I have written about rent issues multiple times in my columns but I still receive a lot of concerns from readers that might have understood the laws but are confused about how to apply the rental laws to their own situation. For example I understand that it is one thing to know that rent cannot be increased except once every five years but it's another thing to know what do in such a situation, what are the legal steps to be taken.

It's very important for me to make the law understandable for everyone. Like I have said before, I do not write in legalese but instead use simple terms that people are used to, because I believe the law should be understandable and accessible to all. I also believe in providing "legal steps to be taken" that can be taken by anyone and not just lawyers. I know a lot of people can't afford lawyers, so I would like to provide some solutions that can be available to those that cannot afford lawyers.

Kuwait Rental Law was promulgated in 1978 and aims to govern rental relationships i.e. between tenants and landlords for non-commercial use.

Fajer: It depends on your contract. This is why I refuse to give advice without reviewing the necessary documents. Assuming that your contract is residential, not for commercial use, and it has been five years since you moved in or your last increase then yes your landlord has the right to increase your rent.

Your landlord also has the right to increase your rent if you are paying 50 percent less than the market price. The market price is usually determined by comparing the prices in your area.

Question: My rent is KD 600 but my landlord wants to put KD 800 on the rental contract & rental receipt. I am not agreeing to this and as a consequence they are refusing to let me pay rent or issue me a receipt. My discussions were all verbal with the haris as the manager doesn't speak English. How do I deal with this?

Fajer: Your landlord is not being logical and although I don't want to assume things but putting a higher price for the apartment than what it really is could give your landlord a lot of advantages. For example, they can raise the rent even more than the KD 800 in five years, or they can even say that you haven't been paying the actual amount! I suggest you bring in a friend that speaks Arabic to try and talk to them and let them know that this is not acceptable and if they refuse to take the rent than you can pay your rent at court.

Question: I keep reading from you and hearing from friends as well that if I am having disputes with my landlord I can pay rent at court. Is this true and how or where do I go?

Fajer: Yes it is true you can pay your rent at court, there are different court buildings in Kuwait with the major court being in Kuwait City, Palace of Justice. You should check the nearest court to your residential area, there is one main court building in every Kuwaiti governate. Once you find the building your will need to speak some Arabic and ask for directions to the rental court. Take with you your rental agreement and civil ID and deposit the money at court, you will get a receipt instantly.

For any legal questions or queries, email [email protected].

By Attorney Fajer Ahmed