DOHA: The 10 per cent hike in the rents of Barwa’s “affordable” housing units in Mesaimeer and Al Sailiya will take effect in November, a local Arabic daily has reported.
According to earlier reports, the hike was to apply to all tenants renewing their contracts in October.
An official of Waseef, Barwa’s subsidiary that manages the two facilities, justified the hike and told the daily that it was necessary due to the rising maintenance costs. He said if the rents were not hiked, the tenants would end up with poor services.
The decision to hike rents for a second time in two years has drawn criticism from various circles. Tenants of Al Sailiya complex submitted a joint petition to Waseef for revocation of the decision.
The official said many unnecessary requests from tenants for maintenance had forced the company to impose a minimum fee of QR50 for any maintenance- related services.
He said there was still high demand for housing units, with 350 people in the waiting list in Mesaimeer and 270 in Al Sailiya.
The Peninsula
