A villa move is not a bigger apartment move. It runs across two days, involves spaces an apartment does not have, and swaps the service lift problem for a community access one. This checklist covers what changes.
Plan for two days, not one
For four bedrooms and above, a packing day followed by a moving day is the standard and sensible approach. Compressing it into one produces a fourteen-hour day where the most fragile items are handled last by a tired crew. If a mover quotes a five-bedroom villa as a single day, ask how many people they are bringing and what time they expect to finish.
Community access
- Ask community management what contractor pass is needed and how far ahead to apply.
- Get the vehicle registration and crew names to your mover early — most communities need them submitted in advance.
- Check the permitted working hours, and whether weekend moves are allowed. This varies between communities and sometimes between clusters.
- Confirm the truck can reach the property. Some townhouse clusters have narrow approaches and shared parking.
- If you are moving into a newly handed-over villa, check whether developer snagging access clashes with your date.
The spaces people forget
On almost every villa survey, the living areas are what people show us and the following are what add half a day:
- The garden — patio furniture, barbecue, planters, garden storage, play equipment
- The garage — tools, bicycles, sports equipment, spare furniture
- The store room and the maid’s room
- The roof terrace, if there is one
- Under-stair cupboards and the utility area
Walk all of them at survey. Large potted plants in particular are heavy, awkward, easy to forget and impossible to add on the day.
Appliances
- Establish which appliances are yours and which belong to the landlord before the survey, not on the day.
- Empty, switch off and defrost fridges and freezers the night before so they drain rather than leak.
- Disconnect washing machines in advance if you can, and secure the drum if you still have the transit bolts.
- Anything hard-plumbed or gas-connected needs a licensed technician. Book it separately — a mover cannot legally do it.
What stays and what goes
In a rented villa this is the most valuable ten minutes of the survey. Built-in wardrobes, fitted kitchen units and fixed shelving are part of the property. Landlord furniture stays. Curtain rails are usually the landlord’s and usually assumed to be yours. Get the boundary recorded on the quote — it is also the document you would want if you ever needed to make an insurance claim.
Moving day and the day after
- Have the gate pass and your Emirates ID ready for community security.
- Decide furniture placement room by room before the truck is unloaded — moving a wardrobe twice is a waste of everybody’s time.
- If more furniture is being delivered in the following weeks, leave those rooms clear rather than filling them.
- Check the garden, garage and store room at the old property before the truck leaves.
- Take the DEWA final reading, and confirm the new account is active.
More on how we run these on the villa moving page, and on what applies in Dubai Hills Estate.