Living and working in another country, one would want a comfortable place to stay. If you are new in Qatar, you might get lost in knowing how to rent a flat/apartment. We have written this guide to understanding the process of renting accommodation here.
Finding an apartment to rent here in Qatar is fairly easy, we hope that you find this guide helpful in knowing the steps and requirements to find a home for you to stay as an expat.
You have two options on your search for a house. Either you do it with a real estate agent or personally find one for yourself.
Guide to Renting an Apartment / Flat in Qatar
Either with estate agent or private, finding houses for rent in Qatar is easy. ©Ian Cochrane/Flickr
Rates of Rental in Qatar
With the news that rents in Qatar decrease as the availability of residential units in the country increases, expats looking for a house to rent or are planning to move to a new place are now in luck.
According to the recent news, Qatar provided an additional 500 new residential properties in the second quarter of this year making it to 281,500 available units in the market.
Rents in Qatar fall as supply of residential units increase. ©Joey Coleman/Flickr
With that number, renters will never fall short on choices of house to rent. One that fits in your budget.
Requirements in Renting a House
Whether you are renting a property through a real estate agent or privately, the following requirements are needed:
- Qatar Residence Permit
- Copy of your passport
- Qatari ID
- Certificate from your employer that indicates your salary
Be reminded as well that most tenancy contracts require post-dated cheques for the duration of the contract.
And as in most transactions, you can negotiate the price of the rent, but be sure to do it with respect and regard to the owner.
Renting a House in Qatar
All housing contracts are written in both English and Arabic. Always ask for a translated copy if you are presented only with the one in Arabic. Make sure to verify the translated contract because only the Arabic version is considered binding by the Qatari court.
It is usually drawn up for a year and renewable on an annual basis. Once signed, the landlord has to register it within 30 days at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Agriculture.
Study the terms in the contract before signing. ©NobMouse/Flickr
Before signing though, it is highly recommended that you review the stipulations written in the contract. Pay close attention to the terms and clauses indicated. The list below is given for reference.
- Rental fee and mode of payment
- Terms relating to deposits
- Duration of the contract (start and finish date)
- Notice periods and related conditions
- Restrictions set by the landlord (e.g. no pets or smoking allowed, noise and visitors restrictions, etc.)
- If the property is fully furnished, have the inventory of all items to be included as an appendix to the contract
- Liabilities and responsibilities of the landlord (e.g. utility covered, maintenance and repair issues, etc.)
Rental Dispute
In the event that a dispute with the landlord occurs, the matter needs to be presented to the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee, located next to Rawdat Al Khail Park, in Muntazah.
And as guidelines to the tenants to avoid rental dispute, Hukoomi portal stated the following grounds when the landlord may apply to the committee to have a tenant vacate premises:
- The tenant fails to pay rent by the due date without reasonable excuse.
- The tenant sublets or assigns the property to a third party without permission of the landlord.
- The tenant uses the property in a way which breaches the terms of the lease, or is contrary to public order and morals.
According to Qatari law, 6 months’ notice must be provided to the tenants by the landlord to terminate the lease agreement.