MPs call for fairer housing income rules

TDT | Manama

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Five MPs are pushing for changes to how the Ministry of Housing assesses income for housing applicants, arguing that applicants shouldn’t be penalised for earning slightly more while waiting — sometimes for over 15 years — for their housing requests to be approved.

The proposal was tabled by MPs Bader Saleh Al Tamimi, Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, Hamad Farooq Al Doy, Abdulla Hassan Al Thaaen, and Abdulwahid Abdulaziz Qarata.

They argued that only the applicant’s income at the time of submission should be considered, calling for the removal of the income threshold at the nomination stage.

Fairness

This, they said, would ensure fairness, protect citizens’ housing rights, and provide greater certainty for families who have waited patiently for years.

Under the current rules, applicants must have a monthly income no higher than BD900 when they submit their request and no more than BD1,200 by the time they receive their nomination certificate.

However, delays in processing applications often stretch well beyond a decade, during which applicants may see their income rise naturally.

Disqualification

This can result in their disqualification, even if the increase is modest.

The MPs say these rules unfairly punish citizens for circumstances beyond their control, as the delays in allocating housing are due to administrative hold-ups rather than any fault of the applicants.

They added that many families face being turned away after years of waiting for housing they had planned their lives around.