Sub-let legality

I just find it extremely odd that people have so much problems because I have friends (both expats and nationals) who've had their rent attempted to be increased by more than 10% but that was quashed by the courts immediately.

I'm not saying I don't believe that it happens, because I'm sure it does, I'm just saying I think it happens less than people are lead to believe.

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Good Morning,

yes there are laws in place but they are being manipulated en grosse, even our landlord has told us we have to pay more than the 10% to be able to stay in our home. Who will report this, who will fight for us and achieve a victory in our favour.

No no one and we don't want to be evicted - it is hard enough to find halfway good living quarters without a hassle.

Although you believe in what your saying I know that real life is different, - loopholes not some do get away eith it nearly all get away with it- bacuase people like me don't want and kind of hassle in their lives so we just pay.

Please look at the majority and not the minority who win - laws are there but just being bent and this in most cases.

Or indeed anywhere!

And i'd just like to say I'm not trying to compare to put down Qatar....its just that Canada is my reference point as i've lived most of my life there...however, for anyone who thinks Qatar is a little chaotic, all I can say is:

You should try living in Lebanon!

Its a LOVELY country, and the people are great...but from an organizational standpoint....YIYKES! ANARCHISTS WOULD FAINT!! LOL

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

Canada is very organized and I think it's the third cleanest country in the world.

Hope to visit it one day.

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@ragnarok, there are laws thats for sure, but the courts have been always been flooded with various issues that things slide around.

Word along the grapevine is that a new Land Law court is being created to deal with all land, accommodation and agency matters.

That'll definately regulate things ^_^

On a side note though, finding 'loopholes' in Qatar don't fly. Some do get away with it, however it's not allowed. In fact it's against the law to 'bend' the law. The court has the discretion to say "no" fairly easily.

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Its so easy to get around the 10% legal hike limit by evicting the tenant and drawing out a "new" lease with another sucker, er tenant LOL

In Montreal the rates were fixed period....new or old...it didn't matter....and the agreement spells out who is responsible for what (ex light bulb burns, the tenant changes them....water heater breaks, the landlord changes them....etc...).

And just to adress one of Jaunties questions (so sorry I missed it ealier), you can't do major structural changes to the property without the municipality permit (wether landlord OR tenant)....no contractor will perform the work without the municipal permit...so when you go to get this permit the landlord is automatically informed by the municipal authorities and has to concent or no structural changes....so no, you cannot knock down walls....but you can for example paint the interior walls any color you want as long as you return them to white when you leave (this is usually stipulated in the rental agreement)....again exterior colors are municipally regulated...don't you just LOVE he order in Canada....can you now start to appreciate how much i'm suffering in the chaos of the middle east LMAO!!!

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

Unfortunately this is the other side of the coin in Qatar and proper laws have not been stipulated yet. Attempts to curb the greediness of the Landlords have been made but they find a way - by getting the tennants out and getting new tennants in and doubling the rent if the first tennant does not agree to pay, so there is no real protection for tennants depends what luck you have with the landlord.

And perhaps someone with more knowledgeable than myself (like Amnesia for instance) can correct me if i'm wrong.....but there doesn't seem to be much regulation in the rental laws here in Qatar...and the landlords (at least from my own personal expericne with 2 different ones here), try and pass off EVERY single cost as your responsability!

Stay safe.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

so lucky of you to have your own privacy...i can be a part time maid if you want absolute...lol

just smile..................say cheese!!

Sorry to hear that Jauntie....yes its true it is always a risk one takes when transacting in any way with anyone (even if you think you know the person)...but surely there are methods to redress such issues?

I can honestly say that when I was on the tenant side, I had no complaints....and now that I own property, I am also confident inthe system to protect my interests as it recognizes the responsibility of the tenant to pay for utilities and such and would never reflect badly on MY credit rating if they default....they COULD default on rent, and there are legal proceedings to rectify this, but IF they flee then there is not much you can do in this case....therein lies the risk....but thankfully this is rare first of all (In Canada anyways) and secondly it is the same wether this is the first tenant or a subtenant...so in relation to the original topic, as long as the tenancy laws are clear and fair there shouldn't be a problem imho.

