Apartment AMC in Dubai for studios to 4-bed flats
An apartment AMC in Dubai is one yearly contract for the equipment inside your front door that the building's FM will not touch: the fan coil unit or split AC, the taps, cisterns and water heater, and the circuits from your DB board outwards. Samra's Essential plan starts from AED 1,500 a year, billed quarterly at AED 375, with two planned visits, a service log after each one and a 24/7 priority line for faults in between.
What an apartment AMC covers inside a Dubai tower
The checks repeat on every visit. The cooling system is what changes between buildings.
Chilled-water FCUs on district cooling
Many Dubai towers run on chilled water from a district cooling provider such as Empower, or from the building's own chiller plant. Responsibility splits three ways:
- The cooling provider maintains its plant and network up to the building's energy transfer station.
- The building's management company maintains the common chilled-water system (risers, pumps, plant room), funded by service charges.
- The unit owner looks after the fan coil unit inside the apartment: filter, coil, thermostat, condensate tray and drain line, and the valves and actuator at the unit.
Exactly where the line falls is set by your building's management rules, so check with the FM. On each visit we clean the filter and coil face, flush the condensate tray and drain line, check the control valve opens and closes on demand, calibrate the thermostat and look for sweating pipe insulation. A blocked FCU drain is the usual reason water comes through a ceiling at peak humidity. The full task list is on our AHU and FCU servicing page, and repairs to in-apartment chilled-water and ducted systems are covered on our central AC service page.
Split units in low-rise and older buildings
Many low-rise and older buildings use wall-mounted or ducted splits instead. The visit then adds a gas pressure check, the outdoor coil on the balcony or roof, and contactor and capacitor checks. Allow roughly 60–90 minutes per split unit. See residential AC services for the wider scope.
Plumbing fixtures inside the unit
We check mixers and cartridges, cisterns, angle valves and the flexible hoses under basins and behind the washing machine, because a perished hose is a common cause of water in the flat below. Drain traps, shower and basin sealant, and the water heater's thermostat, element and pressure relief valve are checked too. Anything hidden in a wall goes to leak detection.
Electrics inside the unit
The DB board gets a thermal scan, an RCD trip test and an MCB inspection, and we look for heat marks on sockets, switches and the isolators feeding the heater and AC. A board that has outgrown its load is quoted separately as a DB board upgrade.
What an apartment AMC does not cover
| Item | Who handles it |
|---|---|
| Cooling plant, chilled-water risers, pumps, leaks from risers or the flat above | Cooling provider or building management |
| Replacement parts (FCU motor, thermostat, actuator, cartridge, heater element) | Quoted at AMC rates, fitted only after you approve |
| Refrigerant top-ups outside the scheduled service | Quoted separately |
| Duct cleaning and indoor air quality audits | Separate services |
| Repainting beyond touch-ups, renovation, pest control, cleaning | Separate quote or not offered |
Tenant or landlord: who pays for an apartment AMC
In Dubai the default sits with the landlord. Article 16 of Law No. 26 of 2007, the tenancy law, makes the landlord responsible for maintenance and for repairing defects that affect the tenant's use of the property, unless the parties agree otherwise. Article 19 asks the tenant to look after the property as an ordinary person would, and not to carry out maintenance works without the landlord's permission.
"Unless agreed otherwise" is the part that matters, because many tenancy contracts move routine AC servicing, or repairs under a set amount, onto the tenant. In practice:
- Landlords of let apartments usually hold the AMC. We agree visit times with the tenant and send the service log to the landlord.
- Owner-occupiers hold it for themselves.
- Tenants take one when the contract makes servicing their job, or to document every visit before move-out.
Article 21 expects the flat back in the condition it was handed over, apart from ordinary wear and tear, so a dated service log is useful evidence for both sides. Our guide on who pays for AC servicing in a Dubai tenancy covers the usual clauses. This is general information, not legal advice. Your signed contract decides, and unresolved disputes go to the Rent Disputes Settlement Centre at the Dubai Land Department.
Building access, NOCs and the concierge
In most managed towers, access is the part that needs arranging.
- Access request. Most building managements want a request or work permit first, often with a trade licence copy and technician IDs. Some ask for a method statement and risk assessment, which we provide on request.
- Hours and the service lift. Many towers restrict contractor hours and need service-lift bookings, so we schedule inside those windows.
- Chilled-water isolation. If your FCU's isolation valves sit in a corridor riser cupboard, the building's MEP technician may need to isolate the unit first.
- Keys. If nobody is home, leave a key and a signed authorisation with the concierge. The service record shows who entered and when.
- Failed visits. The contract states who arranges access and what happens when it fails.
