Residence in Qatar, It’s one of the most pressing problems for World Cup fans heading to tiny Qatar in the midst of a frenetic scramble for accommodations in Doha. On cruise ships, some people will rest. While others will set up a tent there. Some people will fly in from Dubai and other places.
Qatar’s residents prepared as World cup rental demand increases
But the battle for lodging in the lead-up to the largest athletic event in the smallest host nation is far from exclusive to visitors. Rents have skyrocketed in Qatar due to the real estate boom, forcing many long-term residents out of their houses and leaving many more without housing options.
The 30-year-old British resident Mariam’s landlord declined to renew her yearly lease in September and then quadrupled her rent from 5,000 Qatari riyals (roughly $1,370) to 20,000 riyals ($5,490). Mariam said, “Landlords are taking full benefit of the circumstance and there’s nothing in place to provide the individuals who currently reside here.” She was forced to vacate her home and is currently residing at a friend’s since she was unable to pay the increase.
For fear of retaliation, like other renters questioned in the authoritarian country, she only used her first name and stated, “It’s incredibly discouraging.” For the same reason, other speakers also requested anonymity.
Residents of the nation, where foreigners outnumber locals by a ratio of nine to one, claim that due to the World Cup’s high demand and shortage of housing, landlords have been able to raise rents by over 40% in many cases with little advance notice, forcing tenants to leave their homes and face an uncertain future.
The Qatari government recognised the “increased demand for housing” and urged renters who felt they had been treated unfairly to lodge a complaint with the government’s rental disputes commission.
The Gulf Arab sheikhdom, which has never before hosted an event of the magnitude of the World Cup, is anticipating the arrival of some 1.2 million supporters next month.
Local organisers have made an effort to allay concerns about a housing shortage by pointing out that Qatar has reserved 130,000 rooms, which are accessible through the official website.
It’s unclear how many low-cost alternatives there are, but the rooms, which are in hotels, resorts, specifically constructed homes, and three cruise ships in the harbour, start at about $80.
80% of the rooms are subject to a price cap, the administration stated in a statement to The Associated Press. The ceiling, which is around $780 for a five-star resort hotel, may go higher based on the room’s features, but it did not answer to inquiries on if and how the cap has been applied.
Local organisers have made an effort to allay concerns about a housing shortage by pointing out that Qatar has reserved 130,000 rooms, which are accessible through the official website.
It’s unclear how many low-cost alternatives there are, but the rooms, which are in hotels, resorts, specifically constructed homes, and three cruise ships in the harbour, start at about $80.
80% of the rooms are subject to a price cap, the administration stated in a statement to The Associated Press. The ceiling, which is around $780 for a five-star resort hotel, may go higher based on the room’s features, but it did not answer to inquiries on if and how the cap has been applied.