Required Real Estate Disclosures in Bahrain: Protecting Residential Leases

Although Bahraini law did not dedicate a separate chapter called (Mandatory Disclosures) as practiced in Western markets, the general principles in civil law in addition to the Real Estate Lease Law impose on the landlord the responsibility of transparency and providing substantive clarifications before concluding the contract to ensure its safety from nullification.

Disclaimer: This guide provides general legal information for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Concealing substantial defects may lead to contract nullification and paying compensation. Consult a lawyer in Bahrain. Information last verified: March 2026.

Essential Disclosures to Avoid Rescission and Nullification

The landlord bears the consequence of delivering the residence in a condition fit for its intended use, which entails the necessity of disclosing the following points to avoid fraud lawsuits or contract nullification at the Rent Dispute Committee:

1. Disclosing Hidden Engineering Defects (Latent Defects)

Concealing any hidden defect that threatens the tenant's safety or prevents them from benefiting from the property is considered fraud. Dangerous examples: problems with the electrical current strength, or internal water leaks in the walls. The tenant has the right to demand the rescission of the contract and evict the property if surprised by a substantial defect concealed from them.

2. Complex Service Fees and Electricity and Water Authority (EWA)

The burdens of Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) bills must be mentioned and clarified during the agreement. Will the bills be included in the rent (Inclusive)? Or will the tenant be obligated to open an account and pay bills on their personal number? Likewise, prior disclosure of any fees for garbage collection and transport or complex maintenance fees if not included in the basic rent.

3. Disclosure of the Obligation to Register the Contract at the Municipality

The law obligates, under Article 6 of the new law, that lease contracts be registered (especially for investors and foreigners). The landlord is responsible for stating whether they will undertake the registration procedures at the Municipality office, or provide the building's registration number from the Survey and Land Registration Bureau, because the tenant will need a registered and notarized copy to complete their transactions at the Labor Market Regulatory Authority and update their residency data.

4. Reporting Municipal Decisions for Demolition or Expropriation

If the building is old and a demolition decision or an expropriation decision for public benefit has been issued against it by the Bahraini authorities, the landlord is prohibited from concluding any long-term lease contracts without prior disclosure to the tenant party, due to the certain harm it inflicts on the duration of their stability in the residential apartment.

Contemporary real estate platforms like Landager provide massive support to prepare integrated addendums for lease contracts in the Kingdom of Bahrain, enabling the landlord to clearly customize property data and document the disclosure of the apartment's condition with electronically signed Move-in Checklists so that rights are preserved before the courts.

Back to Bahrain Residential Laws Overview.