Maintenance Obligations in Qatar: A Guide for Landlords

With modern properties dominating the Qatari market, the balance between maintenance rights and obligations serves as a core point of contention if not clarified from the beginning. Both the Civil Code (Law No. 22 of 2004) and the Leasing Law (Law No. 4 of 2008, which was issued on 14 February 2008 and became effective upon its publication in the Official Gazette on 19 March 2008) have laid down clear foundations for landlord responsibilities.

Landlord Obligations: Readiness and Major Maintenance

Pursuant to Article (4) of the Leasing Law, the landlord is obligated to deliver the leased property and its annexes in a condition fit for the agreed-upon use. This obligation extends beyond the handover moment into the lease term itself:

Necessary and Preservative Maintenance

The landlord is committed throughout the lease period to carry out all necessary and fundamental maintenance to keep the property viable for its intended use (Article 5 of Law No. 4 of 2008). Unless otherwise explicitly agreed in the contract, this typically covers:

• Structural maintenance of the building or apartment (e.g., roofs and walls to prevent water leaks).
• Repair and maintenance of major durable appliances provided by the landlord (such as central AC units, split ducted units, water pumps, and tower elevators).
• Fixing major plumbing systems and electrical faults not resulting from tenant misuse.

What Happens if the Landlord Fails to Maintain?

If the property requires necessary maintenance and the landlord refuses after being formally notified, the tenant has the right (according to Article 5) to resort to the "Rental Disputes Settlement Committee" to obtain permission to carry out the urgent repairs themselves and deduct the documented cost from the rent value. The tenant is not entitled to independently make these deductions or withhold rent as a pressure tactic without a formal decision or explicit permission from the Committee, as doing so may constitute a ground for eviction under Article 15 of the Leasing Law.

Tenant Obligations: Routine Daily Maintenance

Conversely, Article 595 of the Civil Code and continued practice dictate that the tenant bears the costs of minor, periodic maintenance arising from daily use and consumption to keep the premises clean and decent. Known as routine or tenantable maintenance, this includes items such as:

• Changing light bulbs and lamps.
• Unclogging standard kitchen or bathroom drains caused by daily blockages.
• Replacing batteries and changing AC filters, if agreed upon.
• Minor maintenance of private gardens belonging to the unit (unless covered by compound service payments).

The Contractual Clause (Freedom of Contract)

The Qatari legislator grants parties the right to modify maintenance obligations. The parties can mutually agree to include an explicit clause relieving the landlord of all maintenance responsibilities, shifting them entirely onto the tenant (Full Repairing Lease), provided this is stated clearly and unambiguously in the signed lease agreement (Article 5, Law No. 4 of 2008).

Recommendation: It is preferable for landlords to utilize a professional platform like Landager to manage and process maintenance requests from tenants. This empowers you to electronically log faults, assign certified contractors, document repair costs, and accurately designate whether the liability falls on the landlord or the tenant—ensuring costs caused by tenant misuse can correctly be deducted from the security deposit later.

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