Stay safe.

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

Yes you are, I have had to replace all the taps since I moved in and the hot water boiler, I had to have the whole place ripped apart and repainted, replaced all the caprpets all on my own cost.

When I moved in the water heater was broken - so when I move out I will replace the water heater I bought with the original water heater.

As our Landlord is playing games evry year I refuse to install the internet in my home because if I move I wil have to install it again anyway.

Previous apartment had a great maintenance team. Air conditioner faulty - they took it away and mended it same day. Hot water boiler sprang a leak - replaced within the hour.

Where we have moved to the Landlord can't be more obliging if he tried! Even replaced the loo seat (which hub managed to break on first morning here lol) within 24 hours.

so maybe that would help, but I don't know anyone who has, although if the cheques aren't honoured due to lack of funds then they are worthless anyway.

My sister let her property when she went to the US for 6 months. When she came back she found the tenants (who she had employed an agency to find for her and do all the banking and inventories etc) hadn't paid any utility bills.

The agency had scarpered (closed down and gone bankrupt) with the deposit they held against any defaults like that.

She found herself on a Bad Creditor listing as a result.

I don't know if my last tenant sub-let, I suspect he did, but he was also a 'bad payer' of rent and bounced cheques on me a few times. It's the risk you take when letting out property.

Our water heater broke in the old appartement, and when I asked the management if they will change it, they said no....YOU have to.

Its not expensive, it was just the idea that shocked me....I meant its for the appartement and will benefit the landlord more than me.....I paid for the new one, but I joked with our manager that when I leave i'm taking it with me, and he had a fit LOL!

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

There is a Damage deposit (which is usually equivalent to one months rent) that you deposit with the landlord but get back at the end of your lease agreement.

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

I find it's fair to leave the premises as you found them, but most people will do it anyway as when the move to another leased property they will have to pay the same amount again to the new landlord.

Rent increases are only allowed if the Landlord has invested and beautified the appartment or if the area on the whole is on the increase.

Having said that major repairs will be done by the Landlord minor repairs the tennant has to pay for.

Not like Doha where the mostly Landlords don't offer a maintanence contract but increase the rent anyway although nothing has improved on the property itself anyway, I my case I pay for everything myself whatever the repair.

In Montreal (back in my University days)....I had the pleasure of renting 4 different appartements (2 were from companies, and 2 from individuals)...and i've subleased 2 of them (one of each).

In both cases, what I had to do was pay one month upfront, and make a standing order for the rental amount to be automatically deposited in the landlords designated account at the beginning of every month...if I defaulted on rent I would be evicted...that simple....but no bank refrences or background checks are needed....in fact legally, i'm not even obliged to give my name until AFTER the lease is signed (as it is possible to discriminate on that basis).

When I subleased, I simply got post dated checks from the new tenant to cover the rent untill the end of the lease, as it was still being direct transfered into the landlords account from my personal bank account.

All leases are for one year periods with the option to renew...and Legally speaking, the rental increase cannot exceed the governemt posted inflation rate....so its all VERY regulated to provide maximum freedom while safeguarding everyone's rights.

The utility bills were all in MY name...and if I didn't pay then it was I who sat in the dark, and it was MY credit rating that got hooped....nothing to do with the landlord! Why on earth would they need proof of past utility bills???

I don't know about Europe for instance, but Canada is almost a cashless society....everything works on credit....we all care about our credit ratings, and we all have confidence in the system in case of anomalies....post dated cheques from the new tenats was all I required....I never had to investigate their past! LOL if they defaulted, then I evict them...sublease to someone esle, and sue them for any costs incurred....again very simple. Do you often have people defaulting and fleeing in the UK? Its "almost" unheard of in Montreal.

Weird system you guys have there Jauntie lol

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

In UK one takes one months rental in advance PLUS a sum of money, (usually the equivalent of one months rental) as a 'deposit' (aka guarantee in Germany's case) against loss of payment of rental or any damage outside of fair wear and tear.

