Rent regulation in the State of Qatar The latest amendment to the rental law aims to reduce the escalation of real estate rental prices and regulate the relationship between landlord and tenant in the State of Qatar.
The law sets a rent ceiling, establishes offices for registering lease contracts, forms a rental dispute settlement committee, and regulates the relationship between landlord and tenant. The law applies to all industrial, commercial or residential establishments. It does not apply to public or state property, agricultural lands, vacant lands, industrial lands, tourist accommodation, and housing units designated for employees of companies operating in Qatar or state employees. Registration of lease contracts
Rental offices have a mandatory record of rental contracts, which must include the following information: • Name, nationality and address of the owner and the tenant
• Term of the lease
• Rental price
• Payment method
• Description of units
• The purpose of the lease and any other terms agreed upon between the parties
Landlords must register new leases within 30 days of entering into contracts, and penalties are imposed for late registration. The service providers must also inform the offices within 30 days of providing the services. Rental Disputes Rental Disputes The Rent Dispute Resolution Committee, headed by a judge and two members appointed by the Minister, is responsible for settling all disputes. The landlord may submit a request to the Rental Dispute Resolution Committee to evict the tenant from the unit in the following cases:
• The tenant did not pay the rent on time without an acceptable excuse.
• The tenant subletting or assigning the unit to a third party without obtaining the owner’s permission.
• The tenant’s use of the unit in a manner that violates the terms of the lease or is against public order and morals.