Real estate lease law amendments to boost sector, streamline procedures and protect rights

Law No. (8) of 2026, amending certain provisions of Law No. (4) of 2008 on the leasing of real estate, is part of Qatar’s ongoing efforts to advance the legislative and regulatory framework for the real estate sector.

Qatar’s Ministry of Municipality said the amendments aim to enhance investment attractiveness, streamline procedures, safeguard the rights of parties to lease relationships and improve the efficiency of dispute resolution, thereby supporting sustainable economic and urban development.

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Municipality HE Eng Ali bin Mohammed bin Ali Al Ali said the changes reflect the evolution of the real estate sector and seek to create a more flexible and efficient regulatory environment, bolster confidence in the market and optimise the business environment, supporting the sector’s stability and sustainable growth.

The law will take effect on September 3, 2026, with stakeholders urged to review the amendments, use the grace period to finalise procedures and bring their status into compliance.

A key amendment is the reduction of the lease registration fee from 0.5% of annual rental value, with a minimum of QR250 and maximum of QR2,500, to a fixed QR250. This is expected to ease financial burdens, encourage lease registration and promote compliance, strengthening the stability of rental transactions and protecting landlords’ and tenants’ rights.

The law also reduces the settlement fee for certain violations related to lease registration from QR5,000 to QR1,000 to encourage entities to regularise their status and reduce judicial disputes.

The law introduces Article (20 bis), allowing beneficiaries of public and private state property to register lease agreements with third parties within two months of signing, exempt from registration fees.

This will help address practical challenges, facilitate transactions with government agencies and service providers, and provide more accurate data on leased units to support policymaking and urban planning.

The amendments also expand the jurisdiction of the Rental Disputes Settlement Committee (RDC) to cover all landlord‑tenant disputes and make recourse to the committee mandatory before filing court cases.

Decisions of the RDC are now appealable before the Court of Appeal through a single avenue, enhancing procedural clarity, legal certainty and consistency in judicial interpretations, while expediting dispute resolution and reducing the burden on the courts.

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