Call to reduce municipal fees in furnished buildings, apartments

TDT | Manama


A proposal has been tabled to reduce the municipal fees of buildings and furnished apartments rented to Bahraini families in the Kingdom. Northern Municipal Council Finance and Legal Committee head Zeina Jassem who raised the issue also demanded to treat such families as “Bahraini families staying in housing owned by them.”

Currently, citizens applying for such a discount are turned away by the Works, Municipality Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry citing lack of provision in the law. Ms Jassem, however, pointed out that the Municipalities Law as per Article No. (49) of Clause (A), which deals with municipal fees on buildings and furnished rental apartments, and Item (B) on the percentage of fees currently does not exclude Bahraini families.

“So at present, it difficult to fulfill the desires of citizens,” she said. “But, this is possible by amending some items in Articles (48) and (49) of the executive regulations.”

As per the provisions of the Minister of Housing, Municipalities and Environment Resolution No. (3) of 1999 regarding the reduction of municipal fees, “unfurnished buildings and apartments rented to Bahraini families equates to Bahraini families living in housing owned by them.” However, furnished buildings and apartments, whose monthly rent exceeds BD200 per month, and rented to Bahraini families, even if it is their only housing, are not covered by the decision, and therefore they are charged 7 to 7.5 percent.