Job Discussion Forums

stabnkill · Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 62 Location: the land of dreams

Is anybody facing an attempt at an illegal eviction? Has anybody been to court and successfully fought an illegal eviction? Can anybody recommend a trustworthy lawyer or law firm? Please share your firsthand experiences.

Please, don�t speculate. Speak of things you know firsthand or facts that are verifiable. There is enough confusion and misinformation on this topic as it is.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

This is the first time that it has been mentioned here. Have there been any articles in the local press?

VS

flutterbayou · Joined: 01 Apr 2006 Posts: 244

Here are a couple of links to Oman Landlord Tenant Law and legal referrals, with particular notes on evictions:

http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Middle-East/Oman/Landlord-and-Tenant

http://www.hierosgamos.org/hg/db_lawfirms.asp?action=search&subcategory=Landlord%7CTenant&country=oman

omanized · Joined: 04 Jun 2006 Posts: 152

From what I can see and hear, the municipality is doing well to defend tenants against the sleazy landlords out there. The tenant rights were quite clearly laid out in the new Hi! magazine/paper that is free from most grocery stores - there have been articles in all of the local English mags/papers about this issue. The Hi! paper even had the number of the municipality legal dept. which is probably swamped with calls.

This is the situation as I know it...if you have been paying rent on time there is no reason to evict. If the landlord wants to raise the rent, he can only raise it 15% and the municipality will only stamp/certify renewed contracts at that rate. If the reason for eviction is for renovation or demolition, they owner must first get approval from the municipality for the work and then can ask the tenant to leave within 6 months, but if the tenant can't find a place, they can ask for an extension. If the reason for eviction is that a family member needs the place, it can only be for a son or daughter and again the owner must sign a declaration testifying to the move.

My advice is to call the municipality, be sure of your rights and stick to your guns - if they dare to use the threat of police, the police will politely decline as these matters are not criminal in nature and they can not be involved in these disputes. Only if the landlord makes the place unihabitable, ie turns off the water or electricity, then that is criminal and the police can be involved on the side of the tenant !

Of course, there is a little thing called wasta which may trump all of the above but I believe if you fight hard enough and keep the municipality involved, you can win or at least linger for another year while they courts decide.

good luck !

omzd

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

This appears to be something new... has it just sprung up after the cyclone? I don't see that there has been a big influx of new expats requiring housing (except in Sohar with the new port project)... so it must be a perceived or real shortage of housing due to the storm damage.

Wasta may win in a few cases, but one thing that can be said about Oman is that they do make an effort to enforce the laws... for everyone.

VS