Move into the 21st century and let us pay our rent monthly...

It seems Dubai rents are creeping back up towards the dark old days and landlords are eyeing big money from scared tenants.

We’re all rightly concerned about where it’s all going but the whole situation would be so much better for all if ALL tenants, not just the lucky few, were able to pay their rent monthly.

This ridiculous situation of paying up-front for a year, or four cheques, or even six cheques, benefits nobody but the landlord.

I don’t know of anywhere else in the world with this ridiculous form of rent payments. I bet there are homeowners here who have property overseas in cities such as London and New York, for which they have to accept rent monthly, so why are they allowed to rip our eyes out in the UAE?

I would begrudgingly accept a five per cent increase in my rent if it was spread out over 12 months and not just an extra lump sum that I have to pay.

Paying monthly would reduce the need for people to take out loans to pay their rent and lower the risk of bouncing cheques and going to jail - but that’s a whole different argument.

Lawrence, Dubai