home Maintenance Company in Dubai: 9 Checks Before Hiring
- October 7, 2026
- 5:33 am
Before you compare prices, confirm three things: the company is licensed for the work, it carries insurance, and its own technicians will do the job. Those checks rule out most of the problems owners run into, from no-shows to repairs nobody will stand behind.
This guide shows how to choose a home maintenance company in Dubai using nine checks. For each one, you will see what to ask, what proof to request and the warning sign to look for. It is written by the team behind our property maintenance in Dubai service.
The 9 checks
- Right type of company for the job
- Valid trade licence
- Approvals for regulated work
- Insurance
- Own technicians, not coordinators
- Response times in writing
- Written quote before work
- Workmanship warranty
- Reviews you can trust
Check 1: Is It the Right Type of Company for the Job?
Start by matching the company to the job. Many bad experiences come from hiring the wrong kind of provider, not a bad one.
Type | Best for | Not for |
|---|---|---|
Handyman service | Small fixes: a dripping tap, a door handle, hanging shelves | AC faults, electrical rewiring, leaks inside walls |
General maintenance company | Routine upkeep across trades: AC servicing, plumbing, electrical faults, painting | Major installations or structural work |
Trade specialist | One complex job: a new AC system, major electrical work, waterproofing | Ongoing upkeep across many small jobs |
Facilities management company | Large or complex properties: towers, compounds, big villas with pools and gardens | A typical apartment, where it is usually more than you need |
For most apartments and villas, a general maintenance company is the right fit. If you own a villa with outdoor areas, look for one that also offers villa upkeep plans covering the pool, garden and external areas.
Checks 2–4: Licence, Approvals and Insurance
These three checks protect you if something goes wrong. Ask for proof, not promises.
Check | What to ask | Proof to request | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|---|
2. Trade licence | “What is your trade licence number, and which activities does it cover?” | Licence number you can check yourself | Refuses to share it, or the licensed activities do not include the job |
3. Approvals for regulated work | “Who will do the electrical work, and are they approved for it?” | Approval or certification for the technician doing regulated work | “Our guy has done it for years” with nothing on paper |
4. Insurance | “Do you carry public liability insurance?” | A current insurance certificate | No certificate, or one in another company’s name |
Dubai mainland trade licences are issued by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), which took over from the former DED in 2021. You can check any licence yourself on the DET licence search using the licence number or the registered trade name. The result shows whether the licence is active, when it expires and which activities it covers. Companies licensed in a free zone appear on that free zone’s own register instead.
Electrical work carries extra rules. Work on the distribution board, rewiring and new or changed connections should be done by an electrical contractor registered with DEWA, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority. Ask for the contractor’s DEWA registration before work starts. Simple jobs, such as changing a bulb or a switch cover, do not need one.
Checks 5–6: Who Does the Work, and How Fast?
Ask who will actually turn up. Some companies employ their own technicians; others act as coordinators, passing jobs to whichever freelancer is free. Coordinators can work, but you lose control over who enters your home and who fixes it if the repair fails.
Check | What to ask | Proof to request | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|---|
5. Own technicians | “Are your technicians employed by you, and will they carry company ID?” | Technician name and company ID before the visit | A different person every time, with no ID |
6. Response times | “How fast do you respond to an AC failure or a major leak, and is that in writing?” | Response times stated in the quote or contract | Only “we’re 24/7” with no times given |
Treat “24/7” with care. One Dubai directory guide notes that some companies offering round-the-clock service have an after-hours answering line but no technicians on call. Ask whether a technician, not a call centre, is available overnight and at weekends.
Checks 7–8: Written Quotes and Workmanship Warranty
Never let work start on a verbal price. A written quote should show the pricing model (per hour, per job or call-out fee), what is included, and what costs extra, such as parts.
Check | What to ask | Proof to request | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|---|
7. Written quote | “Can you send a written quote with all costs before you start?” | Itemised quote with labour, parts and call-out shown separately | A price “after we see it” with no written estimate |
8. Warranty | “What warranty do you give on your work, and for how long?” | Warranty terms in writing | No warranty, or one that only exists verbally |
A company that offers no guarantee is telling you how much it trusts its own work. If you are considering ongoing cover rather than one-off repairs, see what an annual maintenance contract covers before you compare offers.
Check 9: How to Read Reviews Properly
Read reviews for detail, not stars. Useful reviews name the job, the technician and what happened after the visit. Look at the most recent months, because staff and service quality change.
- Detail: “Fixed the AC drain leak in one visit” tells you more than “Great service!”
- Recency: a strong record from three years ago says little about today.
- Complaints: read the negative reviews and how the company replied. A calm, specific reply that fixes the problem is a good sign.
- Too perfect: a page of short, five-star reviews with no detail is a reason to look harder.
Questions to Send: How to Choose a Home Maintenance Company in Dubai
Copy these nine questions into an email or message before you book. A good company will answer all of them in writing.
- Which of your services fit my job, and would you use a specialist for any part of it?
- What is your trade licence number, and which activities does it cover?
- Who does any electrical or other regulated work, and what approval do they hold?
- Can you send your current public liability insurance certificate?
- Will your own employed technicians do the work, with company ID?
- What are your response times for urgent faults, and are they in the contract?
- Will you send a written, itemised quote before starting?
- What warranty do you give on workmanship, in writing?
- Can you share recent customers or reviews for similar jobs?
One practical tip: try a new provider on one small paid job before you sign anything long-term. You learn more from one visit than from any brochure.
How Zia Luxury Answers These Checks
Zia Luxury’s experts work the same way on every job:
- Short scope call to understand the problem and the property.
- Written quote with all costs listed upfront, before any work starts.
- Our own technicians carry out the work.
- Response times in writing for urgent faults.
What we don’t do: we are a maintenance company, not a property manager, so we don’t collect rent or manage tenants. Some problems need someone else first: report a gas smell to the gas provider and leave the property, report building-wide power or water failures to your building management or DEWA, and have structural cracks assessed by a specialist.
Costs are quoted after a short scope call, with all costs listed upfront.
Frequently Asked Question
A general maintenance company handles everyday repairs across trades: AC servicing, leaks, electrical faults, painting and small carpentry. A specialist focuses on one trade, such as a new HVAC system or major electrical work. Use a general company for routine upkeep and a licensed specialist for installations or complex technical faults.
Contractors price each work type separately. Softscape (soil, planting, lawn) is usually AED 50–100 per sq m and hardscape (paving, walls, decking) AED 150–300 per sq m. Your blended rate depends on how much of the garden is paved versus planted.
It depends on your tenancy contract. Many contracts make tenants responsible for small repairs, while major repairs and system replacements usually stay with the landlord. Read your contract before booking, and ask your landlord in writing if it is unclear. Our property maintenance page explains how we work with owners and tenants.
How do I check a maintenance company's trade licence?
Ask for the licence number, then search it, or the registered trade name, on the Department of Economy and Tourism’s online licence search. Check that the licence is active, has not expired and lists activities that cover your job. Free zone companies appear on their own free zone register instead.
Want answers to all nine checks from us in writing? Talk to our team and we will send them before you book. |
