MP demands cap on house rents

Rents in commercial and private residential areas continue to soar up to the unbearable level due to the absence of laws to protect the interests of tenants. In this context, parliamentarian Abdullah Al-Tameemi proposed yesterday that the government should impose a cap on rents, which have seen a steep rise in the past few months, reports local daily Kuwait Times. Tameemi proposed an amendment to the 1978 rents law in which rents are calculated on the basis of KD 5 per square meter, provided that a room’s rent should not exceed KD 50 and that of a studio not more than KD 100, while other utilities are free. Based on Tameemi’s proposal, the monthly rent of a two-bedroom apartment should not exceed KD 200 while its market rate is KD 400 and more. A three-bedroom flat should have a rent of KD 250, while current rent now exceeds KD 500.