Al-Wafd Newspaper
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Counselor Mhanny Youssef: The Egyptian Legislator Faces a Crucial Test to End the Old Rent Crisis
Lawyer and international legal advisor Mhanny Youssef issued an urgent appeal to the Egyptian legislator to put an end to the old rent crisis, which has persisted for more than seven decades, stressing that the current circumstances require a radical and fair solution.
In exclusive remarks to Al-Wafd Portal, Youssef explained that “Law No. 121 of 1947 concerning old rents was an exceptional piece of legislation to confront the conditions of World War II, but over time it turned into a dark tunnel of injustice and legal distortion.“
The international legal advisor pointed out that “the successive amendments to the law—starting in 1954, then in 1977 and 1981—failed to correct its course. Instead, they entrenched a deep legislative imbalance that turned the rental relationship into a perpetual burden on landlords and an inherited privilege for tenants.”
A Ray of Hope: Constitutional Court Rulings
Youssef emphasized that “the rulings of the Supreme Constitutional Court in 2018 and 2023 were a ray of hope, confirming that the old system was a temporary exception, and the legislator never intended to create permanent rights. This gives Parliament the green light to rectify this legal anomaly.”
Lawyer Mohanny Youssef noted that although the draft law currently under discussion—despite not being officially finalized—reflects the legislator’s intent to address the issue, it unfortunately falls short of expectations. While it includes some positive points, such as ending old rental contracts within five years and raising rental values, the transitional period is unjustifiably long, and the proposed annual increase of 15% fails to keep up with inflation or market rates. This reflects a lack of seriousness in addressing the economic and social disaster faced by landlords.
Youssef also highlighted that the law fails to distinguish between capable and incapable tenants and does not adequately address the historical accumulation of legislative distortions.
He proposed a set of urgent demands, including implementing decisive legislative actions to end all old rental contracts within six months, fully liberalizing the real estate market under the Civil Code, and establishing specialized judicial circuits to resolve disputes within 90 days.
The international lawyer also called for transitional guarantees, such as creating a support fund for elderly tenants and limiting support to those who prove that the unit is their sole residence. He suggested a transitional rent rate of 50% of the market value, along with strict enforcement measures, including fines of up to EGP 500,000 for violators and holding accountable those who make structural modifications without the landlord’s consent.
Youssef concluded by saying: “Under the wise leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who has led Egypt to unprecedented levels of development, it is no longer acceptable to maintain this legal distortion. Egypt today is fully capable of correcting this course“.
