When moving to a new villa or apartment in Dubai, you should give some thought to moving your utility bills. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, or DEWA, is the authority that regulates everything to do with water supply, electricity and other utilities. That is why, when moving, it is important not to forget to transfer your DEWA connection to your new address. You can't transfer DEWA account to another person, but you can keep it for yourself. In this article, we will explain how to set up the Move To service and how long it takes to update the entire system.
Moving and Transferring Your Personal DEWA Connection
It is quite easy to transfer your DEWA connection when changing your place of residence within Dubai. You do not have to go anywhere and there is no need to fill out endless paperwork. Activating, transferring and deactivating DEWA services has been simplified in recent years.
When moving to a new apartment, villa or house in Dubai, you need to know about the DEWA Move To service. The Move To service keeps track of the whole process of transferring your personal account.
With the Move To service, you can deactivate water and power supply services in one house and activate them in another property almost simultaneously. Here’s how to do it:
- on the DEWA website
- on the DEWA mobile app
- in one of the Customer Happiness Centres
- in RERA, an authorised DLD agency (Property Management authorised centre)
- in the Dubai Land Department authorised office
The Move To service requires that all utility services provided by DEWA are deactivated at your old place and activated at the new property. Meanwhile, your personal account is not cancelled within the system. The only thing that changes is the address of your residence. However, before changing the address you must ensure that all your bills have been paid, and then apply for a transfer.
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For this, you will need a new Ejari contract. Ejari is the Dubai Land Department’s online system that keeps track of every single real estate tenancy agreement. You can obtain an Ejari contract in real estate agencies or DLD-authorised centres, state-approved private companies that can process documents for various government services.
Based on the new contract, the system creates an automatic transfer order. You do not need to submit additional documents, such as the original receipt for the security deposit.
Applying for Move To Online
DEWA relocation can also be done online, all you need is to go to the DEWA website and log into your account with your personal DEWA ID or UAE Pass. You then fill out the application form for account transfer providing the following information:
- Move-out date and time
- Move-out property number (Property Number DEWA, you can find it on the frame of the entrance door)
- Move-in property number
- Ejari number
- Account number of the property you are moving out of (Contract Account Number)
- Title deed (for property owners)
- Trade licence (for commercial and industrial clients)
- Passport image or Emirates ID number (for GCC nationals and investors)
Paying for DEWA Services
Once you have completed your application form, you need to pay for DEWA services. You have the following options:
- Customer Happiness Centres
- DEWA website
- DEWA Smart App
- Bank
- Noqodi payment service, Noqodi e-wallet and Noqodi Net Banking
- Etisalat payment terminals
- Tayseer Smart Collection Platform (Emirates NBD CDM machines)
- DubaiNow mobile app
- Empay mobile app
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Transfer of the Security Deposit
The security deposit that was paid during DEWA activation will be transferred to the account of the new property. The refundable security deposit is 2000 dirhams for apartments and 4000 for villas. If this amount is not enough, you will have to pay the difference using any DEWA payment channel.
After the transfer or additional payment of the security deposit, the water and power supply will be activated within 24 hours. Utilities at your old place of residence will be turned off on the specified moving out date.
Note! You can indicate any date for deactivation of the services in your previous apartment or villa. After all, you might need more time for packing, moving, cleaning or for repairs.
After your application is accepted, you will receive an email or a text message with a verification code. You can use it to track the status of your application. Later, you will receive a notification that your DEWA connection has been successfully activated at your new address.
In a Nutshell
DEWA is renowned for its convenience and versatility. You will not have any problems with activating, re-adjusting or turning off utility services in the UAE. With DEWA, you can pay your bills and receive services online from anywhere, anytime. In addition, there is a Move To service that helps to improve work efficiency and reduce the number of visitors at the customer service centres. Now, when moving, you just have to activate the service, and your account will be transferred to the new address.
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