Court supports ministry in housing dispute, repossesses property after year of neglect

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

A man had abandoned his government-provided home, leaving it without electricity or water for a year. As a result, the court upheld the Ministry of Housing’s decision to repossess the property.

The ministry had assigned him the unit years ago. But after 12 months without a flicker of electricity or a drop of water used, staff began to suspect the property was unoccupied.

A field inspection confirmed it: the home was bare, no sign of regular use.

The Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) issued a formal statement confirming zero consumption between March 2023 and March 2024.

Right

The ministry cancelled the man’s right to the property.

The man objected, saying he still lived there, or at least his son did. The courts, however, were not persuaded.

The High Civil Court of Appeal backed the ministry’s decision.

Judges found that he and his family had left the home vacant for over six months, with no reason that fit the rules.

The background stretches back to 2009, when the man signed a contract granting him use of the unit.

Agreement

That agreement stated clearly that if the property went unused for three months or more without a proper explanation, the ministry could revoke the right. If left empty for six straight months, the same rule applied.

In this case, it was longer than six. It was a full year.

The ministry took the matter to court. The man replied that personal issues had kept him away and that his son had been staying in the home instead.

One witness said the man and his family had lived there, but could not remember exactly when. Another said he visited from time to time.

Neither could explain why there had been no electricity or water used in an entire year.

Regulations

The court was not satisfied. It referred to the housing regulations, which require applicants to live continuously in Bahrain from the time of their request until the home is allocated.

Once granted, they must live in the unit without a break of more than six months unless they have a valid reason accepted by the ministry.

Such reasons include government work abroad, secondments, studying overseas, or working for companies registered in Bahrain. None applied in this case.

The court found that the man had abandoned the home. The absence of water and electricity usage confirmed it.

Outcome

The witness statements did not change the outcome.

He was ordered to vacate the property, leave it empty, and return it to the ministry.

He must also pay legal costs for both stages of the case.