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Numerous Landlord-tenant dispute cases reported in Doha
The landlord-tenant disputes over rent-hikes continue to persist in Doha, despite enforcement of the new law which freezes increase in rent until 2010, reports The Peninsula.
According to legal sources, the numbers of rent-related disputes being filed in the courts, have infact, increased after the enforcement of the new legislation.
“We have seen an increase in the number of landlord-tenant disputes listed on the court notice boards, almost on a daily-basis,” says Lawyer Mohsin Thiyab Al Suwaidi.
As said by the Lawyer, one major factor for such a scenario is the lack of understanding of the new rent law, among both the landlords and tenants. For instance, very few people know that landlords who have not increased the rents during the two-year validity period of the previous law, are allowed to do so as per the new legislation, although not more than 10 percent.
“There is confusion regarding this provision of the new rent law,” agrees Al Suwaidi.
However, owners who have already increased rents during the previous legislation are not permitted to increase rents during the validity period of the current law, which ends on 14th February, 2010.
According to Al Suwaidi, various municipalities have already established rent registration offices, but the committees meant to solve tenant-landlord disputes are yet to take shape. Hence, the disputes continue to arrive at the court.
For instance, a tenant who spoke to ‘The Peninsula’ revealed that his landlord had served him a notification about rent increase by 15 percent, despite the fact that he had resorted to rent hikes twice, during the validity of previous law.
Pointing to this particular case, Al Suwaidi, agrees that tenant has been on the right side of the law, and the landlord had not legal right to increase rent now. However, when the tenant was questioned as to why he did not bother to bring this matter to court, the tenant revealed that the contract with the landowner was entered into by the company, and hence it is the choice of the company whether or not to bring the matter to the court.
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