Member of Parliament Ehab Mansour described the current situation regarding Egypt’s “old rent” law as a shared injustice affecting both landlords and tenants.
In an interview with Al-Shams TV on Friday, Mansour warned that the law has become a dead letter, particularly concerning the repossession of closed units or those whose tenants possess alternative properties.
He explained that while the law stipulates the landlord’s right to reclaim a unit in cases of closure or if the tenant owns another unit, it deliberately omits the mechanisms for proving ownership.
Mansour pointed out that 99 percent of cases filed before the judge of urgent matters are dismissed because landlords are unable to provide the necessary documents, which administrative bodies are unable to supply.
This, he argued, renders the law’s legislative impact flawed and misleading to those with legitimate claims.
Mansour added that the government possesses data proving that approximately 230,000 tenants are simultaneously occupying two units under the old rent system.
He continued, “Despite the law clearly stipulating the owner’s right to reclaim the second unit, no one has received anything. Instead, we see rare celebrations on social media simply because a citizen obtains a court ruling to reclaim their apartment, as if we’re witnessing a miracle rather than the application of the law.”
The state made a grave mistake by placing the responsibility for the social impact on the owner, he said, emphasizing that the government is obligated to support the tenant in need, as the owner may be a low-income pensioner.
He emphasized that Parliament continues to activate its oversight mechanisms to review the entire system, stressing that laws that leave all parties dissatisfied are flawed and require immediate amendment.
Mansour called for the establishment of mechanisms that allow landlords to easily document closures and alternative units, while the state guarantees the right of low-income tenants to decent housing through social protection programs.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
