A parliamentary committee session reviewing proposed amendments to Egypt's old rent law devolved into heated debate on Sunday after lawmakers discovered they had received unofficial versions of the government's draft legislation.
The joint parliamentary committee had convened to deliberate on two government-proposed draft laws, presented just days prior, intended to modernize regulations concerning rental contracts for both residential and commercial properties. However, tensions escalated within the session as MPs realized they were working with unofficial iterations of the proposed changes.
Lawmaker Diaa El-Din Dawoud voiced his objection to the distribution of what he described as a non-official PDF version of the proposed legislation, demanding that the authentic text be circulated before any discussions commenced.
"We travelled hundreds of kilometers to attend this session only to find a PDF of unclear origin," Dawoud stated.
Committee Chair Mohamed Attia Elfayoumi sought to ease the rising tension, saying, "You can collect the official version before you leave." However, Dawoud declined, insisting on reviewing it before the session proceeded.
The exchange intensified when committee secretary Amin Massoud interjected sharply, "You have a copy. What's the problem?" to which Dawoud retorted, "That's inappropriate."
Massoud then accused Dawoud of attempting to obstruct the session, drawing a sarcastic response from the latter.
Elfayoumi again appealed for calm and pledged to secure the correct version. "I'll get you the version you need. Let's relax—we're all colleagues here," he urged. MP Mohamed Abdel-Alim Dawoud lent his support to Diaa El-Din Dawoud, reiterating the call for an official document.
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.
The government’s proposals would amend Law 49 of 1977 and Law 136 of 1981, both of which regulate leasing terms and landlord-tenant relations.
Under the draft amendments, rents for residential units would be increased twentyfold from current rates, with a minimum of 1,000 Egyptian (around $18) pounds per month for properties in cities and 500 (around $10) pounds in rural areas.
Non-residential units rented by individuals would see their rents rise to five times the current amount, with annual increases of 15 percent based on the most recent rent value. The legislation grants a five-year transition period before these contracts are terminated, unless both parties agree to end them earlier.
At the end of this period, tenants—or their legal successors—must vacate the property unless a mutual agreement with the owner has been reached. Landlords will be entitled to file expedited eviction requests with the local court should tenants refuse to vacate. While tenants can contest the order, doing so will not halt enforcement.
To mitigate the impact on displaced tenants, the draft law offers priority access to state-owned housing or commercial units, either for rent or purchase. Eligibility criteria will be set by the prime minister within 30 days of the law’s enactment.
The Ministry of Housing is also to launch an online portal within three months to process relocation requests from affected tenants.
In November 2024, Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that the fixed-rent provisions under Article 136 of the 1981 law were unconstitutional. The court urged lawmakers to revise the legislation to restore balance to landlord-tenant relations.
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.
“Many owners have passed away, and these homes are simply going to waste,” he said at the time.
