Huge drop in ‘villa partition’ properties as supply of brand new housing units goes up

If you have lived in Qatar for any period of time, you will be very aware of the system of ‘villa partitioning.’ It is a practice where a middle man rents a huge villa and then partition it before sub letting it to a number of tenants.

More than a year ago, the Central Municipal Council had come down heavily on the practice and banned the system altogether.

Now, it seems the practice of illegal partitioning of residential units has declined, thanks to an increase in supply of brand new residential units for affordable prices, according to a report in Qatar Tribune.

Real estate agents say that increase in supply of new residential units on the outskirts of Doha, coupled with better road connectivity, have played a key role in curbing the practice of villa-partitioning for sub-letting.

While hundreds of residential units at Al Khisah, Al Wukair and Bani Hajer have been connected with multiple-lane highways, a large number of residents have started shifting to these areas as they were offered residential units with all facilities at affordable rent.

“Our stay in a partitioned villa was illegal and continuing to stay there was risky. I wasn’t comfortable as it’s an illegal and punishable practice. We were offered brand new residential units at affordable rent and we moved in,” an expatriate, who recently shifted to a new residential units in Al Wukair, told Qatar Tribune.

A real estate agent facilitating deal for subletting of ‘partitioned villas’ said, “Now nobody is preferring accommodation in villas partitioned into small residential unit as the market price of new residential villas has declined after the increase in supply. The renting of portioned villas has been declined by up to 80% in the last two years.”

Earlier, the average rent of a 2BHK in a partitioned villa in Doha was QR3,000 to QR 3,500. Now, a brand new 2 BHK flat in Doha is available for QR4,000.