The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights expresses its deep concern regarding the potentially devastating social and economic consequences of implementing the proposed amendments to the Old Rent Law\u2014particularly Article 2, which stipulates the termination of rental contracts governed by the law for residential purposes seven years after its entry into force. This alarm follows the House of Representatives\u2019 final approval of the bill\u2019s provisions.<\/p>\n
The Center\u2019s apprehension stems from inconsistent official statements and the absence of clear operational mechanisms to address the crisis anticipated under the new law. Furthermore, the parliamentary majority has persistently refused to include exemptions for the most vulnerable groups\u2014such as the elderly, pensioners, persons with disabilities, and original tenants\u2014thereby violating the fundamental principle of contractual relations enshrined in Article 147 of the Egyptian Civil Code, which affirms that \u201cthe contract is the law between the parties.\u201d<\/p>\n
The law also overlooks the binding scope of the Supreme Constitutional Court\u2019s ruling dated 9 November 2024, which declared the first paragraph of Articles 1 and 2 of Law No. 136 of 1981 unconstitutional, specifically regarding the fixed annual rent for residential units. Instead of prompting Parliament to determine a fair rental value that reflects inflation and the devaluation of the national currency, the legislature has enacted provisions that jeopardize social peace and public order and infringe on the constitutionally guaranteed right to adequate housing\u2014opening the door to mass displacement and deprivation.<\/p>\n
The current law blatantly ignores the chaos dominating the rental market, fueled by the absence of fair and transparent standards that balance the rights of landlords and tenants. As a result, tenants\u2014particularly those in vulnerable socioeconomic situations\u2014are increasingly exposed to unchecked rent hikes and exploitative practices. The law also undermines acquired rights such as key money payments and rent advances and fails to account for financial incentives and subsidies previously extended to landlords.<\/p>\n
Against this backdrop, the Egyptian Center warns that enforcing such legislation may trigger widespread social unrest and large-scale evictions, compounding the suffering of millions of households, especially those most in need of protection.<\/p>\n
Accordingly, the Center calls on the government and the House of Representatives to initiate a broad-based national dialogue with tenant representatives and civil society organizations to devise fair and sustainable solutions that safeguard the right to housing and reflect the current economic and social realities.<\/p>\n
The Center further urges the Egyptian president to exercise his constitutional authority by refraining from ratifying the law in its current form and to support a comprehensive review that ensures the protection of vulnerable groups, upholds constitutional rights, and reinforces social justice and societal stability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights expresses its deep concern regarding the potentially devastating social and economic consequences of implementing the proposed amendments to the Old Rent Law\u2014particularly Article 2, which stipulates the termination of rental contracts governed by the law for residential purposes seven years after its entry into force. This alarm …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":808592,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[562],"tags":[],"coauthors":[936],"class_list":["post-808599","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n