neeeeeeeeeek Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Need more info from the OP. What are they actually offering you? Flights? Accommodation? With no strings or do you need to pay those back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJC1 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I read someplace that the Dubai property market was in state of total collapse. They could be chasing pennies. Make sure you have a return flight home, haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callippo Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 luckily planes do fly to the UK not only every day, but many planes to several airports dotted around the UK archipelago every day. So it's not like it's somewhere where you've come to the end of the line on Tuesday, but there's no plane out until Friday. You can disappear same day. to be really cool just walk into a travel agents and ask them about a flight to the UK when the time comes that you've come to the end of the line. They'll say, 'where in the UK do you want to go?' Just act like you couldn't care less and say 'anywhere. It doesn't matter. Have you seen how small it is?' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunzi Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I did it without the fiance and child bit. Not regretting it so far. A long way from that in fact! April is best time to come for tax purposes, as long as you stay for the full year, then if you don’t like it, you can go home relatively risk free. Met quite a few estate agents out here, my friend was one who worked on commission only, thats the only thing I wouldn’t really recommend. Its cut throat industry, but then it is in the UK. The bigger estate agents fees are around 5000AED, smaller ones 3000AED of which you get ‘half’. Most have people are dedicated to areas such as Marina or Downtown. If one of your colleagues takes the enquiry via a friend and forwards it to you, they get half of your half. So it can be difficult to make the £50/60K you’re quoting. You get more for selling properties and dealing with landlords direct, but I don’t know what the fees are on that really. My friend has now left so I don’t see that group to ask either. She didn’t leave because she hated it though, liked it more than me, she left for love back home. I reckon she’ll be out again next year. Rent can be as much or as little as you want. Decent one beds in a nice area start at 70,000AED, two beds about 85,000AED. You can sometimes split it over several cheques depending on landlord. I’m unsure of what happens though with regard to this for you, generally a company needs to provide a letter of no contest to the bank to secure any loan for rent. If you don’t have a salary I’m not sure how it’d work. Ask them what their procedures are for that. My friend rented a room only so it didn’t apply to her. You’ll need a car due to the large area you’ll need to cover as agent. All though there is a metro system, you can still be miles away from the nearest station, it won’t be any fun walking to these buildings in the 50 degree heat in summer. Anything more than a mile and you’re drenched, even at 9 in the morning. Food is cheaper, petrol is a lot less than half price of UK. Clothes etc are about same, electronics tend to be cheaper too. Alcohol is much more expensive, if you are looking to get drunk then brunches are best option generally, these tend to be 400AED mark but are all you can eat and drink for 4 hours. Very good fun and you get to meet a lot of people this way, but get a bit messy. Dubai is very social but friend turnover is high as very few people move here to live forever. It’s a stopgap. Typically a company should pay for your flight here, guarantee a flight home and pay for your visa. Visa should be in place before you arrive but its not uncommon for it not to be and you ‘holiday’ here first while its all sorted. Visa’s aren’t that expensive but a lot of people bottle coming out so companies are now wary of spending the money upfront with no way to get it back. One big thing here, your company won’t sponsor your fiancés Visa. I think you need to be married for that to occur. As you have a child also I believe that will make things much worse. Laws on spouses and children are very specific, they matter particularly if you get caught, but ‘officially’ you and your fiancé would need separate addresses should the police ever interview you. There are cases where people who have been living together for 15 years have come to Dubai on holiday to the hotel, got in argument, been arrested then spent the rest of their holiday in jail as they were staying in the same room and were unmarried. You need to look into this more specifically as well, checkout the expat Forums. There are a lot of scare stories on issues like this, but just like anywhere, bad things can and do happen to good people. As said, you’ve got some serious issues to investigate first, but if you are able to make the move, on the whole I would recommend you do so. I have no regrets. If there’s anything specific you want to ask please feel free. Will do my best to answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadogo Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 The words 'Commission Only' are a worry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdleUrchin Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 Need more info from the OP. What are they actually offering you? Flights? Accommodation? With no strings or do you need to pay those back? What they're doing/investing: 1. Visa's and all other paperwork 2. Flights and two weeks rent (re payable after 6 months) 3. Car for two weeks (re payable after 6 months) They have recommended I have at least £4k to take with me to tide me over until I start earning. None of this £4k is given to the company and to be fair to them they will not employ me unless I provide proof that I have the cash in my account. They seem like a fairly big deal and I have spoken to some of their staff who seem happy and confirm they are earning good money. Obviously all of the process so far has been done over the phone. My concerns are: 1. Commision only - although the rate is very high there is NO safety next should I struggle to settle or to hit targets. 2. The country - I have been to Dubai airport (stopover to Sri Lanka) but I really don't know whether I'll like it or not and again as I'm not earning a salary if this starts to affect my work I'll be in bother. 3. My partner and son - I really don't know how being away from them for 3 months will go. We're a very tight and happy little unit and it will be very difficult for all of us. 4. The weather - Great at the moment as it's winter (around 27c) but in the summer it'll be 40c to 50c which I may struggle to adapt to. I'm really torn. 50/50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadogo Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 What they're doing/investing: 1. Visa's and all other paperwork 2. Flights and two weeks rent (re payable after 6 months) 3. Car for two weeks (re payable after 6 months) They have recommended I have at least £4k to take with me to tide me over until I start earning. None of this £4k is given to the company and to be fair to them they will not employ me unless I provide proof that I have the cash in my account. They seem like a fairly big deal and I have spoken to some of their staff who seem happy and confirm they are earning good money. Obviously all of the process so far has been done over the phone. My concerns are: 1. Commision only - although the rate is very high there is NO safety next should I struggle to settle or to hit targets. 2. The country - I have been to Dubai airport (stopover to Sri Lanka) but I really don't know whether I'll like it or not and again as I'm not earning a salary if this starts to affect my work I'll be in bother. 3. My partner and son - I really don't know how being away from them for 3 months will go. We're a very tight and happy little unit and it will be very difficult for all of us. 4. The weather - Great at the moment as it's winter (around 27c) but in the summer it'll be 40c to 50c which I may struggle to adapt to. I'm really torn. 50/50. Erm odd. Is it signed by Chief Olobango ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdleUrchin Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 Erm odd. Is it signed by Chief Olobango ? No really. Just due dilligence. When they first started they had people going over with no cash to support themselves and they ended up having to go home after a few weeks. They also had people going over and living off credit cards assuming they'd then be able to just pay them off. They don't ask for any of the money they just want confirmation that I can support myself until my commission starts coming through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadogo Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 No really. Just due dilligence. When they first started they had people going over with no cash to support themselves and they ended up having to go home after a few weeks. They also had people going over and living off credit cards assuming they'd then be able to just pay them off. They don't ask for any of the money they just want confirmation that I can support myself until my commission starts coming through. Due diligence works both ways. Have you done much research on the organisation ? Is it incorporated in England and Wales, for example, or has it a branch office here ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey104 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Also if you stay less than two years you will have to pay UK tax on what you earned over there. Bearing in mind you can only spend 180 days over that period in the Uk. I used to work outside the EU and had 3weeks leave every 9 weeks which meant that on one set of leave I would fly to another country and spend my leave there in order not to break the 180 day rule therefore avoiding paying tax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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