Proposal to give tenants protection from eviction in ‘exceptional circumstances’
LANDLORDS could be unable to evict tenants if they can't pay as a result of ‘exceptional circumstances’ - such as the Covid-19 pandemic - under a parliamentary proposal submitted today.
The proposed insertion to the 2014 Rents Law is spearheaded by MP Hamad Al Kooheji.
It aims to ensure that whenever the government introduces emergency measures that landlords can't take the situation as an excuse to throw people or their belongings on to the road.
However, tenants will have to agree to a rescheduled payment system.
"There is a huge loophole in the current law that has caused more harm to Bahraini and expat tenants, who for one reason or another had their income disrupted or withheld and were unable to repay since the outbreak of Covid-19," he said.
"Laws should help people and not compound their misery as many were victims of forced eviction and their belongings thrown out without any sort of consideration to their hardships."
It has been referred by Parliament Speaker Fouzia Zainal to the public utilities and environment affairs committee for review.
