Good news for tenants / owners
There is a strong possibility the new rent law, which is likely to be brought into force sooner rather than later, might make it mandatory for tenancy contracts to be registered with a government department.
This might be done to ensure that none of the two parties to an agreement is able to do things at will to harm the other in violation of the provisions of the law. The idea is basically to protect the rights of both property owners and tenants.
A whole new department might be set up for the purpose within the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture (MMAA). It could be duly empowered to take care of the entire registration process, it is learnt.
Delay in registering a contract or not registering it at all may attract fines. In other words, tenancy agreements which are not registered with the designated authorities would be considered violating the law.
There is also a likelihood the proposed law may have provisions for setting up two powerful committees. One of them, it is learnt, could look into disputes between property owners and tenants, while the other to receive complaints and grievances from landlords as well as tenants.
The panel to be entrusted with looking into complaints regarding rent hikes or forcible or illegal eviction is most likely to be headed by a sitting judge of a court. This would mean that the panel could also hear complaints about officials who have been assigned the responsibility to hear and decide disputes between landlords and tenants.
The objective is to make sure there is maximum transparency and fair play in the new system and no discrimination is done against anyone involved in a dispute. Besides, considering that a rent law directly involves people at large and their basic needs, a special department of the MMAA might be entrusted with the responsibility to implement it (the proposed legislation).
The law, which most of the people here are eagerly looking forward to, would aim at striking a balance between the rights of owners and tenants and prevent injustice being done to either of them. The draft of the legislation was framed after extensive studies conducted by experts.
Later, a committee went through it and looked at minute details. The panel drew members from several ministries, including the MMAA and the Ministry of Economy and Commerce.
if you hear the infamous words " you need to leave because i need the house for my family", true or not, pack your bags because its the 'loophole' that is not going anywhere, no matter how good your contract loks!!
Humanity is simply a parade of fools....and im right at the front twirling the biggest baton anyones ever seen.
I think there is a propaganda war going on with authorities trying to spread rumours that there will be good News for tenants.
I wonder how many more rumours are in the pipeline.
Reminds me of the story where the people are protesting outside the palace for umeployment and the high prices of grocery. The ruler asks his minister what are these people doing outside my palace. the minister tells him that they have come out of their homes and are doing walks just to keep themselves healthy and fit.
any day can be a good day and a nice beginning may be they realize that this rental hike can have short term benefit but for long term development they need to make it more cosier and expat friendly
There have been many such announcements over the past three years. Here's one Qatari posted in October 2005:
http://www.qatarliving.com/blog/qatari/rents_to_fall_in_qatar
Since then, there has been 30 percent rent inflation, year on year. And still the announcements continue of a rent decrease just around the corner:
http://www.google.com/search?q=rents+to+fall+site%3Aqatarliving.com
Eventually, even the local journalists might begin to question the believability of official statements.
the law only effective if the authority implement it. So far the people who influenced the law are owning the majority of compound in Doha / Qatar. There always be a loophole ...
Its a good start though ... let see how it goes ...