It is vital to learn certain basic terms before moving on to the specifics of the procedures and legislation in order to ensure total understanding before moving on to the intricacies. A couple of these phrases are the “lessor” and the “lessee.” The “lessor” refers to the party that is renting or leasing out the property, while the “lessee” refers to the renter who is renting the property.
What choices do you have before you?
A full guide to renting housing in Qatar
Your requirements and preferences will determine whether the type of lodging you get in Qatar will be unfurnished, partially furnished, or completely furnished.
Vacant apartment or villa; in order to make it livable, you will need to purchase all of the necessary furnishings separately.
There may be drapes, carpets, and white objects such as air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, and TVs in a semi-furnished apartment or villa. These things may also be present.
Apartment or villa that is completely furnished, with the majority of furnishings and conveniences included in the sale price.
Let’s talk about your housing alternatives now that you’ve chosen the kind of lodging that best suits your needs and preferences.
Depending on your preferences and finances, Qatar offers a variety of housing alternatives, including the following:
1. Apartments with a concierge service
When people move to Qatar for the first few months of their stay, a lot of them choose to stay in serviced apartments (room for rent in Qatar) because they are great for short-term stays and are available for a few days, a few weeks, or even a few months. This is because people are trying to find housing that they like and that is within their budget.
2. Apartments
Apartments are often offered with one, two, three, or even four bedrooms. Many of the most recent buildings are being constructed with a gymnasium, a lobby space, and, if you’re really fortunate, a swimming pool as well.
3. Clustered or compound villas
A compound is comparable to a small village, and its individual villas can have either a single or a two-story layout. A children’s playground, a fitness centre, a swimming pool, a grocery store, and a community centre can all be found inside the confines of the complex’s gates. In addition, the property also has a community club. Because most of the compounds are gated and staffed with security guards, it is a wonderful place to live if you have children because they will be able to securely play outside.
4. Stand-alone villas
In general, the cost of stand-alone villas is higher than the cost of villas located in complexes. They have greater living space, are larger overall, and often come with a lovely garden. Because the villa will be surrounded by walls and have its own entrance and driveway, you will be completely isolated from the rest of the world. If you’re very lucky, your backyard could even have a pool in it for you to swim in.
How do you go about finding a place to stay?
1. Real estate brokers and agents who have valid licenses
On the internet, you can discover a number of certified real estate agents in Qatar that have categorized their listings of available accommodations according to factors such as price, location, the number of bedrooms, the kind of lodging, and so on. When you locate anything that interests you, you may contact them by e-mail or phone and then go look at the available homes.
You should be aware that if you rent a home through an agency, the agent will charge you a fee in order to cover their services.
2. Ads in the Classifieds
If you look through the classified sections of the various newspapers in Qatar, you will also find listings of available housing in various parts of Doha and even other parts of Qatar, which have been listed by real estate agents and owners. These listings can be found in the classified sections of the newspapers. You should give them a call and look at the available houses.
3. Leasing from the property owner in person
When you are travelling across Qatar and are passing through a residential neighborhood, you may come across a property that has a sign that reads “for rent” along with a telephone number. Call them up and make an appointment to look at the property. Perhaps you can use that as your next place to stay.
Let’s go through the steps of the rental procedure in great depth so that you can be certain you have all of the information you need to rent a house in Qatar.
Take into account that you need to be married in order to rent housing as a family or a couple. Because Qatar is an Islamic country, it is against the law for unmarried people to cohabit without first being married.
The necessary documentation
The most crucial item to have before you rent a place is all of the necessary papers, including but not limited to the following:
- Your Qatar ID
- Your passport copy
- Identification card issued by your work or sponsor
- Your employer’s / sponsor’s trade license
- Your salary slip
- A letter from the company outlining the terms of your employment.
- If you are renting as a family or a couple, you will need to provide a marriage certificate.
- Post-dated cheques (12-13)
- Check as collateral (subjective)
- Tenancy/rental agreement
The lease agreement will be written in Arabic, and we will supply you with a copy that has been translated into English. It would be a good idea to have someone examines the translation to make sure that nothing significant has been missed or misunderstood in the process of translation.
Note: In the event that there is a disagreement, the original Arabic rental agreement will be the one that has legal force, not the English translation.
Rent contracts are often renewed every year, and you should read them thoroughly to ensure that you don’t overlook any important details, such as the property’s dos and don’ts, the rights of the landlord, and so on. Make sure that you have a comprehensive understanding of each of the terms in order to avoid any issues in the future.
Rent payment
In Qatar, the payment schedule for rent is almost always on a monthly basis. In most cases, the owner of the property will need that you provide post-dated checks that cover the total amount of the contract that you have signed.
Security deposit
The owner of the property will require you to pay a security deposit, the amount of which can range anywhere from one month’s rent to two months’ rent, in order to cover any damages that may be caused to the property while you are occupying it as a tenant. When you vacate the premises, the landlord is expected to check that the utility bills have been paid in full and that any damages have been compensated for before returning the security deposit to you, less any applicable deductibles (if required).
The lease has been terminated.
At the conclusion of each and every contract, the lease will be promptly cancelled in accordance with the terms that were agreed upon prior to signing. In the event that the lessee makes the decision to continue with the contract or prolong its duration and the lessor does not raise any objections, the contract will be renewed for an additional period that is comparable to the original one under the same terms and circumstances.
However, in other circumstances, the lease will remain in effect even if one of the parties to the lease passes away during the duration of the lease. However, if the lessee’s heirs make the decision to cancel the contract, they are allowed to do so within the terms of the law. In the event that the lessee passes away, members of the lessee’s immediate family have the option of continuing the lease and taking over all of the lessee’s responsibilities and rights under the lease. If, on the other hand, the lessee sells all of the rights from the lease of the premises, then the purchaser will receive full ownership of both the rights and the responsibilities associated with the lease.
FAQs
1. Is it possible to rent an apartment together in Qatar?
No, it is against the law in Qatar to share an apartment. Do not agree to move in with anyone, even if you find someone who offers to let you share their flat with them. There is a good chance that the landlord is unaware of it, and taking the chance is not something that is worth doing.
2. What about villas that have been partitioned?
It is imperative that you do not choose to reside in a partitioned villa in Qatar; yet, despite the fact that such structures are unlawful, some landlords continue to provide rentals of such properties.
3. What are your options if you decide that you want to move out of your rental property before the end of the year?
If you desire to vacate your present place of residence prior to the expiration of the lease, you are required to provide a notice period of two months, and you will most likely be required to pay a penalty. It’s possible that this is two months’ worth of rent, or perhaps the balance of your rental agreement. For legal specifics, please refer to the applicable contract.
4. What are your options if you do not wish to extend your lease contract when the first one-year agreement expires?
If you desire to vacate the property at the end of the year, you are required to provide the owner of the property a notice period of two months in advance. After you have paid all of the utility bills and repaired any damage to the property, the remaining balance of your security deposit will be refunded to you. For legal specifics, please refer to the applicable contract.
