A few days ago I wrote an article in which I asked the government to grant a housing allowance, land grant or real estate loan to each Saudi citizen who does not own a house. I said this housing allowance should be paid to Saudis who are government or private sector employees or are simply unemployed. I tied this up to the drafting of a new law that would make clear the rights of landlords and tenants so no party can take advantage of each other. Today I would like to pose a question to Minister of Housing Shuwaish Al-Dowaihi. A year ago the minister promised us that such a law would soon be issued so, honorable minister, can you kindly tell us the reasons behind the delay and a new date when the law will come into effect? This issue cannot be further delayed; we are in urgent need of a law that makes clear, without any doubt, the rights of both tenants and landlords particularly on the issue of rent increments. Housing security is an important pillar in the stability of any society. The current relationship between landlords and tenants is a troubled one in which both parties regularly hurl accusations against one another. If the government paid the suggested housing allowance and issued the law to regulate the relationship between building owners and tenants, a large dose of family stability and mental comfort will be injected into the veins of Saudis. We've lived decades without such a law; the time to change this is now.
