Property Owners Call for Sit-In Near National Museum

W300

The Syndicate of Property Owners called on Tuesday for a sit-in to reject attempts by inhabitants to block the approval of the new rent law, which was endorsed by the parliament.

A statement issued by the Syndicate stressed that the “sit-in is aimed at refuting fabrications by the tenants , who are staging suspicious demonstrations.”

The sit-in will be held on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. near the national museum in Beirut.

The statement demanded President Michel Suleiman to ink the law, which was passed by the national assembly on April 3.

A dispute had recently emerged between owners of building and inhabitants over a controversial law endorsed by the parliament.

The law, which is opposed by renters, stipulates an increase in rents over a six-year period until they reach 5 percent of their current value.

The inhabitants argue that many won't be able to afford it, prompting them to leave their homes.

The old rent law pertains rent contracts carried out before 1993.

“All the suspicious endeavors by those who claim to represent tenants should be investigated by the prosecution and we reserve the right to file charges against them,” the Syndicate's statement pointed out.

“They are outlaws and impersonating needy and poor people while they are rich,” the statement considered.

The Syndicate called on inhabitants “to abide by the law.”

- H. K.

- M. T.

Comments 12
Default-user-icon jack blair (Guest) almost 10 years

You report about the protests of the malikeen(mainly real estate speculators bankers and possibly money launderers )and not about the house-renters contrary to the case in other papers such as al-Akhbar,as-Safir and even al-Anwar.Michel Pharaon and his team will not get a single vote in Achrafieh at the coming elections.

Thumb lebanon_first almost 10 years

what do you want? that people keep on occupying properties which are not theirs, which they have occupied for 40 years? that they keep on occupying them for the next 40 years? are you a commie?

Would you like to lend your car for someone and suddenly it becomes his to use forever?

Get a grip on things. If you wan to use an apartment, you have to pay for it.

Default-user-icon jack blair (Guest) almost 10 years

from 1950 till 1980 house owners used to charge 15% of the cost of an appartment as yearly rent.That is why the rents were frozen in the first place.Thus the poor house owners have already now recovered 5 times their investment.From the standpoint of Moslem,Christian and plain honest morality they are no longer entitled to their property.The old rents are not too low--around $750 to $1500 per year for a country whose **real**GDP is not more than $4500 per capita(nobody even the world bank believes the Siniora figures)Get a grip on things yourself the real owners of the old rented houses are the bankers -thru their proxies-the real estate speculators .Most genuine old house owners have already sold their proprties to the speculators and have made a huge profit as the prices of apartments have increased tenfold between 2005 and 2010.Only a few greedy curmudgeons have not yet sold and they have lost their bet because prices have begun to slide.

Thumb gma-bs-artist. almost 10 years

Jack.. I mean Nicolas Sahnawi don't you have anything better to do than post nonsensical BS, shouldn't you be tending to your unibrow? A little pruning would do it some good you are starting to look like a cyclop.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/125301
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/125694

Missing lappeaudecouille almost 10 years

Hello Jack Blair. Would you like to expand on your thoughts. What are the renters' concerns?

Default-user-icon jack blair (Guest) almost 10 years

the present extended parliament is illegal.It can be tolerated to pass minor urgent laws so that the state does not get paralyzed.It cannot pass a qanoon massiri like the Ijarat.The President must reject it and declare this prolonged (and thus fake) parliament incompetent to pass laws on such important matters.

Default-user-icon Maliha (Guest) almost 10 years

The government should provide public housing.
Why should property owners provide housing subsidies?

Default-user-icon Zed (Guest) almost 10 years

This is not about socialism and communism, why throw such ridiculous claims. I am for the new law don't get me wrong, but please argue better. Those who cannot afford the new rent should consider moving somewhere where they can afford to move, they have had a good deal for a long time and they should be thankful and not complain. Those who really can't afford to move even to cheaper places should get governmental help one way or another, stay at their home for longer and get the government to pay the landlord a fair sum, BUT those who have taken advantage of the system and of landlords should pay immediately or leave - why wait 6 years, they don't deserve a minute more. Its a very simple and effective proposal.

Missing samy.. almost 10 years

In the meanwhile, we are still working hard to make these renters more poor, and to swell their numbers.

Missing undefined almost 10 years

Samy: I frankly couldn't care less about the renters! They've been living in my apartment for FREE for DECADES. I need that apartment for MYSELF! Why should I go and rent @ market prices while others live in mine FOR FREE??!? And WHY do I have to PAY them to leave something that is supposed to be MINE???

Default-user-icon blablabla (Guest) almost 10 years

the problem is that there is no more cheap area in Lebanon compared to purchasing power, thanx you to R. Hariri, except in the Palestinian camps and in some lawless places like Arsal.

But no christians nor shia can live with sunni extremists :p

Thumb -phoenix1 almost 10 years

This issue is a timebomb that has been kept in abeyance due to many concerns, one of them, our age old habit of sweeping our dust under the carpet. Problem is that Lebanon is now sitting atop too many different dusts. How long can we sustain this?