Advice : Renting in Qatar

thanx z lot for saying this much information....!!!!

No, that's not me. It wasn't you who took the money in a very dubious way, without leaving any track, name card or receipt.

By the way, do you give receipts to the tenant clients, that you charge commission?

Amound, I know you didn't mean all agents, even me as a real estate agent, I don't trust all agents, and I have a short list of agents who I trusy and deal with, they are not more than five if you believe.

About Nic, I am not sure if you were my client or not, the one who rented a villa in Ein Khalid or not...

I wish if you reply me.

and now i will confirm some of Amound advices:

- Don't pay any advanced payments at all, even if you think it is a good deal

- Before you sign a contract with a property manegment company, always check the contract between the company and the owner, and if the owner permit them to re-rent the property

Nic, whend did you rent that apartment and where???

No i think the real estate agents usually take their commision. I have given it as well. This is only way to find a good accomodation becasue the ads for good accomodation usually dont appear in the news paper or in QL.

About the one year advance issue, yes i agree it is totally insane for the person to give it in advance . Although the company i work for issues this kind of loan to it's employees with no interest but even then i did not get it althoug a three bed room new fully furnised apartment was costing me 5500 QR per month near old airport. This one year advance is suitable for companies only which wants to secure the accomodation for its employees.

a flat is a term for apartment. Compound is a term for a walled-neighborhood. Also, I am sorry to tell you, but $1900 US will not get you a very nice place here.

Nabs I disagree,

I have been here 4 years and always rent from an agency and Never have I paid a commission to the guy showing me the place. Most of my friend have never paid a 'finders fee' either. It is up to the landlord to pay the commission. If you are asking for commission from the landlord AS Well As from the tenant,you're a leech.

from what I understand they will give an allowance, around 1900 a month in USA$$

I know that in UAE they provide a compound,, is that the same thing as a flat? Anyway I guess they don't have enough room to accommodate their employees which I am not very comfortable with.. thanks for your reply

Thanks Amoud,

Its actually really good advise, as not all agents out there can be trusted. Fortunately not all are like this as explained by Nabs.

Recently I rented an apartment seen here in QL and I paid 1/2 month comission to the agent. The way things went, made me believe that something wasn't 100% OK. The "agent" didn't want me to pay him in front of the owner (thank god, the owner turned out to be a professional company), he didnt have any ID, name card or even a receipt.

At the end, I am wondering if his "commission" wasn't added in, by his own decision or even if he is really an agent!

Nabs, this is not meant for the straight agents, I never insinuated that at all if you ready the post.

Also, you may have only travelled to Gulf states to see agents taking commision from both parties, because it is not standard practise and before all the real estate boom here in Qatar the REPUTABLE agencies only take from the owner.

As for re-renting and the single company rentals this was initially intended as accomodations for the single company staff and not for re-renting. Do not tell me that handing over a wad of cash and signing an agreement with a third party is a good idea in any instance, especially when you cannot be liable for the actions of such a third party and it being very difficult to incriminate them in court as a majority of the time the court will see this as "renters stupidty".

I do not support agencies taking advantage of the renters, their plight is already one of the most unbearable in the country. Ridiculous rents (which are also at the hands of agents a majority of the time, higher rent=higher commission) and insane terms of rent, which are also against Qatar rental laws make it impossible for a middle income family to survive here in Doha.

Again, as you are a straight agent all of this should be water off your back.

Seldom I have posted a comment on any topic, but I found this interesting.

First of all, I agree with Amound that some real estate companies and agents trick the client, by asking six or one year in advance, or signing the contract with a property management company, and that’s why the renter should think more than twice before signing any contract with any one.

I am a real estate agent, and I am working in this field for more than a year, I am not going to defend on any one, but we shouldn't generalize our judgment, and exclude what we want.

1- The commission, I traveled to different countries, and what surprised me that in all these countries, they have the same system for commission, which is paid by both, the owner and the renter, so why do you think it is insane here in Doha. If some companies do not take commission, then that’s fine, but it is not a standard.

2- Signing the contract with the owner: Most of the owners here in Doha prefer to lease their properties to one company, not individually, and here the property management companies’ part, re-renting properties individually. Is it for free, of course not, they increase the rent on you, and that is profit, so they don’t take a commission from you.

Believe me, nobody do it for free.

3- Why do you pay commission: as I know, when you make a business or a work for anyone, this anyone should pay you, ok, when you need a house or any kind of accommodation, and you ask the real estate agent to find you that house, I think he deserves to be paid, at the same time you are marketing the accommodation for the owner, so he pay too what is called “commission”.

If anyone can do it for free, I will really appreciate what he dose.

My opinion, instead of judging all the real estate agent as trickers, and they just want to suck commissions from the renters, we should appreciate those who are doing a good job, faithfully and sincerely, and really they deserve what they earn.

And remember, you pay for them when they find what you want, it is not for nothing.

Finally, if you want to generalize it, then you shouldn’t exclude any, I know most of the property management companies here in Qatar, no one do it for free, if they do not take a commission from the renter, that’s because they double it from the owner.

Thanks for any who posted and will post a comment, it is not personal for me, and I wish if will not be for you too.

I am looking to buy a villa in or around Doha can somebody assist me with good, clear and transperant deals cos i am tired of brokers. Owners invited.

with the initial opening of barwa housing in mesaimer area i just hope and pray that rents here in Qatar particularly Doha City will freeze if not go down. coz its a pain in our budget for middle income workers with our families here.

Sure they use washers and dryers.

A flat is an appartment, a villa is generally a 2 story house. What they will call a house here is a single floor villa.

The classifieds here on QL are not a good reference point for renting as they generally ask higher rents, money on advance and commission to be paid by the renter. Try emailing a company called Homes2Rent, they are a Brit company and will not take commission from you. They have a website, you can google it.

If you are planning a move here doesnt yours or your husbands company here in Qatar provide housing?

What is the difference between a compound and Flat? My husband and I are considering moving here from the United States and have no idea what to expect and how to go about finding a safe and nice place to live. When reading what they have for rent in the classifieds I am informed that the flats have (cleaning stuff) what does that mean? Do they use washers and dryers?

Qatar is going through a very severe competition in the real estate sector. And where there is competition frauds and tricksters find safe haven. People should think twice and try to know the catch.

Abu you would be surprised how a majority of people dont know this. As stated in MArys post they think it is standard as per the UAE.

Thanks Amoud,,,

you are looking cute n friendly

Getting the full year's rent in advance is the norm in the UAE - some landlords are willing to do monthly/quarterly or half yearly cheques but cash up front is the standard operating procedure- I just figured it was the same here in Qatar