Moving into a new home in the UAE is expensive before you even unpack a single box. Between agency fees, security deposits, and admin costs, renters can end up handing over 10% of their annual rent before they have even signed a contract. Takeem was built to change that.
We created Takeem to digitize every step of the renting process and cut the upfront cost of moving in half. Backed by insurance and powered by a fully digital platform, we believe online rent payments in Dubai should be simple, affordable, and transparent for everyone.
The Real Cost of Moving in the UAE
For most renters in the UAE, moving into a new home comes with a familiar financial shock. The traditional system requires:
- 5% agency fee paid to the broker (non-refundable)
- 5% security deposit held by the landlord
That adds up to 10% of your annual rent, paid upfront, before you move in. On a Dh100,000-a-year apartment, that is Dh10,000 gone before your furniture arrives. For millions of renters across the country, this is a real barrier to finding a home they can afford.
How Takeem Cuts Your Moving Costs in Half
Takeem replaces the traditional upfront payment model with an insurance-backed system. Here is how the numbers break down under our platform:
- 3% transaction charge for using the platform
- 1% security deposit insurance (replaces the 5% cash deposit)
- 1% rental guarantee insurance (protects the landlord against missed payments)
That brings the total to 5% instead of 10%, saving renters thousands of dirhams from day one.
Beyond the savings, Takeem digitizes the full rental journey. Our platform handles digital contracts, payment tracking, rental insurance, and even lets tenants rate their landlords and the services they receive. As our founder, Rakesh Mavath, explains it: “Here in Dubai, there are 12 steps to the entire renting process. Only the first one is currently digitized. We aim to make renting as easy as ordering groceries online.”
What Dh3 Billion in Savings Actually Means
The Dh3 billion figure represents what could happen when you apply our model to the UAE rental market at scale. By shifting from a 10% upfront cost to 5%, billions of dirhams that are currently locked in deposits or lost to agency fees stay in the hands of renters. That money does not disappear. It goes back into the economy through everyday spending, savings, and investment.
This is not just good for individual renters. It is good for the broader financial health of the country. When people are not scrambling to cover a large deposit, they have more flexibility in their housing choices and more money to spend in other areas of their lives.
Why Online Rent Payments in Dubai Are the Future
The UAE rental market has long been a paper-heavy, manual-heavy process. Security deposits are paid in cash or cheque. Contracts are signed in person. Disputes over deposits are common, and recovering that money can take months.
Takeem changes that by putting the entire rental journey on a single digital platform. From the moment you find a property to the day you move out, every step is trackable, documented, and protected by insurance. For landlords, this means verified tenants and guaranteed coverage against defaults. For tenants, it means no more chasing a landlord for a deposit refund.
The UAE is already one of the most digitally advanced economies in the world. But real estate has been slow to catch up. We think that is about to change.
Our Journey at the App Olympics
Takeem won the Best Advanced App category at the inaugural App Olympics, organized by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy as part of the “Create Apps in Dubai” initiative. The competition attracted over 1,100 entries from 64 countries, with winners in each of the four categories receiving a $150,000 package to develop and launch their apps.
The initiative was launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, as part of Dubai’s wider mission to become a global leader in mobile app development. It also directly supports the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which aims to digitize traditional industries like real estate and double the size of Dubai’s economy by 2033.
Winning the App Olympics was validation that the problem Takeem solves is real, and that our approach to solving it is the right one. The first version of the app launched for one month and received 500 reviews. That feedback gave us everything we needed to build the next version.
Ready to Start Saving on Your Next Home?
Signing up for Takeem is straightforward. Whether you are a tenant, a landlord, or a property agent, our platform is built to make renting easier for everyone involved.
Visit takeem.ai/sign-up to create your account and get started. The next time you move, you could keep thousands more in your pocket.