Egypt’s “Old Rent Law” Crisis Deepens as Government Faces Accusations of Mass Evictions
Detention of Tenants’ Lawyer Sparks Outrage Amid Fears New Law Will Displace Millions; Rights Groups Warn of Imminent Housing Crisis
Watan-The crisis surrounding Egypt’s proposed “Old Rent Law” has escalated dramatically after authorities arrested Ayman Essam, a lawyer and spokesperson for tenants’ rights. He was presented to the Supreme State Security Prosecution on Saturday and sentenced to 15 days of detention pending investigation.
The law—submitted by the Egyptian government and approved by the Housing Committee of Parliament last week—is set to be presented for final approval. It aims to amend decades-old rent control policies and redefine landlord-tenant relations. Critics say the law will displace millions and deepen economic inequality.
A Dangerous Escalation
According to a statement by the Revolutionary Socialists, the government is escalating its crackdown on the tenants’ movement. The arrest of Essam, a key legal voice opposing the law, was timed to prevent his participation in a solidarity event in Alexandria.
Despite heavy security around the venue, a group of tenants managed to enter, affirming their commitment to resist the proposed law and to form grassroots housing committees in neighborhoods nationwide.
Activists noted a stark double standard, where landlords’ gatherings faced no state interference, while protests by tenants were met with tight surveillance and intimidation.
The group labeled the proposed law a coordinated government campaign to forcibly evict tenants under the guise of “market liberalization,” disregarding constitutional guarantees of housing.
They rejected the draft law outright, including its transitional clauses, and demanded:
-
Rent control tied to income levels,
-
Extension of rental contracts for one generation (as per Constitutional Court rulings in 2002 and 2011),
-
Abolition of unjust increases,
-
Mandatory rental of vacant properties, and
-
The immediate release of Ayman Essam.
They called on all unions and civil society to unify against this eviction policy, stressing that housing rights must be won through struggle—not granted from above.
Broad Political Condemnation
The Socialist Popular Alliance Party reaffirmed its support for low-income tenants facing forced eviction, denouncing the government’s failure to offer alternative housing or equitable incentives for landlords and tenants.
The party also rejected drastic rent hikes amid the current economic crisis, and criticized the law’s inclusion of commercial properties, which they said violates the Constitutional Court’s rulings.
Their legal committee announced free legal aid for affected tenants, viewing the issue as central to the right to housing and dignified living.
The Bread and Freedom Party (under formation) echoed these concerns, calling the law a direct threat to millions and accusing the state of using fear to clear tenants from properties.
They condemned the proposed 20-fold rent increases, a 7-year transition period, and provisions allowing landlords to reclaim properties without adequate compensation—warning these measures contradict constitutional protections.
The party also condemned last Thursday’s security siege around the Socialist Alliance’s Alexandria headquarters, where a tenants’ union was being launched. Security forces blocked access and spread misinformation, a move the party described as a violation of freedom of assembly and speech.
Structural and Legal Implications
The new draft law, described by the government as a reform effort after decades of wartime rent controls, proposes:
-
Ending old rent contracts after transitional periods (7 years for residential, 5 years for commercial use).
-
Raising legal rents significantly—20x for premium areas, 10x for mid-income zones, and 5x for commercial units.
-
Allowing annual increases of 15% during the transition period.
-
Creating provincial rent classification committees and enabling evictions for closed or unused units.
Government sources claim the law affects over 3 million units, including 2.8 million in urban areas and over 220,000 in rural areas.
Rights Groups’ Warnings
A coalition of human rights and urban advocacy groups, including the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, the Human and City Foundation, and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, issued a joint statement warning of:
-
Market chaos if millions are suddenly evicted.
-
Price surges and housing shortages.
-
Risks of speculation and monopolization similar to refugee housing crises.
They called for:
-
Gradual reforms, not full liberalization.
-
Official rent benchmarks, indexed by the Real Estate Tax Authority.
-
Caps on rent-to-income ratios (20%), especially for the elderly and pensioners.
-
Government rental support programs under the Social Housing Fund.
They also demanded that new contracts include minimum 5-year durations, with compensation if terminated early, and the reuse of Egypt’s 12 million vacant homes via tax exemptions and dispute resolution committees.
This comprehensive backlash indicates that Egypt’s housing policy is at a crossroads—between mass displacement under free-market reforms, or equitable restructuring that respects both tenants’ rights and owners’ investments. The arrest of legal defenders and the lack of dialogue risk turning a policy debate into a full-fledged urban crisis.