You know in Germany they can take up to three months rent as a guarantee when a landlord leases his appartment to you, not only that you have to paint and repair it before you move out. Only when the landlord is satisfied and all bills are paid do you get your guarantee back.

You mean, if you own a property in Canada and let it out to someone on a lease for, say, 1 year they don't have to sign an Agreement stating they won't change anything about the property or sub-let it to anyone else without your permission?

So they can knock down walls and repaint the outside yellow-cum-pink etc if they wish to and emigrate to Timbuctoo leaving YOUR property in the hands of a DIY maniac who doesn't pay any utility bills and refuses to pay any money to your legal tenant for living there?

Really?

We are talking about property owned by individuals. Not sure if you are speaking about State owned property ...

A real eye opener for sure....that would have been so illegal in Canada LOL

I guess the world really is made up of different laws for different societies.....moral of the story....don't assume that it is just like back home....ALWAYS check! =)

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

I owned and let out two apartments in the UK and I can assure you that the tenant had to provide me with:

Bank references (that they were good to pay the monthly rental)

References from previous Landlords (if any)

and, if I asked, confirmation that they paid their utility bills on time.

They would NOT have been permitted, under the Agreement, to even BREATH without my permission (;D) let alone sublet to someone I had no knowledge of. Quite illegal.

Similarly, if you take out a mortgage to buy a property to live in for yourself you have to have permission to let it out by the Bank or whoever provided the mortgage since it isn't YOURS to let out to an unknown person until you own it outright.

But in a regulated country like Canada, they are all redundant, in that the tenancy laws already take care of that.

1) The rental board fixes the rates, so no one can make "more" money than the landlord can.

2)No background checks are allowed....that would leave room for discrimination....similarly no iterviews are allowed (so you can't be racist etc...)....IF the tenant breaks the law, they are accountable regrdless of if they have a record or not!

3) The paperwork is the responsability of whoever is leasing....so if you sublease, then YOU must file with the municipal authority....no skin off anyone's back but your own.

So again I really don't see the need for such restrictions, unless you are talking about less developped countries (legaly speaking)....which is why i'm not surprised in the middle east....but I AM surprised at some of the countries you listed.

Most enlightening...thanks Amnesia =)

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

Just look at all the Indians and the Philippinos who are putting a profit in their pockets and probably more people than we know.

Where I am living they were doing that and they are all making a profit in such a way that they live rent free themselves.

There are three reasons

1) They don't want someone to make profit out of their own property

2) Tenants usually have to undergo a background check. If someone sublets and rents to lets say an arsonist, who's going to take responsibility? The main tenant could just run away

3) When another tenant is added, they have to pay registration and admin fees. That's more money in the pocket that they'd lose.

So basically a landlord or agency needs full control

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I can't imagine why they wouldn't? I mean they are paid....the tenancy laws are clear....why should they care WHO is renting?

Just goes to show......always ask first and NEVER assume....you could get into trouble.

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

@ragnarok, yep, it's the case in China, US, Japan and the UK (which i have experience with).

I cannot imagine why a landlord or agency would allow subletting without permission.

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Although I think this is very kind of you - I would be careful unless you know and can say someone is your friend and they will take care of your home. As Amnesia said and I sublet a rom in my appartment in Germany I asked the owner first as otherwise I could have been evicted.

I honestly did not know that it was not allowed in most countries. I have only ever rented an appartment in 2 countries. Canada (where it is allowed), and Qatar (where it is not), so I wasn't sure which one was the anomaly...and now I know =)

Thanks for the info.

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

It was a bad idea then, maybe I'll just let my friends on QL use it for free if they are really in a jam, lol

subletting in most countries is not allowed.

You can only sublet if given permission by the company maintaining it or the landlord.

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The company has given you the apartment, so its not right to sub-let it.

Speak with your company and see if it's OK with the management but then there will be another issue the company will get ideas and start shareing basic in this you will loose your privacy why why why give such ideas to your company

i dont think u can sub let a company given apartment to anyone u'll be in trouble.

Where there is Fire...There is Coke. Where there is Rum..There is Smoke - Sir Smoke-a-Lot