Hundreds of tenants gathered in Cairo on Monday against the backdrop of a tenants' conference to oppose the government’s proposed amendments of Egypt’s old rent control law.
Chants demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly echoed through the headquarters of the leftist Karama (Dignity) Party, which hosted the conference.
The "Tenants of Egypt" conference, held in downtown Cairo, brought together tenant advocacy groups, political parties, and several members of parliament, including Atef El-Maghawry and Sanaa Al-Saeed, along with former MP Haitham Elhariri.
The gathering was a direct response to a controversial draft law submitted by the government to parliament that would phase out rent control agreements under the decades-old "Old Rent" system. Participants accused the government of pushing forward the legislation without public consultation and of obscuring the details of its proposal.
Egypt’s old rent law has long been a source of legal and social tension. Initially introduced in the mid-20th century to protect tenants amid post-war housing shortages, the law capped rents at fixed rates and made eviction nearly impossible, regardless of inflation or changes in market conditions.
As a result, landlords saw their income stagnate for decades while many properties remained underutilized.
According to a statement released by conference organizers, the draft law "contradicts the rulings of the Supreme Constitutional Court, caters solely to landlords, and threatens to displace millions of renters," thereby jeopardizing Egypt's social stability.
Attendees took issue with the bill's proposed five-year timeline for terminating contracts and rent hikes that could reach twentyfold. The statement argued that many tenants had already paid Khuluw, a down payment at the time of contracting, and that landlords received state subsidies when the buildings were constructed.
Speakers demanded that leases remain in effect until the death of the first-generation heirs and rejected any transition toward market-based rents.
The conference authorized attorneys Michael Halim and Ayman Essam, along with socialist politician Zohdy Alshamy, to represent renters in any potential dialogue with the government.
"Your voices are heard. This law won't pass. MPs from the Social Democratic, Tagammu, Justice, and Mostaqleen parties all support your demands," Sanaa El-Saeed, a member of the Social Democratic Party, told the attendees.
"The Constitutional Court didn't rule that tenants must be evicted. It said rent should increase, but it's the government that's creating these problems. There is significant resistance inside parliament to this bill," she continued.
In November, the Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that fixed rents under the old rent law of 1981 were unconstitutional, urging parliament to adjust the legislation to restore balance between tenants and landlords.
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has also called for reform in October 2023, noting that more than 2 million housing units remain vacant due to the outdated rent framework.
Ayman Essam, legal advisor to the Renters’ Association, argued that the draft now before parliament was heavily drawn from a document circulated by landlords online.
"The government's proposal mirrors the landlords' version almost word for word, with only a few additions that clearly signal bias," he said.
Head of the Karama Party Sayed El-Toukhy argued that the real conflict was not between renters and landlords but with the state. "This crisis is of the government's making," he stated.
Elham Eidarous, president of the Bread and Freedom Party (under establishment), agreed. Addressing the conference, she said that "the old landlords are our neighbors and know that once the lease extension ends, their heirs will regain the property."
"The real issue lies with new investors who bought these buildings expecting to cash in when the law changes. They shouldn't profit from what tenants built," she added.
On April 29, the government submitted two separate draft laws: one on residential leases and another on commercial leases involving natural persons. The bills reference laws 49 of 1977 and 136 of 1981, which have long governed Egypt’s rental market.
Towards the end of the conference, demonstrators chanted for the fall of the Madbouly government, holding it accountable for the legislation. A small group attempted to march outside, but security forces intervened and asked Karama Party leaders to calm the crowd and lead them back inside.
Speaking to Al Manassa, tenant Omnia Abdel Sattar said she has lived in her apartment in the Manial district since 1986. Now widowed and retired, she receives a monthly pension of 4,200 Egyptian pounds (around $83), of which she pays 1,200 pounds (around $24) in maintenance and utility bills.
"That leaves me with 3,000 pounds (around $59) a month. It's barely enough," she said. "My husband paid 7,000 pounds upfront when we rented the apartment, then 70 pounds monthly, which was most of his salary back then."
Her situation echoes that of Adel Ibrahim, a tenant in Giza's Faisal district. He said he took over a bare-bones apartment and personally financed its renovations.
"The landlord hasn’t asked for higher rent yet," he said, "but if the law passes, no one turns down money."
Earlier this year, MP Amal Abdel Hamid submitted an inquiry about soaring rents and called for tenant protections. Last August, Prime Minister Madbouly said the government would not intervene in market-driven rent disputes, stating that "the market determines supply and demand."
Egypt ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 1982, which affirms the right to adequate housing. Article 78 of Egypt’s Constitution likewise guarantees all citizens "safe, dignified housing that upholds social justice."
