Oman rent law to safeguard tenants

RENT LAW: Oman is to introduce a 7% annual rent cap, along with minimum tenancy periods for residential and commercial properties.

Property owners in Oman will be prevented from issuing eviction orders on tenants under a new rental law, an official said on Sunday.

A 7% annual rent cap will also be introduced under the new legislation, Khalil Bin Abdullah Al-Khonji, of the government rent committee told UAE daily Gulf News.

According to Al-Khonji, who is also head of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), the committee had recommended “major” changes in the law in order to control rising rentals.

A minimum tenancy period of four years for residential and seven years for commercial properties had also been suggested, Al-Khonji said.

Proposals had been sent to ‘higher authorities’, and the law would take effect ‘soon,’ he told Gulf News.

Annual inflation in Oman accelerated for a seventh straight month to 8.29% in December, its highest in at least 16 years due to rising food prices and rents.

Rents rose 11.1% in the economy of almost $36 billion, steady against the rate of increase in November, the Ministry of National Economy reported in February.

According to Al-Khonji, government land on the outskirts of Muscat is to be handed to private developers to build “affordable residential property”, however the government would not directly intervene to provide housing, he said.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Formula for surviving
Posted by Nezha MOUSSALLI, Muscat, OMAN on Saturday 10 May 2008 at 12:03 UAE time


Sir, i m living in Muscat 5 year ago, and i was well doing with my work and my life expences, 2 years ago everything is getting hight, except salaries. rent double how can i stop the owner, specialy i m resident and i dont have a lot of information about law, when i ask someone he advices me : you have to pay, everywhere is the same. please i need your opinion.

Rent cap in Oman
Posted by Reva on Monday 10 March 2008 at 08:44 UAE time

Your story reports something that was a Council of Ministers' ruling and announced by the government in September 2007. It has come into effect and landlords are charging according to this. It's a bit late isn't it to do this story and you need better connectivity with Oman.

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