Tenants who have moved out of rented properties could get a clearer legal route to stop rent from accumulating when landlords refuse to accept the keys, under proposed changes to Bahrain’s property rental law.
The bill also seeks to limit the automatic extension of expired rental contracts to one year, regardless of the original lease period.
MPs believe the proposal would rebalance the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants.
Parliament’s public utilities and environment affairs committee is urging legislators to stand by Parliament’s version of the legislation after the Shura Council rejected the bill in principle.
Committee chairman MP Hisham Al Awadhi said the proposed amendments aim to address practical disputes that can leave tenants facing continuing rental obligations even when they are trying to hand back a property.
“The law should provide a clear and fair procedure when a tenant is ready to return a property but the landlord refuses to accept it,” he said.
“Tenants should not be left in uncertainty over their financial obligations simply because the handover cannot be completed.”
Under the Parliament-backed proposal, a tenant whose landlord refuses without justification to accept a property could formally offer to hand it over through registered mail or agreed electronic means, detailing the property and the time and place of delivery.
The landlord would have three days after receiving the notice to reject the offer. If the landlord refuses to accept the notice or does not respond within 10 days, the proposal sets out how the tenant can proceed.
After one month has elapsed following rejection of the handover offer, the tenant could apply to the competent court to validate the offer and deposit the property keys with the court.
A court ruling confirming the offer and deposit would clear the tenant’s obligation to return the property from the date of deposit and stop rent and other rental-law obligations from accruing from that date. The tenant would, however, remain responsible for restoring the property to its original condition and paying any justified compensation.
The proposal would also amend Article 34 of Law No 27 of 2014 on the rental of real estate.
Under the existing provision, if a tenant remains in a property after the lease expires with the landlord’s knowledge and without objection, the contract is extended for a period equivalent to the original term under the same conditions.
Parliament wants such extensions capped at one year. If the original lease was shorter than a year, however, it would renew for an equivalent period under the same terms.
“The proposed changes seek to establish greater clarity for both parties and prevent rental arrangements from creating obligations that neither side can easily resolve,” Mr Al Awadhi said.
The government opposes the bill, arguing that existing civil and commercial procedures already allow tenants to offer payment or perform their obligations and deposit what is due when necessary.
It also warns that imposing a one-year extension could override the parties’ original agreement, particularly where the expired lease was for less than a year.
The Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry and the Survey and Land Registration Bureau share the government’s objections.
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