Essential plan and apartment AMC prices
Essential is built for apartments: AED 375 a quarter (AED 1,500 a year) for two scheduled visits across AC, plumbing and electrical, priority dispatch when something breaks, and a service log after every visit. Larger apartments usually suit Home: AED 625 a quarter (AED 2,500 a year), adding up to four visits, an annual AC coil clean, an annual property condition report and faster priority dispatch.
| Apartment size | AMC price per year | Plan it usually fits |
|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1-bed | AED 1,500–2,500 | Essential |
| 2-bed | AED 2,500–4,500 | Essential or Home, by unit count |
| 3–4 bed | AED 4,000–7,500 | Home |
The number of FCUs or split units drives most of the difference, followed by concealed FCUs behind small ceiling access panels, the scope tier and building access rules. Two- and three-year contracts usually come in 5–10% lower. Parts are quoted separately at AMC rates. The full breakdown is on our AMC cost in Dubai guide, and all three plans are on the main annual maintenance contract page.
When an apartment AMC is not worth it
Better to hear this before you sign than at renewal.
- A studio or 1-bed with one unit and no faults. Two one-off services at AED 150–300 each usually cost less. Book AC servicing as needed.
- Your building already services FCUs. Some buildings run a filter and drain programme for every unit through the service charge. Ask the FM first.
- Your landlord already holds an AMC. Don't buy a second contract for the same flat.
- You are renovating soon. Finish the apartment renovation, then start the AMC.
- You are moving out within months. One service and a move-out repaint is the better spend.
Apartment AMC visit calendar
| When | Essential | Home | What gets done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar–Apr | Visit 1 | Visit 1 | Pre-summer service: filters, coil, drain, valves, thermostat; plumbing and water heater; DB thermal scan and RCD test |
| Jun–Jul | – | Visit 2 | Mid-summer check before the Jul–Sep humidity: filters, drain lines, thermostat readings |
| Oct–Nov | Visit 2 | Visit 3 | Post-summer service; coil clean on Home; wet-area sealant and leak check |
| Jan–Feb | – | Visit 4 | Condition check, small making-good, property condition report before renewal |
Between visits, rinse split-unit filters every 4–6 weeks in peak season.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an apartment AMC cost in Dubai?
Samra's Essential plan for apartments starts from AED 1,500 a year, paid as AED 375 a quarter. Studios and 1-beds sit at AED 1,500–2,500 a year, 2-beds at AED 2,500–4,500 and 3–4 bed apartments at AED 4,000–7,500. The number of AC or FCU units drives most of the difference, and we confirm a fixed annual fee in writing after a free site visit.
Is an AMC cheaper than paying for on-call repairs in an apartment?
It depends on how often the flat needs a technician. A 1-bed with one unit and no faults usually costs less on pay-per-service: two services at AED 150–300 each. With two or three units, a plumbing or electrical fault most years, or a summer breakdown, the included visits, no call-out fee on emergency visits and reduced repair labour usually bring the AMC out lower over twelve months.
Who pays for the AMC in a rented apartment?
Dubai's tenancy law puts maintenance on the landlord by default, unless the tenancy contract says otherwise, and many contracts move routine AC servicing or small repairs onto the tenant. Check your contract and any addendum first. Landlords of let flats usually hold the AMC and share the service log, while tenants take one when the contract makes servicing their responsibility.
Does an apartment AMC cover district cooling or chiller charges?
No. District cooling and chiller charges pay for the cooling itself and are billed by the provider or the building, so they sit outside any maintenance contract. The AMC covers the equipment inside your apartment: the FCU, thermostat, drain and valves at the unit, plus plumbing fixtures and electrics. The plant, risers and pumps belong to the building.
Water is dripping from my FCU onto the ceiling. Is that covered?
Yes, if the cause is inside your unit. A blocked condensate drain, cracked tray or failed drain line is AMC work: call the 24/7 priority line and we typically respond within 2 hours, day or night, with no call-out fee on emergency visits. If the water comes from a riser or the flat above, the building's FM handles it. More on why an AC leaks water.
Are spare parts included in an apartment AMC?
Labour on scheduled visits is included. Parts such as an FCU fan motor, thermostat, valve actuator, mixer cartridge or water heater element are quoted separately at AMC rates, and nothing chargeable is fitted until you approve a written price. Every repair carries our 6-month workmanship warranty on labour, and parts carry the manufacturer's own warranty.
Areas we cover
Same-day reach across Dubai. Tap your area for landmarks, communities and the services we deliver there — or tell us your building on WhatsApp.
Request an apartment AMC quote
Send the building name, the number of AC/FCU units and a photo of your DB board on WhatsApp. We quote a fixed annual fee after a free site visit, and the service log on every AMC visit goes to you and (if different) the landlord.
