More than a decade after its initial adoption, Lebanon’s 2014 new rent law, and its amendment in 2017, remain suspended in practice, as its core implementation mechanisms were never activated. This article examines the legal and constitutional implications of enforcing a law without its intended executive infrastructure, especially in light of the looming deadline for its full implementation. It highlights two major concerns: the absence of key institutions such as the Renters Support Fund and specialized committees, and the severe social risks posed to vulnerable long-term tenants, particularly the elderly and low-income households, who face potential eviction without adequate state-provided alternatives. Drawing on legal opinions and jurisprudence, the article argues that partial or fragmented enforcement undermines the law’s legitimacy and overall spirit, and calls on lawmakers to seek a more comprehensive housing policy that upholds the right to adequate housing.
Imad Al-Hout Approaches the Social Crisis of Old Rent Contracts Through a Narrow Numerical Lens
In a few lines, Representative Imad Al-Hout seeks, by proposing a repeated accelerated law, to resolve the decades-old problem surrounding the old rent law, by setting a clear date for the entry into …