DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) supplies electricity and water to homes in Dubai. When you rent, the DEWA account is normally in the tenant's name. Here is how it works.
Step 1: Register Ejari first
DEWA connection is linked to your Ejari (registered tenancy contract). In many cases, once Ejari is registered DEWA sends you a message with a link to pay the deposit and activate the account. If not, you can apply through the DEWA app or website.
Al Firouz registers [Ejari](/ejari) for our tenants — usually the same day if documents reach us before 2 pm.
What you need
The DEWA security deposit
DEWA asks for a refundable security deposit — currently AED 2,000 for apartments and AED 4,000 for villas — plus a connection fee, per DEWA's current requirements. You get the deposit back when you close the account, after the final bill is paid.
What is on your monthly bill
Cooling may be billed separately if your building uses district cooling — see [chiller-free vs paid chiller](/blog/chiller-free-vs-district-cooling-dubai).
Tips to keep bills down
Closing DEWA when you move out
Request final bill and deactivation through the DEWA app or website a few days before you hand back the keys. Pay the final bill and keep the clearance — your landlord will usually ask for it before returning your deposit. See our [moving out checklist](/blog/moving-out-dubai-checklist).