The two permissions
DET (formerly DTCM) holiday home permit and Emaar Community Management NOC. Both unit-specific. Confirm Lofts OA short-let policy with ECM before relying on short-let revenue.
- DET holiday home permit — initial AED 320 to AED 1,070; annual AED 1,500 to AED 5,000
- Refundable security deposit
- Building NOC from Emaar Community Management
- Comprehensive insurance
- Tourism Dirham per night
- Guest registration in DET system within 3 hours
What the loft aesthetic does for short-let
Design-led units convert better on Airbnb than standard apartment listings — particularly in the design-conscious traveller segment. The Lofts' open-plan layouts and ceiling heights provide the visual character that listings need to stand out. Refurbished units with strong photography routinely command above-average ADR.
Setup and penalties
Year-one setup AED 4,000-7,000 plus per-night Tourism Dirham. Operating without permit attracts AED 5,000-200,000 fines.