May 18, 2022

Can foreigners rent property in Egypt?

Can foreigners rent property in Egypt?

Certainly, the foreigners can rent a property in Egypt, since the new lease law was announced in Egypt, everyone has the opportunity to rent any residential, commercial or any other property according to a legal lease agreement, only the lands designated for agriculture are prohibited from being rented to foreigners.

The new lease law gave freedom of contract between the owner and the tenant with regard to (rental value - contract term), but with main conditions for renting for non-Egyptian foreigners:

The foreigner must have a regular residence card in Egypt that is valid during the lease term of the property.

The foreigner must be a fully qualified person (an adult, in complete mental health).

Renting a property in Egypt for foreigners - terms of the lease contract:

Foreigners can rent a property in Egypt according to lease contracts similar to the lease contract for Egyptians, so the property lease contract must include the following:

1- A copy of the identity of the person who owns the property, a copy of the identity of the foreigner renting and a copy of his passport, and a copy of his residence card in Egypt.

2- A document proving the capacity of the person who owns the property and the capacity of the foreign tenant.

3- A document proving the owner’s information, place of residence, work and means of communication with him, and a document proving the nationality of the foreigner hired and the method of contacting him.

4- Documenting all the specifications of the property that is being leased in the contract, its detailed address, its area, and the internal property details.

5- Determining the term of the property lease contract.

6- The value of the monthly or annual rent, or it can be a week or one day. The value of the rent must be documented, in addition to mentioning the method of payment of the rent amount. If the foreigner will pay the rent in installments or monthly, the date of payment must be mentioned in the contract, or if If the payment is direct or through post-paid checks or receipts, it must be signed by the owner of the property and the foreigner renter when writing the contract.

7- The cases that give the property owner the right to terminate the lease contract must be determined, so that the tenant is obligated to stay away from it.

Can a property owner terminate a foreigner’s lease contract in a residential property in Egypt?

Of course, there are general laws for rent and every tenant must abide by them, and foreigners are treated like Egyptians with regard to renting real estate, and there are certain cases that give the property owner the right to evict the foreign or Egyptian tenant.

As we mentioned in the paragraph (the terms of the lease contract), these cases must be specified in the lease contract, in order for the foreign or Egyptian tenant to abide by them.
These common situations:

- If the foreigner changes the shape of building the property, such as demolishing a wall, adding a wall, opening a new window, or any other work that affects the shape of the main property.

- If the foreign renter uses the property for a use other than previously specified in the lease contract. If the contract specifies that the property has been rented for housing or for commercial work, the use must be committed and the foreigner or the Egyptian tenant cannot change the way the property is used after signing the contract.