Qatar residents squeezed as World Cup rental demand soars – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Or sleep ? It’s one of the biggest questions facing fans heading to tiny Qatar for the World Cup amid a feverish rush for rooms in Doha. Some will sleep on cruise ships. Others will camp in the desert. Others will come from Dubai and elsewhere.

But with the world’s biggest sporting event approaching in the world’s smallest host country, the struggle for accommodation is not limited to tourists. Qatar’s housing frenzy has sent rents skyrocketing and driven long-term residents out of their own homes, leaving many homeless.

“The landlords are taking full advantage of the situation and there is nothing in place to support the people who already live here,” said Mariam, a 30-year-old UK resident whose landlord refused to renew her annual contract in September. then quadrupled his monthly contract. rent – ​​from 5,000 Qatari riyals (about $1,370) to 20,000 riyals ($5,490). Unable to afford the raise, she had no choice but to move out and is now living with a friend.

“It’s really demoralizing,” she said, giving only her first name for fear of reprisals, like other tenants interviewed in the autocratic nation. Others spoke on condition of anonymity for the same reason.

Residents of the country, where expats outnumber locals by nine times, say rising demand and a shortage of rooms ahead of the World Cup has allowed landlords to raise rents by more than 40% in many cases on short notice, forcing tenants to pack their bags and face an uncertain future.

The Qatari government has acknowledged the “increased demand for housing” and has encouraged tenants who feel aggrieved to file complaints with the government’s rental disputes committee.

Some 1.2 million fans are expected next month in the Arab Gulf sheikh, which has never before hosted an event of the magnitude of the World Cup.

Local organizers have sought to dispel fears of a housing crisis, pointing out that Qatar has reserved 130,000 rooms, available on the official website. Rooms, which can be found in hotels, resorts, purpose-built accommodations and three cruise ships in port, start at around $80, they say, though the number of budget options is not light.

A price cap applies to 80% of rooms, the government said in a statement to The Associated Press. He didn’t respond to questions about if and how the cap was implemented, and the cap — which is about $780 for a five-star resort room — can go up, depending on room amenities. .

Many long-term occupants of hotels and apartments say they are being pushed out to make room for players, staff and fans.

“You agree to either stay and pay the extra or leave and not know if you’re going to have a place to live,” said a British teacher whose landlord raised his rent by 44%. The teacher has sold all his furniture and is now crashing at a friend’s house, worried about his future.

Other tenants renewing their leases reported signs appearing on their apartments saying the buildings were “chosen by the government to host 2022 World Cup guests and events”.

The notice, seen by the AP, orders tenants to leave so the building can be handed over for maintenance ahead of the tournament.

Local organizers have signed an agreement with French hotel company Accor to reserve some 45,000 rooms for fans.

Omar al-Jaber, executive director of housing at Qatar’s Supreme Delivery and Legacy Committee, said the government played no role in contract terminations affecting long-term tenants.

“To be honest with you, we don’t control what happens in the market,” he told the AP.

A 48-year-old French pilates instructor said when she signed her lease a year ago her landlord promised he wouldn’t kick her out during the World Cup. Yet, just days before her lease was due for renewal, she received a devastating message that her landlord could not rent the place to her for “personal reasons”. The next day, her friend saw her room advertised on Airbnb for nearly $600 more per month than she had paid.

“You’re evicting long-term residents for a month-long event?” ” she says. “People are angry. It’s very disturbing. »

Residents scrambling to find new homes because of rent hikes say it’s nearly impossible to find suitable homes within their budget. Most two-bedroom apartments on the Pearl, a man-made island off the coast of Doha, cost more than $1,000 a night on Airbnb. Luxury apartments on the site can fetch $200,000 per month.

“The homes we have left are not good at all,” said a 32-year-old Indian resident whose monthly rent will rise by more than $400 next month. “So if we can afford it, there’s no kitchen, it’s too far or it’s divided by partitions. It is very disturbing.

Energy-rich Qatar have spared no expense in their grand plans for the first World Cup in the Arab world, promising locals and expats will also benefit from a lasting legacy.

“This tournament is for everyone who lives in Qatar,” al-Jaber said. “We would like everyone to enjoy this tournament.”

But some say the tight squeeze shows the joyful event comes at a cost.

“It’s costing me a lot of stress and money,” said the British teacher who had to leave his flat after seven years. “I have to pay for the World Cup.”

Comments are closed.