When you are ready to rent a new home or work space, you want to be as prepared as possible. In between you and your new house, apartment, or office space is this contract. So, what should you expect? How can you prepare yourself for this big step? Let’s take a look!
If Arabic isn’t your first language, it’s extremely important to have help translating it. It’s important that you can clearly understand every part of the contract. You should expect that any contracts will be in Arabic only. Plan accordingly!
The two parties involved are your landlord (the first party) and you (the second party). For both parties, the contract should state their names, nationalities, proof of ID, professions, and city of residence.
The first party cannot change (increase or decrease) the rent price or nullify the contract till the end date of contract or by mutual consent. The second party is also usually responsible for maintenance of the property. At the end of the rent period, the second party is also responsible for leaving the property in its original condition. There should also be a clear agreement of who will pay for the water and electricity bills.
While the dates marking the duration of your renting period will change depending on your specific situation, it’s usually the length of a year. Towards the end date of your renting period, both you and the landlord will have to say whether or not you will renew the contract. There will also be an agreed upon amount of time given by each party before they would evacuate the property.
The contract will also include basic information about the property: the property’s category (home, apartment, land, shop, etc), location (city and neighborhood), and dimensions.
You will also find any additional conditions agreed on by both parties. This can vary from contract to contract.
Above all, make sure you work with people you trust. If you don’t understand something because of language or cultural barriers, ask! Have a good grasp on what is required of you and what you’re asking of the landlord.