Property matters in Qatar are governed by several complementary pieces of legislation, the most important being:

  • The Civil Code (Law No. 22 of 2004): the general rules on sale, lease and contracting (muqawala). Article 711 makes the contractor and the engineer jointly liable for ten years for any total or partial collapse of, or defect in, the buildings and fixed installations they construct.
  • Law No. 4 of 2008 on Real Estate Leasing, as amended: the landlord and tenant regime for residential, commercial and industrial premises.
  • Law No. 16 of 2018 regulating non-Qataris' ownership and use of real estate: together with the Council of Ministers resolutions designating the permitted areas.

Rental disputes and the Rental Disputes Settlement Committee

The Rental Disputes Settlement Committee hears lease disputes within its jurisdiction under Law No. 4 of 2008. The rules that matter most in practice are:

Registration
Leases must be in writing and registered with the Lease Registration Office; a tenant's application will not be heard by the Committee or the courts if the lease is unregistered.
Security deposit
No more than two months' rent for residential premises.
Rent increases
Only in accordance with the rules and rates set by the Council of Ministers.

Construction disputes in Qatar

Most construction disputes in Qatar arise from delay, variations and additional works, withheld payments, and defects that emerge after handover. We start every analysis with the contract itself: time for completion, delay penalties and notice requirements, and then the dispute resolution clause, which may send the dispute to arbitration rather than the courts. Where it does, we act through our arbitration and dispute resolution practice. For defects threatening a building's stability, decennial liability under the Civil Code remains an important protection for the owner long after handover.

Property ownership for non-Qataris

Law No. 16 of 2018 allows non-Qataris to own, or hold usufruct rights over, real estate in the areas designated by the Council of Ministers, and the Real Estate Registration Department at the Ministry of Justice handles registration of ownership and usufruct rights. According to the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (Aqarat), buying property worth at least QAR 730,000 gives residency tied to the property, while property worth at least QAR 3,650,000 carries permanent residency benefits covering health, education and investment.

What to prepare before your consultation

  • The sale, lease or construction contract, with all annexes and variation orders.
  • The title deed or proof of lease registration.
  • Rent receipts or cheques, completion certificates and payment applications.
  • Correspondence, formal notices, photographs and technical reports.
  • Your ID or commercial registration, and a power of attorney if you are acting on someone else's behalf.