Looking to rent in Qatar? The ILoveQatar.net (ILQ) team is here to equip you with the leasing/rent laws in Qatar and give you some great tips to keep in mind when you rent or end the lease.
Before moving into the details of the procedures and laws, it is important to understand some common terminologies to ensure complete clarity. Two such terms are the “lessor” and the “lessee”; the lessor refers to the party renting or leasing out the property, whilst the lessee refers to the tenant.
What are your options?
Accommodation in Qatar can be unfurnished, semi-furnished or fully-furnished, and depends on what your needs and wants are.
Unfurnished apartment/villa, you would need to buy everything yourself to fill it up.Semi-furnished apartment/villa, there may be curtains, carpets and white items which may include air conditioners, fridge, washing machine and a TV.Fully-furnished apartment/villa, most of the furniture and amenities will be part of the deal.
Now, that you’ve decided what type of accommodation you want, let’s discuss the housing options.
Qatar has different housing options to cater to your budget and needs:
1. Serviced apartments
Serviced apartments are great for short-term stay and are available for a few days, a few weeks or a few months and many people opt for them when they come to Qatar for the first few months while they find themselves housing that they like and is within their budget.
2. Apartments
Apartments may come in 1, 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms. Many of the newer buildings now come equipped with a gym, a lobby area and, if you’re lucky, there may be a pool as well.
3. Compound villas
A compound is like a mini-community and the villas may be single-storey or double-storey. Within the four walls of the compound, you can find some or all of the following: a play area for the children, a gym, a swimming pool, a supermarket and a community club. It’s great if you have children as they can play safely outside and most compounds are gated with security guards manning the gates.
4. Stand-alone villas
Stand-alone villas are usually more expensive than villas in compounds. They are more spacious and bigger and may come with a nice garden. You’ll be secluded from the rest of the world as the villa will be walled with an entrance and a driveway. If you’re lucky, there may even be a swimming pool in your backyard!
How do you find accommodation?
1. Licensed real estate agents or brokers
You can find a number of licensed real estate agents in Qatar online who have divided their accommodation listings based on price, location, the number of bedrooms, type of accommodation, and so on. When you find something you like, you can e-mail them or call them and go check out the properties.
Keep in mind that if you rent a place through an agent, you will be charged a fee by them.
These are some of the real estate agents you could reach out to:
Property Finder
Property OryxHapondoProperty Venture
2. Classifieds
If you go through the Classified section of the different newspapers in Qatar, you will also find listings of available accommodation in different parts of Doha and even other areas of Qatar listed by real estate agents and owners. Give them a call, and check out the properties.
3. Renting directly from the owner
Sometimes, as you’re driving by a residential area in Qatar, you may see a ‘for rent’ sign with a telephone number on a property. Give them a call and go see the property. Maybe that’ll be your next accommodation.
Rent price ranges
Types of PropertyStudio1 BHK 2 BHK 3 BHK3 BHK VillaDoha vicinity (Hilal, Mansoura)3,000 – 4,000 QR4,000 –
5,000 QR5,000 –
6,000 QR6,000 –
7,000 QR10,000 – 13,000 QRLuxury areas (The Pearl, West Bay)7,000 – 8,500 QR8,500-10,000 QR10,000-14,000 QR12,000-15,000 QR15,000 – 18,000 QROut of Doha (Al Wakra, Al Khor)2,500-
3,000 QR3,000 – 3,500 QR3,500 –
4,000 QR5,000 –
6,000 QR7,000 –
8,000 QRPlease note that the price ranges provided are only approximate and are subject to change based on the specifications of each property. These are rough estimates as of 2020. Rental contracts are typically a year long.
How do you rent?
Image credit: Shutterstock
Let’s discuss the rental process in detail, to ensure you have all the information necessary to rent a place in Qatar.
Note: You have to be married to rent accommodation as a family/couple. Qatar is an Islamic country and it’s against the law to live together unless married.
Documentation needed
The most important thing to have before you rent a place is to have all the documentation needed:
Your Qatar IDYour passport copyYour employer’s / sponsor’s ID cardYour employer’s / sponsor’s trade license Your salary slip
Company letter showing your employment detailsMarriage certificate (if renting as a family/couple)
Post-dated cheques (12-13)Security cheque (subjective)
Tenancy/rental agreement
The tenancy contract will be in Arabic and you will be provided with a translated English copy. Maybe it would be a good idea to have the translation checked to ensure something important hasn’t been omitted or lost in translation.
Note: If there is any dispute, the tenancy contract in Arabic will have legal binding, and not the English translation
Rent contracts are usually yearly and you should go through them carefully, so you don’t miss anything, like the do’s and don’ts of the property, rights of the landlord, etc. Make sure you completely understand all the clauses so there aren’t any complications later on.
Rent payment
Rent payment in Qatar is most commonly a monthly payment. The property owner usually requires post-dated cheques from you that cover the entirety of the contract you have signed.
Security deposit
The property owner will ask you to pay a security deposit which can be anything between one month’s rent to two months’ rent to cover any damages the property may incur while you are a tenant. Whenever you leave the property, the security deposit will be returned to you after the landlord ensures the utility bills are cleared and any damages paid off, after making a deductible (if required).
Termination of lease
The lease shall be terminated immediately at the end of every contract as specified during the signing. Just in case the lessee decides to continue or extend the contract and the lessor expresses no objection, the contract will be renewed for a similar term under the same terms and conditions.
However, in other instances, the lease shall not be terminated by the death of one of the parties to the lease. But if the heirs of the lessee decide to terminate the contract, the law allows them to do so. In addition to the death of the lessee, if in case the immediate family want to continue the lease, they shall assume all the lessee’s rights and duties. If on the other hand, the lessee sells all the rights from the lease of the premises, then all the rights and duties shall be transferred to the purchaser.
FAQs
1. Is it legal to flat-share in Qatar?
No, flat sharing is illegal in Qatar. Even if you meet someone who wants to share their apartment with you, do not accept. Chances are the landlord doesn’t know about it and it’s just not worth the risk.
2. What about partitioned villas?
Partitioned villas are strictly against the law in Qatar, so never opt for one, because even though they are illegal, some landlords still try to rent them off.
3. What if you want to leave your accommodation before the yearly contract is up?
If you wish to leave your current accommodation before the end of the contract, you must give two months’ notice and you will probably have to pay a penalty. This may be two months’ rent or even the remainder of your contract rent. Refer to respective contract for legalities.
4. What if you don’t want to renew your tenancy contract when the yearly contract is up?
At the end of the year, if you wish to move out, you must give two months’ notice to the property owner. Your security deposit will be returned to you after all utility bills are paid and any damages to the property paid for. Refer to respective contract for legalities.
Originally written by Nabeela Tariq, updated by Fareeha Imitiaz
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