LANDLORDS ALLOWED TO RAISE RENTS OF HOUSES
Landlords allowed to raise rents of houses
Web posted at: 2/16/2010 5:30:22
Source ::: THE PENINSULA/ By MOBIN PANDIT & MOHAMED SAEED
By MOBIN PANDIT & MOHAMED SAEED
DOHA: Qatar yesterday passed a new rent law that retains most of the provisions of the 2008 legislation except that landlords will now be free to raise rents of residential properties on their whims and fancies.
Conversely, depending on the demand and supply situation, tenants will now be in a position to haggle and insist that landlords reduce the rent.
The new law, however, freezes the rents of shops and other commercial premises for one more year, that is, until February 14, 2011.
The 2010 legislation, nevertheless, specifies some conditions under which the owner of a shop or commercial property can move the authorities concerned to evict a tenant from the premises even when the tenancy agreement is valid.
The law (Number 2 of 2010) was ratified by the Emir, H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, yesterday, amending Article 27 of the previous law (Law No. 4 of 2008) in respect of shops and commercial properties.
Article 27 stipulated that all rent contracts (whether residential or commercial) were to remain valid until February 14, 2010.
Its amendment in respect of commercial properties means that while residential rents can now be raised or reduced by the landlords, commercial rents will remain frozen for one more year, until February 14, 2011.
After Qatar News Agency reported that Law No. 2 of 2010 had been passed, the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning issued a clarification giving details of the conditions under which the owner of a shop or commercial property can move to evict a tenant.
If a tenant is not paying rent on time without any valid reason and without the permission of the authorities or has sublet part of a property or in full without the landlord’s written permission, he can be evicted. A tenant can also be evicted if a property is not being used for the purpose for which it was rented out, or if the building in which a rented property is housed is not safe, or the property is over 15 years old and earmarked for demolition. A tenant can also be removed if a shop is located within a residential building and the landlord wants it back for family use. A landlord is required to serve a notice of eviction on a tenant of a shop or other commercial property at least six months in advance, says the new law.
The Peninsula
'But the tenants should carefully avoid greedy middlemen who have no office, no license and no ethics, and by their pronounciation you can identify them.'
rdsouza: are we getting into racial and ethnic profiling again.... sigh.....
Demand and supply will determine the market. But the tenants should carefully avoid greedy middlemen who have no office, no license and no ethics, and by their pronounciation you can identify them.
there are always going to be greedy LL's and agents out there, the current market is dictating that tenants have a good selection of properties to choose from. Any tenant who does a bit of research and looks around will find a suitable property within their budget, and there is only more supply coming onto the market.....
that demand is lower than supply, greedy owner or middlemen always capitalize with the law. Anyway it is up to the tenant to chose wisely.
"Adda ti adal na, ngem awan ti sursuro na."
pinoyaccountant, what a load of rubbish you talk....there is far more supply in the market than demand....I have just renewed my lease for another 12 months and negoiated a nice $$$ reduction in rental....asute landlords know this
...mr qatar gets the point..... high rents are paid for by Qatar itself, especially those who work in O&G. Its a fake market...
if they want to increase rent,,then they must have to increase the salaries..
"War is not fought to determin who is right, only who is left".
Well I negotiated my rent down on my place, so the market works in both directions.
OK I could go with some regulation. Maybe no more than 20% a year.
My point is that people complain about the rent increases but if it was them renting out properties they would do exactly the same. Its only not fair to them when they are on the receiving end...
"they are allowed to raise rents...so that means they are not allowed to reduce rents"? what a nonsense is that?
*********************
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small compared to what lies within us."
Oliver Wendell Holmes
not allowed to reduce rents... come on!!!
"Adda ti adal na, ngem awan ti sursuro na."
robertothebrave, it shouldn't be dictated but it certainly should be REGULATED, like everything what we call a "Free Market" is regulated in the civilized countries.. And that’s what Qatar government tries to do. Few years ago when the rent went high out of control the Government, to support the tenants, restricted the rent raise to 10% every two years.. now situation is changed and government, trying to support landlords, gives them rights to raise or reduce the rent according to the demand. Wise.
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"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small compared to what lies within us."
Oliver Wendell Holmes
increase in rent like in UAE the landlord cannot increase the rent more then 7% annually.
Why is it not fair? If you had a property to rent should the govt dictate the price for you?
It is not fair...
"Adda ti adal na, ngem awan ti sursuro na."