What should you ask any business setup company?
Choosing a consultant is a risk decision. You are paying before anything is filed, and a poor choice costs weeks and money. These ten questions work with any firm, including us.
| Question | A good answer | A warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Is your trade license valid, and can I check it? | A license number you can verify with the licensing authority. | No number, or a reluctance to share it. |
| Are government fees shown apart from your fee? | A written quote with each authority fee on its own line. | One total with no breakdown. |
| What is not included? | A list: office, visas, insurance, bank balance, renewals. | "Everything is included" with no list. |
| Who will actually handle my file? | A named person you can meet or call. | A sales contact who disappears after payment. |
| How long will it take, and what slows it? | A realistic range with the steps that can delay. | A guaranteed date or instant approval for everything. |
| What happens if the authority rejects the application? | A clear refund or re-filing rule in the contract. | No rule, or no refunds in any case. |
| Can I see recent independent reviews? | Reviews on a public profile you can open and read. | Only testimonials chosen by the firm. |
| What happens after the license? | Support for visas, bank, renewals and accounting. | Silence about renewals. |
| How do I pay? | A bank transfer or card, with a receipt and invoice. | Cash only, or payment to a personal account. |
| What will I pay next year? | A renewal estimate with the same line items. | No answer. |
How do you check a company's license?
Ask for the trade license number and the issuing authority, then check them yourself. A Dubai company holds a license from Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET) or from a free zone. The licensing authority can confirm the name, activity and expiry date.
Check that the activity covers consultancy or business setup, and that the license has not expired. A firm that is happy to be checked is a firm that expects to be trusted. Check the address too: it should match the office you can visit.
How do you compare fees between companies?
Two quotes can differ by thousands of dirhams for the same company, because one includes lines the other leaves out. Put them side by side and match each line.
- License, trade name and approvals. Are all of them in the quote?
- Chamber fee, establishment card and Ejari. Often missing from low quotes.
- Office and visas. Are the desk or office and the visa quota included?
- Medical, Emirates ID and insurance. Charged per person.
- The consultant's own fee. It should be a separate line.
See how the lines add up in our business setup cost guide and the trade license cost breakdown.
How much should you trust reviews?
Read reviews on a public profile you can open, not only on the firm's own site. Look at how recent they are, whether they describe a service and a timeline, and how the firm answers a bad one. A few detailed reviews tell you more than a high star count.
Be careful with a company that shows only five-star reviews with no detail, or that offers discounts in return for reviews. Ask for a reference you can call, and for a case where something went wrong and how it was fixed.
What should the contract say?
Read the contract before you pay. A good one is short, specific and in writing.
- Scope. What is being done, by whom, for which license and authority.
- Fees and payment schedule. Each government fee and the service fee, with when each is due.
- Timeline. Estimated durations and what can change them.
- Refunds. What happens if an application is rejected, and who pays for re-filing.
- Ownership of documents. You keep your license, trade name and files.
- Renewal terms. Who files, who pays and the expected cost.
Which red flags should make you walk away?
- A guaranteed approval or a guaranteed date for every case.
- A price far below every other quote, with no breakdown.
- Pressure to pay today to "lock" a price.
- Cash only, or payment to a personal account.
- No license number, no office you can visit, no named staff.
- Claims to be linked to a government authority. Private consultants are not part of the government.
- No renewal plan, and no mention of what you pay next year.
How does Startex answer each of these?
You should be able to test us the same way. This is what we can show you today.
| Question | Our answer |
|---|---|
| Valid license? | Dubai DET trade license number 1286119, issued to Startex Hub Businessman Services. Check it with DET. |
| Government fees shown apart? | Yes. Every quote lists government fees on their own lines, apart from our service fee. |
| What is not included? | Our quote states what is excluded, such as office rent, insurance and bank balance. |
| Who handles my file? | A named consultant from our team, with the file tracked in our client portal. |
| Timeline? | We give a range and name the steps that can slow it. |
| Reviews? | Our Google Business Profile is public. We add reviews to this site only when they are real and linked. |
| After the license? | Visas, PRO filings, bank account, accounting and renewals, with dates tracked for you. |
| Where are you? | Office 610, Al Moosa Tower 1, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM. |
Startex Hub Businessman Services is a private business consultancy. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any UAE government authority.
Written as a general guide. Official sources: Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET).