Inside a Food App Founder's Dh155,000 Four-Bedroom Villa in Dubai's Villanova

My Dubai Rent takes you inside a reader’s home to have a look at what they get for their money, how much they pay in rent and asks them what they like and don’t like. Briton Andrew Burgess has called Dubai home since 2007 and is in his fourth year renting a four-bedroom house in Dubai’s Villanova community.

The 51-year-old founder of a food app, called Forked Up, pays Dh155,000 a year to lease the home he shares with wife Lucy, nine-year-old son Cyrus, Nancy their nanny, plus rescue pets Jack the cat and dog Harley.

Mr Burgess showed around the property, explaining that the house features three bathrooms, a large open-plan kitchen, dining and living area, a maid’s room, a balcony, and a garden. The downstairs bedroom has been converted into his office, and the family has also adopted three stray cats that now live in the garden.

Reflecting on his rental journey in Dubai, Mr Burgess noted that before Villanova they lived in Mira, which they loved until rising rents priced them out. Earlier chapters included living in Al Barsha and Jumeirah Beach Residence. For their current home in Villanova, he initially negotiated Dh145,000 paid in a single cheque and locked it in for three years, which provided much-needed stability in a fast-moving market.

The family chose Villanova to balance budget, space, and location, seeking a family-friendly community with green spaces and a neighbourhood atmosphere. The community offers numerous amenities within walking distance, including a Geant supermarket, butcher, pharmacy, optician, pet shop, coffee shops, and easy access to major roads like Emirates Road and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road.

Looking ahead, after nearly two decades in Dubai, the family hopes to buy their own home in Villanova or the wider Dubailand area within the next year or so to put down more permanent roots.