Annual maintenance contracts are sold as peace of mind and often written as a list of visits. Judge one the same way you would judge a construction scope: what is included, what is excluded and what happens when something breaks.
Preventive versus reactive
Preventive work is scheduled: AC servicing, filter changes, plumbing and electrical checks, water tank and pump inspections, sealant and grout reviews. Reactive work is what you call about at nine on a Friday evening.
A good contract prices both, states response times for reactive calls and does not pretend the two are the same thing.
Read the exclusions first
Spare parts, consumables, specialist equipment, works above a value threshold and anything caused by misuse are commonly excluded. That is reasonable — but it should be written down, not discovered later.
Ask what you receive after each visit
A visit without a report is difficult to value. Expect a short record per visit: what was checked, what was found, what was done and what needs attention next time, with photographs.
What an AMC costs in Dubai, and what changes the price
For a typical two-bedroom apartment in JVC, Studio City or Business Bay, a comprehensive AMC covering AC servicing, plumbing, electrical and general handyman visits generally sits between AED 1,200 and AED 2,800 a year. A four to five-bedroom villa in Arabian Ranches, Mudon or Jumeirah Park with multiple AC units, a garden and sometimes a pool typically runs AED 3,500 to AED 9,000.
Price is driven by unit count, visit frequency and how much material is included. A contract at half the market rate is usually two visits and a very long exclusions list.
- Number of AC units and whether they are split, ducted or chilled water
- Visit frequency: quarterly is the practical minimum in this climate
- Whether consumables such as filters, washers and gaskets are included
- Emergency response window, and whether call-outs are charged separately
- Pool, landscape and pest control as add-ons or bundled cover
Is an AMC worth it, honestly?
If you own one apartment and you are handy, you can manage reactively. The moment you have a villa, a tenant, several AC units or a property you do not live in, an AMC stops being a convenience and becomes cheaper than the alternative. One duct-blocked compressor failure in August costs more than most annual contracts.
For landlords there is a second benefit that rarely gets mentioned: a documented maintenance history shortens tenancy disputes, supports service-charge conversations and makes a property noticeably easier to re-let.
AMC coverage across Dubai
We run annual maintenance contracts for apartments in JVC, JVT and Sports City and for villas in Mudon, Motor City and Arabian Ranches, typically covering AC servicing and duct cleaning, plumbing, electrical, handyman visits and reactive call-outs. Villas with multiple split or ducted units get quarterly checks; apartments are usually well covered twice a year.
We'll happily review an existing AMC with you line by line, whether or not the work ends up with us.