Every Dubai homeowner and tenant eventually faces the same question: should I pay a fixed annual fee to keep my home maintained, or just call someone when something breaks? An Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) promises predictability and prevention. Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) promises you only spend when you have to. Both are legitimate choices — the right one depends on your property, your tolerance for surprises, and a bit of honest maths.
This guide walks through the numbers without sales spin, explains what is typically included (and excluded), and helps you decide which model genuinely fits your situation.
An AMC is a yearly agreement under which a provider takes responsibility for the routine upkeep of your home's core systems — usually air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, and general handyman work — across a set number of scheduled visits, plus a defined response to breakdowns.
The core promise is a shift from reactive to preventive. Instead of waiting for the AC to fail in July, a technician services it in spring. Instead of discovering a slow leak when the ceiling stains, someone checks the seals on a schedule.
You can size a plan for your own home against our wider maintenance services.
Indicative PAYG rates in Dubai (starting from, +5% VAT, confirmed on assessment):
Let's be concrete. Consider a typical 2-bedroom apartment. Our indicative Basic-tier AMC for a 2BR is around AED 1,700 per year.
Now imagine a fairly ordinary year on PAYG:
That is roughly AED 925 before parts — and crucially, that is a good year with no major failure. Add a single significant event — a compressor issue, a burst flexi-hose, a failed water heater — and you can clear the AMC price in one incident.
The honest summary: on routine costs alone, a Basic AMC and PAYG are often broadly comparable. The AMC pulls clearly ahead when you factor in two things PAYG cannot price: prevention and the cost of doing nothing.
This is where AMC value is genuinely understated by simple arithmetic.
A small leak under a sink is an AED 150 fix today. Ignored, that same leak can mean swollen cabinetry, damaged flooring, a mould problem, and — if it reaches a neighbour below — a liability dispute that runs into thousands. A clogged AC drain is a quick clean today; left alone, it can mean water damage to ceilings and walls.
The PAYG model has a hidden flaw: nobody is looking until it's already a problem. An AMC's scheduled visits exist specifically to catch the small things before they compound. You are not really buying repairs — you are buying someone whose job it is to notice.
Usually included:
Usually excluded (billed separately):
Always read the inclusions list. A cheap AMC that excludes everything useful is not a bargain. Ask precisely what a "visit" covers and how parts are priced.
A one-size AMC rarely fits. Our plans scale on two axes — property size and service tier — so you only pay for the level of cover you need.
Indicative Basic-tier annual pricing (×1.0):
Property Indicative AMC (Basic) 1BR apartment AED 1,400 2BR apartment AED 1,700 3BR apartment AED 2,000 4BR apartment AED 2,800 Townhouse AED 2,800 3BR villa AED 2,800 4BR villa AED 3,400 5BR villa AED 4,500Tiers then multiply the base:
All figures are indicative, exclusive of 5% VAT, and confirmed after assessment.
A villa is not just "a bigger apartment." It typically has more AC units, more bathrooms, often a private garden and water systems, and more exposed exterior to the Dubai elements. More systems means more potential failure points — and a higher payoff from prevention. This is why villa AMCs sit higher, and why villa owners tend to see the clearest return: there is simply more that an annual plan keeps an eye on.
Apartment residents, especially in newer buildings where the developer or owners' association already covers structural systems, may find a Basic plan focused on AC and in-unit plumbing is all they need.
An AMC makes sense if you:
PAYG may suit you if you:
There is no universally "right" answer — only the right answer for your property.
We are a young company, founded in 2025, and we would rather earn trust than oversell. For most villas and family homes, an AMC pays for itself through prevention and one avoided disaster. For a small, modern apartment, PAYG is often perfectly sensible — and we are happy to serve you that way too, with transparent maintenance rates and no pressure.
Get a tailored quote: Call or WhatsApp +971 50 928 5264 for a free assessment. We'll give you the real numbers for your home — and tell you honestly if PAYG is the better fit.